EFSA on the Possible Presence of Unauthorized GM in U.S. Maize

Adventitious presence of the non-authorized genetically modified (GM) event DAS 59132-8 in maize imported from the U.S. has not been found in Europe, according to a scientific opinion released by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). EFSA conducted the study, as requested by the European Commission, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) detected low levels (less than 3 seeds per 1000 seeds) of the non-authorized GM maize in hybrid lines containing DAS 59122-7. EFSA’s GMO panel  has previously adopted an opinion on the maize event 59122 saying that, with regard to import and processing for food, feed and industrial uses, it is as safe as its non-GM counterparts.

The unauthorized GM maize and DAS 59122-7 were developed by using the same genes, Cry34Ab1 and Cry35Ab, that confer resistance against coleopteran pests and an herbicide tolerance gene as a selectable marker. Considering the low-level presence of the unauthorized 59132, as well as the similarity of the two varieties, EFSA concludes that it is unlikely that DAS 59132-8 will cause risk to human health or the environment.

Read the full report at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Opinion/gmo_op_ej713_DAS59132-8_en.pdf or http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/Scientific_Opinion/gmo_op_ej713_DAS59132-8_summary_en.pdf