The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continues to state in an opinion published on Monday 8 May that, on the basis of the information provided by Monsanto, that company’s genetically modified maize MON 810 does not present a risk to health or the environment.
The Authority states, however, that the monitoring of risks could be improved and that it cannot give an opinion on the threat to biodiversity of the MON 810 Bt variety of maize because of the paucity of data provided by Monsanto.
This information was contained in an EFSA scientific opinion on the annual post-market environmental monitoring (PMEM) report on the cultivation of MON 810 in 2015. This report, submitted by Monsanto Europe, covers both a general surveillance data set and a case-specific monitoring data set of MON 810 expressing gene Bt Cry1Ab.
The case-specific monitoring data set consists of a survey on compliance with non-Bacillus thuringiensis (non-Bt) refuges in Spain and Portugal, concentration–response and diagnostic concentration bioassays to monitor for changes in susceptibility to the Cry1Ab protein in target pests collected from Iberian populations, and the outcome of the farmer alert system.
Noting that the report shows partial compliance with the implementation of non-Bt refuges, the EFSA GMO Panel recommends that Monsanto strive to increase the level of compliance. It notes, too, that the methodology for insect resistance monitoring remained unchanged from previous PMEM reports and that the monitoring protocol adopted does not provide the sufficient sensitivity to detect early cases of resistance.
EFSA, therefore, reiterates its previous recommendations, in particular, on implementing annual monitoring of populations of target pests exclusively from north-east Iberia where field resistance to Cry1Ab is more likely to evolve.
After assessing the general surveillance data set, which consists of a survey based on 261 farmer questionnaires, peer-reviewed publications relevant to the risk assessment and/or management of maize MON 810 (published between June 2015 and May 2016), EFSA scientists conclude that the available data do not indicate any unanticipated adverse effects on human and animal health or the environment arising from the cultivation of maize MON 810 in the 2015 growing season. The general surveillance activities carried out by Monsanto “do not provide evidence that would invalidate previous GMO Panel evaluations on the safety of maize MON 810”, states the report.
The GMO Panel notes that no information collected from existing biodiversity monitoring networks in the EU and relevant to the monitoring of genetically modified plants was provided by Monsanto. However, initiatives have been taken to develop a methodological framework to use existing networks in the broader context of environmental monitoring, and the Panel encourages relevant parties to continue to develop these.
In terms of EU legislation, applications for authorisation of cultivation of genetically modified (GM) plants must include a PMEM report indicating how the transgenic plant will be monitored so that any potential adverse effect on human health or the environment can be detected and tracked. Every year, EFSA evaluates the PMEM results and makes recommendations to the Commission for improving the PMEM reports and establishing conclusions on the safety of GM plants. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)