Renewed approval of genetically modified maize MON810: EFSA has no reservations

(01.07.2009) The expert panel on gene technology of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has no reservations with regard to its renewed approval of the genetically modified (GM) MON810 in Europe. The first approval of this maize already was issued in 1998 and expired after ten years.

The only genetically modified plant that is cultivated in Europe was approved in 1998 according to the legislation valid at that time. After ten years at the latest, an application for the renewal of approval must be submitted. The GM plant or GMO foodstuff in question must once again be subjected to a safety assessment in which new scientific findings are considered. The current legal requirements that have been agreed upon by all EU Member States form the basis for readmission.

In the case of MON810, EFSA experts concluded that it is as safe as conventional maize for food and feed. This assessment, which is supported by various feed studies, is cited to have been confirmed by numerous scientific data published in the past ten years. Furthermore, the influence of MON810 on the environment is cited to have no essential difference to that of conventional maize cultivation.

In comparison to the first approval process, EFSA experts now have addressed the issue much more deeply of whether the Bt Protein formed by MON810 maize is not only harmful to the Corn borer pest but also to other animals. In the past years, much public discussion took place on the unavoidability of such undesirable effects on Non-target organisms. Furthermore, in some EU countries including Germany, cultivation bans issued for MON810 were justified with the doubts remaining with regard to this issue.

The new EFSA position towards MON810 has analysed numerous individual and combined studies (meta-studies) and also regard, for example, water-based insects, bees and rain worms. The EFSA experts refute a particular risk from MON810. A harmful effect on butterflies and moths certainly is possible, but under natural conditions butterfly and moth larvae hardly experience contact with the Bt protein produced by MON9810 maize. Model calculations indicate that approximately 0.3 to 0.8 per cent of cabbage moths for example may die if MON810 is cultivated in a region. Similar model calculations were conducted for other types of butterflies and moths. Subsequently, the EFSA experts nonetheless ruled out a risk to varieties of butterflies and moths was

Based on the EFSA position that has been published in the meanwhile, the EU Commission will develop a decision recommendation for the renewal of approval for MON810, for which Member States then will vote.

See also on GMO-Compass:

• GMO database: Application for renewal of approval for MON810
• Cultivation of MON810 in Europe

Further information:

• EFSA opinion with regard to the application for renewal of approval for MON810