Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for submissions on an application to permit the sale and use of food derived from a genetically modified (GM) corn line.
Corn line COR121 has been modified for protection from insect pests.
If approved, food products containing this corn line could enter the Australian and New Zealand food supply through imported foods such as starch, grits, meal, flour, oil and sweeteners.
Our safety assessment found no public health or safety concerns with food derived from this GM corn line. It is as safe as food from non-GM corn varieties.
To help people make informed choices, food made from this corn would need to be labelled as 'genetically modified' if novel DNA and/or novel proteins were contained in the final food.
The approval would not permit the GM corn to be grown in Australia or New Zealand. Cultivation or importation of viable seeds, such as corn cobs, would require separate regulatory assessment and approval by the Gene Technology Regulator in Australia, and the Environmental Protection Authority and the Ministry of Primary Industries in New Zealand.
To have your say about this proposal, visit the FSANZ Consultation Hub. Submissions close at 11:59pm (AEST) 3 September 2026.
What happens to my feedback?
FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application.
Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.
More information
- How to make a submission
- Read the assessment documents: A1349 - Food derived from insect-protected corn line COR121
- Genetically modified foods
Media contact
- 0401 714 265 (Australia)
- +61 401 714 265 (from New Zealand)
- media@foodstandards.gov.au