MORE GM FOODS PASS ANZFA SAFETY ASSESSMENT
The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) today released safety assessment reports on two varieties of genetically modified corn for public comment and has declared them to be safe for human consumption.
ANZFA has now released full safety assessment reports on twelve GM food commodities - reports on another six GM foods will be released in the next two months.
Of the twelve commodities whose assessments have been released, Bt cotton and Roundup Ready soy have been approved for sale in Australia and New Zealand by the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council.
Chief Scientist of ANZFA, Dr Marion Healy, said the genetic modification to the two foods are intended to assist crop production.
'One of the corn varieties is an insect-protected corn which produces a bio-pesticide which has long had a history of safe use in organic farming. The other is an insect-protected and herbicide-tolerant corn which has the added characteristic of allowing farmers to use herbicides to control weeds without affecting the crop,' Dr Healy said.
'It is important to point out that neither of the GM corn lines are the 'StarLink' corn which has recently been in the news as an unapproved ingredient in taco shells in the United States.
'No GM corn is grown in Australia or New Zealand at present. The pre-market safety assessments made by ANZFA on GM corn therefore, at present, apply to GM corn imported for use in processed foods.'
Dr Healy said ANZFA scientists pay particular attention to the toxicity, allergenicity and nutritional value of the GM foods and they have to be satisfied that the genetic modification will not lead to adverse health outcomes.
To date, ANZFA has found no evidence that GM foods are less safe than their conventionally produced counterparts - a finding supported by food agencies around the world.
The safety assessment reports for the two GM corn lines have been posted on the ANZFA website at www.anzfa.gov.au (Information Circular 07/01).
Interested parties have until 15 November to provide evidence-based comment, which could include bringing new scientific information to ANZFA's attention.