Biotech Updates

Indonesia Seeks Comment on Food Safety Assessment of GM Maize

February 4, 2011

Transgenic maize events GA 21 and MIR162, with broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate tolerance and lepidopteran pests resistance, respectively were found to be safe for food and consumption, says the report on the food safety assessment of GM products based on the regulation of the National Agency of Drug and Food Control on Guidelines for Food Safety Assessment of Genetic Engineering Products (PRG) on transgenic  maize.

The GA 21 maize event was created through direct DNA transformation by microparticle bombardment of plant cells or tissue, while MIR 162 was created by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated plant transformation. Both of them were produced by Syngenta Seeds, Inc. for human consumption (wet mill or dry mill or seed oil), and meal and silage for livestock.

Summary results of Food Safety Assessment of GA 21 and MIR162 (in Bahasa) can be downloaded at http://www.indonesiabch.org/docs/Ringkasan-JagungGA21.pdf and http://www.indonesiabch.org/docs/Ringkasan-JagungMIR162.pdf.

The Indonesia Biosafety Clearing House invites the public to comment, input, and submit suggestions about the genetically engineered products (PRG) via email, phone/fax, discussion forums, guest book, Facebook (Indonesia Biosafety Clearing House), or via http://www.indonesiabch.org/komentar/jagung-ga21/ or http://www.indonesiabch.org/komentar/jagung-mir162/