European Food Safety Authority publishes scientific opinion for market release of GM oilseed rape GT73

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) has published the Scientific Opinion on the safety of genetically modified herbicide tolerant oilseed rape GT73 for placing on the market of isolated seed protein for food under Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003.

Application EFSA-GMO-RX-026/2 was submitted by the Bayer Group for the modification of the terms of the authorization regarding the placing on the market of isolated seed protein from oilseed rape GT73 for food. From the previous opinions of the GMO Panel on this event, the molecular characterization data do not identify issues requiring additional food safety assessment. Based on previous assessments, no biologically relevant differences were identified in the compositional, agronomic, and phenotypic characteristics of oilseed rape GT73 compared with its conventional counterpart, except for the newly expressed proteins.

The Scientific Opinion also states that no new agronomic, phenotypic, or compositional data in support of the comparative analysis were considered necessary in the context of application EFSA-GMO-RX-026/2. The GMO Panel did not identify safety concerns regarding toxicity, allergenicity, or adjuvanticity related to the presence of the newly expressed proteins CP4 EPSPS and GOXv247 in oilseed rape GT73.

The GMO Panel concludes that the consumption of oilseed rape GT73 does not represent any nutritional concern and is as safe as the conventional counterpart.

For more details, read the Scientific Opinion in the EFSA Journal.