Propuesta de consulta para desregulación de alimentos derivados de cultivos genéticamente mejorados, desarrollados en Costa Rica / Request for consultation for deregulation of foods derived from genetically enhanced crops developed in Costa Rica

Objetivo: Proponer un proceso de desregulación de alimentos derivados de cultivos genéticamente mejorados desarrollados en Costa Rica, plantea un trámite a la Consulta de desregulación de un nuevo alimento desarrollado por ingeniería genética, labor que le competerá al Ministerio de Salud principalmente. Material y métodos: La propuesta incluye procedimientos de iniciar la consulta, conformación del equipo de evaluadores, información que se solicita en el dossier sobre alimentos derivados de cultivos genéticamente mejorados, y comunicación de la decisión de la Consulta. Se construyó con base a marcos regulatorios de bioseguridad, utilizados en países desarrollados, que orientan a los desarrolladores en los lineamientos a seguir para la desregulación de los nuevos alimentos. Resultados: Lo que establecen los marcos de regulación responde a lo planteado en el concepto de equivalencia sustancial, aceptada internacionalmente como el compendio de información que refleja la inocuidad de un alimento seguro para el consumo. El ensayo revisa los procesos de regulación en bioseguridad de Costa Rica y la experiencia en la regulación para el cultivo y movilización de materiales modificados genéticamente. Discusión: Se evidencia que Costa Rica se carece de un procedimiento para atender Consulta de desregulación de alimentos sometidos al proceso de equivalencia sustancial.

Objective: To develop a feasibility analysis of the implementation of a consultation process as it would apply to foods derived from genetically modified crops in Costa Rica; this includes a general proposal for procedures for a consultation request within the country, in order to deregulate foods derived from genetically modified crops. The Ministry of Health would be responsible for the Consultation. Methods: The proposal includes procedures for Consultation reception, group of experts for evaluation, information required in the dossier of genetically-modified crops and Consultation resolution communication. The proposal was constructed based on biosafety regulatory frameworks, used by industrialized countries, which are meant to guide developers on guidelines for the safety assessment of novel foods.Results: These guidelines follow the substantial equivalence concept, which defines what information should be accepted internationally to demonstrate that the new food is safe for human and animal consumption. In this essay a review of the biosecurity regulatory procedures in Costa Rica is presented; this review indicates that there is expertise on the regulation of planting and mobilization of GM materials.Discussion: However there is a lack of procedures addressed to doing a Consultation for deregulating a GM food that has completed the substantial equivalence process.

Plant regeneration via indirect somatic embryogenesis and optimisation of genetic transformation in Coffea arabica L. cvs. Caturra and Catuaí

A protocol for Coffea arabica L. cvs. Caturra and Catuaí plant regeneration via indirect somatic embryogenesis (ISE) was established. Furthermore, a biolistic mediated genetic transformation protocol was optimized for Catual callus aggregates. Maximum callus induction was obtained when Caturra (87 percent) and Catuaí (67 percent) leaves were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium with 18.56 micronM kinetin and 4.52 micronM2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Catuaí suspension cultures were established from embryogenic callus using liquid proliferation CP and Sli media and diffused light and darkness. The higher suspension cultures fresh weight was obtained using Erlenmeyer (1425.4 +/- 354.9 mg) than Recipient for Automated Temporary Immersion System (RITA®) (518.6 +/- 55.1 mg), whereas the dry weight of suspension cultures was not significantly affected by the culture system used. Higher number of embryos per vessel (307.6 +/- 49.0) and their fresh weight (9.6 +/- 1.5 mg) were obtained with semisolid R medium than S3 medium. The highest somatic embryo development (25.0 +/- 2.7) and fresh weight (780.0 +/- 85.4 mg) were obtained with 1 min of immersion every 8 hrs. Higher fresh weight of regenerated plantlets was obtained with liquid Yasuda medium in RITA® (124.6 +/- 16.3 mg) than semisolid media (36.3 +/- 11.3 mg). For genetic transformation, the effect of helium pressure (900 and 1550 psi), and target distance (9 and 12 cm) and plasmid (pCAMBIA 1301, pCAMBIA 1305.2 and pCAMBIA 1301-BAR) on transient uidA expression Catuaí suspension cultures were evaluated. The highest number of blue spots was obtained using 900 psi and 9 cm (125.8 +/- 17.3). Stable uidA expression was observed on Catual callus aggregates transformed with pCAMBIA 2301 and cultured on 100 mg l-1 of kanamycin.