Biotech Updates

FSANZ Seeks Comment on GM Corn

April 25, 2008

The bi-national food agency Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has announced plans to change certain restrictions of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code– regulations that cover the content, labeling, handling and sale of food in the two countries. The first is to require mandatory iodine fortification of bread in Australia. The second is for the approval of Syngenta Seeds Pty Ltd’s GM corn line MIR162. MIR162 is genetically modified to express the BT protein Vip3Aa20 to protect it against feeding damage caused by the larvae of certain insect pest species. Syngenta intends to cultivate the corn in the US. However, once commercialized, GM corn products may be imported to Australia and New Zealand.

Comments from industries, public health professionals, government agencies and consumers are welcome. Details can be found at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=z6klhfcab.0.0.vhs9uecab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.foodstandards.gov.au