Australia and New Zealand
January 25, 2024

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is calling for comment on an application to permit the sale and use of food made from a new genetically modified (GM) corn.

FSANZ CEO Dr Sandra Cuthbert said corn line DP910521 was genetically modified to provide it with herbicide tolerance and protection from insect pests.

“If approved, food made from this type of GM corn could be imported into Australia and New Zealand in the form of starch, grits, meal, flour, oil and sweetener," Dr Cuthbert said.

She said safety assessments are a key part of the approval process for all GM foods.

“Our safety assessment considered the specific genetic modification process, the nutrient content compared to a non-GM food of its type, and any potential allergic or toxic effects in humans,” Dr Cuthbert said.

“FSANZ found no potential public health and safety concerns with this GM corn. It is as safe as 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.

FSANZ's approval would not permit the GM corn to be grown in Australia or New Zealand. Importation of whole food containing viable seeds (e.g. corn cobs) or any cultivation of this GM corn would require separate regulatory assessment and approval by the Gene Technology Regulator in Australia and the Environmental Protection Authority in New Zealand.

To have your say about this application, see our call for comment page. Submissions close at 6pm (AEDT) 5 March 2024.

What happens to my feedback?

Submissions will be published to our website as soon as possible at the end of the public comment period.

FSANZ will consider all feedback received through this submission process before deciding on whether to approve the application.

FSANZ's decision will be notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

More information:

• How to make a submission
• Read the assessment documents: A1281 - Food derived from herbicide-tolerant and insect-protected corn line DP910521
• Visit the FSANZ GM foods and GM food labelling webpages.

Website: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au

Published: January 25, 2024