Australia and New Zealand
December 20, 2017

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) today called for submissions on an application to permit food from a genetically modified cotton line.

FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Mark Booth said the cotton line had been modified to be resistant to piercing and sucking insects, for example aphids and thrips.

“Following a thorough safety assessment, no public health or safety concerns have been identified,” Mr Booth said.

FSANZ’s assessment includes an examination of the stability and changes at the level of DNA and protein in the food as well as an analysis of the composition of the food and evaluation of intended and unintended changes.

All FSANZ decisions on applications are notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can decide to ask for a review or agree that the standard should become law.

The closing date for submissions is 6pm (Canberra time) 14 February 2018.

More information

• Read the assessment reports
• How to make a submission

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

Published: December 20, 2017