Toxic GE corn given thumbs up

A new study on the effects of GE corn variety, MON863, on rats concludes it can't be considered a "safe product". However, the same variety was given a big tick by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), our government food safety regulator, declaring it safe for humans. FSANZ had access to the test data  (on which the new study was based) back in 2004 and still gave this toxic corn the okay.

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"With the present data, it cannot be concluded that GM corn MON863 is a safe product."

Findings of a study into the approved GE corn variety, MON 863.

Greenpeace is demanding the immediate withdrawal of high-risk GE products and an extension of the Australian state moratoria on GE food crops.

GE company tries to suppress safety data

The study results were published last week in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. The study was headed by Professor Gilles Eric Seralini, a French government scientist and expert in GE technology from the University of Caen. His team of experts analysed the results of safety tests submitted by the world's largest genetic engineering company, Monsanto. The study found that "with the present data, it cannot be concluded that GM corn MON863 is a safe product".

Monsanto tried to suppress the test data but it was obtained by Greenpeace, following a court case, and passed on to Professor Seralini’s team for independent evaluation. The same data was available to the national regulator, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), in 2004 yet FSANZ failed to assess it, relying solely on Monsanto’s analyses which, according to Professor Seralini, "do not stand up to rigorous scrutiny".

Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner, Louise Sales, says "These results show that our national food safety regulator has failed in its duty of care to consumers. What's needed is an immediate and complete recall of MON863 contaminated products.

"Both FSANZ and the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) have blithely approved numerous GE crops for commercial growing and human consumption. It is only the state moratoria on GE food crops that are preventing the widespread contamination of our fields and our food with GE."

With most of the state moratoria on GE food crops due to expire next year, Greenpeace calls on the state governments to extend the moratoria until 2013.

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Read Greenpeace's briefing on FSANZ's failure to protect consumers

Read Greenpeace's briefing on the study