THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE IN THE CONSUMPTION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS IN BRAZIL Lucas Macedo Santos, Lígia Maria Comis Dutra

Abstract

In recent decades, the world's population has grown at a dizzying rate, thus increasing its needs, desires and conflicts for a healthier diet. Biotechnology has been developing as one of the branches of biological sciences in order to improve and expand the cultivation of some species of plants, under the argument, among others, of trying to eliminate hunger in the world, offering and making available a greater volume of food. However, the possible adverse effects on humans and animals after a certain period of time of consumption of this type of genetically modified food divides opinions in the most diverse areas of knowledge, such as: technological, human, social, religious, etc. Thus, the present work aims to investigate the applicability and scope of the precautionary principle, one of the principles adopted in national and international conventions and legislation, to genetically modified foods consumed in Brazil, especially regarding their release and disposal into the environment, as well as to evaluate the pertinent legislation on biosafety and the technical-legal decisions adopted by CTN-bio - National Technical Commission on Biosafety, avoiding possible long-term adverse effects from the introduction of genetically modified organisms into the Brazilian environment.