The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) this week released reports for public comment recommending the use of a GM canola and a GM corn as foodsfor human consumption. ANZFA maintains that food derived from these two GM crops is as safe for human consumption as that derived from conventional varieties of the crops.
These recommendations are contained in Draft Assessment reports, posted onthe ANZFA website, which contain details of ANZFA's safety analysis for the two commodities:a variety of canola that has been made tolerant to the herbicide bromoxynil by the introduction of an enzyme; and a variety of corn that has been genetically modified to give it protection against insect pests and tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium.
ANZFA has concluded that food derived from these two GM crops is as safe forhuman consumption as that derived from conventional varieties of the crops.ANZFA's Acting Managing Director Greg Roche said ANZFA has received 23applications to date to approve a GM food, twelve of which have already beenapproved by the Food Standards Ministerial Council, four are pendingMinisterial approval, five are undergoing public consultation and two havebeen withdrawn.
"Since April 1999 when the first applications were received, ANZFA's GM teamhas meticulously studied the scientific data provided with each applicationand sought more information where there were gaps in the data," said Roche.
"I can say with some certainty that we know more about the genetic make-upof these GM foods than any other food in the food supply. I can also say with certainty that the scientific evidence shows that theGM foods studied and recommended for approval are no more allergenic ortoxic than their conventional counterparts and are just as nutritious."
Submissions will be accepted until the end of March, after which a Final Assessment report will be prepared for Ministerial consideration.