The implications of advances in food biotechnology and genetic engineering for food allergy are examined. The development of the Colorado beetle-protected NewLeaf potato is described to illustrate the application of agricultural biotechnology. The food safety assessment of this product is summarized to illustrate the approaches used to ensure the safety of foods derived from genetically engineered food crops. The removal of allergens from foods by genetic engineering, animal models for predicting allergenicity and the development of international and national policies and legislation to assess the safety of food products derived from genetically engineered plants are discussed.