- International Life Sciences Institute
The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) is a
non-profit international organization founded in 1978 to addressfood safety ,nutrition , andtoxicology issues. It is supported by government funding, its own endowment, and also donations from its membership, comprised of hundreds of food and beverage corporations worldwide. [ [http://www.ilsi.org/AboutILSI/ About ILSI] ] Headquartered inWashington, DC , the institute addresses global issues such asobesity ,biotechnology ,functional foods , and food safety using sound science. It has fourteen separate offices worldwide and four additional research centers.According to Sourcewatch.org, ILSI is also involved in the global food manufacturing industry, but it also includes operations involved with
agriculture and genetic modification;pesticide s andpharmaceutical s; confectionery; and even with such dubious consumables ascigarette s. This imbalance led, eventually, to theWorld Health Organization (WHO) banning the organisation from direct involvement with the WHO and other related agencies.The [http://www.ilsina.org North American] chapter of the ILSI annually issues the
Babcock-Hart Award to theInstitute of Food Technologists .Aspartame controversy
Its close ties with the food industry was raised as a cause for concern in response to the
European Food Safety Authority 's assessment of a study by theEuropean Ramazzini Foundation . The study reported harmful effects of the artificial sweetener Aspartame. The conclusions of the study were, however, dismissed by theEFSA . The European Ramazzini Foundation responded by calling theEFSA 's position bizarre, and by noting that the advisory panel's chair, Dr. Susan Barlow, was also a member of The International Life Sciences Institute. The European Ramazzini Foundation directly questioned the International Life Sciences Institutes's objectivity in the matter given its sponsorship from the food industry. (For more information on this event, see the articleAspartame controversy )Notes and references
* [http://www.ilsi.org Official website]
* [http://www.ilsi.org/NR/rdonlyres/39EDBCDE-0F3A-4A94-B467-13E4169A1A76/0/Assembly_of_Members.pdf List of ILSI member corporations] (PDF document)
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Life_Sciences_Institute Sourcewatch article about ILSI]
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