EU Confirms Safety of Genetically Modified Maize DP910521 for Food and Feed Use

On August 1, 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a detailed and in-depth scientific opinion officially confirming the safety of GM maize DP910521 in food and feed applications. After a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process, the panel of experts declared that this GM corn variety has demonstrated safety on par with its traditional non-GM counterparts and other rigorously tested non-GM corn varieties, and does not pose any potential threat to human or animal health. It will not cause any safety concern to the ecological environment.

In particular, EFSA's GMO evaluation team noted that DP910521 maize, through its clever integration of gene sequences such as mo-pat, pmi and cry1B, not only gives it strong resistance to specific pests, but also enables it to tolerate the use of phosphine oxalate herbicides. Detailed molecular characterization and bioinformatic evaluation of this transgenic variety involving 34 gene expression units did not reveal any potential issues requiring additional attention or further food/feed safety assessment, except for minor changes in the iron content of the grain, which were not sufficient to raise safety or nutritional concerns. It is particularly worth mentioning that the toxicity and allergenicity evaluation of Cry1B protein did not find any safety risks, and the expression of PAT and PMI proteins in DP910521 maize was also in a safe and controllable range.

In summary, EFSA firmly believes that DP910521 corn is fully safe to compete with conventional control varieties and other fully tested non-GMO corn varieties without any adverse effects on the nutritional health of humans and animals. Even if environmental leakage occurs in extreme circumstances, the genetically modified corn will not pose a threat to the safety and stability of the ecological environment. As a result, EFSA recommends that no additional food/feed post-marketing monitoring measures are required for DP910521 maize and that the existing environmental monitoring programme is fully compliant with the intended use and safety requirements of the GM maize.

The authoritative conclusion of the expert group undoubtedly provides a solid scientific basis and strong support for the subsequent approval of DP910521 corn in the field of food and feed in the EU. This decision not only demonstrates the rigorous attitude and prudent principle of the EU in the safety assessment of GM products, but also sets a model for the scientific assessment and safety management of GM crops worldwide.