May 31, 2007

EU to debate on GMO corn applications

EU biotech experts will discuss three applications next week to approve new genetically modified (GMO) plants but are unlikely to break the bloc's longstanding deadlock on GMO foods, officials said on Wednesday.

The applications, two of which are for modified corn hybrids, do not relate to cultivation and will be debated on June 8 by biotech experts from the EU's 27 national governments.

The first corn hybrid, submitted for EU approval by US biotech company Monsanto, is known as MON810/NK603 and designed to resist certain insects and also glyphosate-the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.

Monsanto's application relates to food and animal feed produced from the modified plants or containing ingredients derived from those plants.

The second GMO corn, a hybrid known as 1507/NK603, has been developed to resist certain field pests like the European corn borer, and also the herbicides glufosinate and glyphosate.

Corn borers, which attack the plant stalks and kernels, are found across Europe and thrive in warmer climates in southern EU countries such as Spain and Italy.

The corn is jointly made by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of DuPont Co. and Dow AgroSciences unit Mycogen Seeds. Their application is for import and processing, for all food and feed uses, and all food, feed and processed products derived from the GMO corn plants. Pioneer and Mycogen also jointly submitted an application for third GMO up for debate on June 8, a modified corn known commercially as Herculex RW and also by the code number 59122. 

Herculex RW is designed to protect against larval stages of corn rootworm, which eats through plant roots and so reduces yield and nutrients. It also resists the active herbicide ingredient glusofinate ammonium.

If approved, the 59122 corn would be imported for use in food, animal feed and also in industrial processing.

The issue on GMO has long been debated by Europe due to food safety concerns. Biotech companies, in response, have stressed that bio-enginereed crops are just as safe as the traditional food.