EFSA Publishes Public Opinion for Market Release of Pioneer GM Soybean

The Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms of the European Food Safety Authority (GMO Panel) has published the Scientific Opinion on an application submitted by Pioneer for the placing on the market of the herbicide tolerant, high oleic acid, genetically modified soybean 305423 × 40-3-2 for food and feed uses, import and processing under Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003.

The GMO Panel has previously assessed the two single events in soybean 305423 × 40-3-2, and did not identify safety concerns. It also stated that no new data on the single events affecting the original conclusions were identified. Based on the molecular, agronomic, phenotypic and compositional characteristics, the combination of soybean events 305423 and 40-3-2 in the two-event stack soybean did not raise concerns regarding food and feed safety or nutrition.

The combination of the newly expressed proteins in the two-event stack soybean did not raise human or animal health concerns. Nutritional assessment of food products from soybean 305423 × 40-3-2 identified no concerns for human health and nutrition.

The GMO Panel is of the opinion that soybean 305423 × 40-3-2 is as safe as the non-GM comparator and non-GM commercial soybean varieties with respect to potential effects on human and animal health and environment in the context of its scope. The GMO panel recommends a post-market monitoring plan.

For more details, read the Scientific Opinion in the EFSA Journal.