EFSA Releases Scientific Assessment of GM Maize MZIR 098

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) has published the Scientific Opinion which reports on the outcome of its risk assessment of maize MZIR098 according to the scope as defined in the application EFSA‐GMO‐DE‐2017‐142. The Scientific Opinion is published based on the application from the Competent Authority of Germany for authorization of maize MZIR098 (Unique Identifier SYN‐ØØØ98‐3), submitted by Syngenta Crop Protection N.V./S.A. according to Regulation (EC) No 1829/20031.

The scope of application EFSA‐GMO‐DE‐2017‐142 is for food and feed uses, import and processing of GM herbicide tolerant and insect resistant maize MZIR098 in the European Union (EU). According to the Scientific Opinion, the molecular characterization data and bioinformatic analyses do not identify issues requiring food/feed safety assessment. None of the identified differences in the agronomic/phenotypic and compositional characteristics tested between maize MZIR 098 and its conventional counterpart needs further assessment, except for neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in grains, which does not raise nutritional and safety concerns. The GMO Panel does not identify safety concerns regarding the toxicity and allergenicity of the eCry3.1Ab, mCry3A, and PAT proteins as expressed in maize MZIR 098, and finds no evidence that the genetic modification would change the overall allergenicity of maize MZIR 098. In the context of this application, the consumption of food and feed from maize MZIR 098 does not represent a nutritional concern in humans and animals.

The GMO Panel concludes that maize MZIR 098 is as safe as its conventional counterpart and the non‐GM maize reference varieties tested.

For more details, read the scientific opinion in the EFSA Journal.