EFSA Publishes Scientific Opinion for Market Release of Five-Event Stack Maize

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) has published the Scientific Opinion on the safety of herbicide tolerant and insect resistant genetically modified maize Bt11 × 59122 × MIR604 ×1507 × GA21, referred to as 'five-event stack maize' and 20 subcombinations (referred to as ‘subcombinations independently of their origin' in line with the Commission implementing regulation (EU) No 503/2013). The application was submitted by Syngenta Crop Protection AG, and the scope is for food and feed uses, import and processing, but excludes cultivation within the European Union (EU).

The GMO Panel has previously assessed the five single events that are combined to produce this five-event stack maize Bt11 × 59122 × MIR604 × 1507 × GA21, 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 five-event stack maize did not give rise to safety concerns and there is no reason to expect interactions between the single events impacting on the food and feed safety of the five-event stack maize.

The GMO Panel concludes that the five-event stack maize is as safe and as nutritious as its conventional counterpart in the context of its scope.

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