EFSA gives green light for MON810 maize monitoring report

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a scientific opinion on the Post-Market Environmental Monitoring (PMEM) report for the 2010 cultivation season of genetically modified maize MON810.

In its assessment of the report, EFSA’s Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) concluded that cultivation of the maize MON810 for the 2010 growing season had no adverse effects on human and animal health or the environment. The GMO Panel also concluded that the outcomes of the PMEM report corroborate the findings of EFSA’s previous assessment on maize MON810 cultivation for the 2009 season.

During its evaluation of the 2010 report, the GMO Panel noted shortcomings in the methodology used for the monitoring; however, these did not have implications on its overall conclusions on the safety of MON810. In this context, the Panel reiterated several recommendations which it made in September 2011 in its opinion on the MON810 PMEM report for the 2009 cultivation season. These were related to improving data collection, analysis and reporting.

The Panel also verified the literature review that is part of the 2010 PMEM report. It noted that the applicant had not referenced some relevant papers, published from December 2010 onwards, that related to maize MON810 or the insecticidal toxin that it produces. These studies were considered in EFSA’s assessment.

Monitoring is requested by the legislative framework on GM plants and is carried out following rigorous pre-market environmental risk assessment and risk management decisions related to the authorisation of the GM crop.