GM strain taints mountains of stored corn across the US

WASHINGTON - More than 430 million bushels of corn in storage around the United States have been contaminated with an unapproved genetically modified variety, resulting in a huge recall of chips, flour and other foods.

That figure greatly increases the estimate of the amount of US corn inadvertently mixed with StarLink genetically modified variety prohibited from human foods.

The New Zealand Ministry of Health said none of the nearly 300 products identified as containing StarLink corn was available in this country.

Ministry of Health food manager Jim Sim said all 60 importers who brought US food products into New Zealand in the past year had been vetted.

"In addition, we are contacting the importers, seeking their assurances that their food products do not contain StarLink corn. We have asked the importers to delay further distribution of the food products, until they can confirm this."

Manufacturer Aventis CropScience, in its most detailed accounting of the StarLink contamination to date, said it was urging the federal Government to establish a tolerance level that would permit a small amount of the bio-corn to occur in large shipments.

"At the elevator level, we have already rerouted 94 million bushels of corn commingled with StarLink corn and know of an additional 343 million bushels in storage that will be rerouted in the months to come," said John Wichtrich, general manager for Aventis CropScience, a unit of the Franco-German pharmaceutical company.

Wichtrich made his remarks in a San Antonio speech to a meeting of the North American Millers Association, which represents companies that grind wheat and corn into flour.

The 430 million-bushel estimate dwarfs the amount of corn reported earlier from the 2000 crop as containing StarLink - about 50 million bushels grown by farmers licensed to use it and 20 million bushels from neighbouring fields.

"Most of this commingled corn apparently originated with the 1999 crop," Wichtrich said, adding that 99 per cent of the 2000 StarLink corn had been identified and routed to animal feed or ethanol use.

The genetically modified protein in StarLink corn, called Cry9C, was barred by US regulators for human use because of concerns it might cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, runny noses and flu-like symptoms.

The discovery of the corn in taco shells last September triggered a recall of more than 300 snack chips, cornmeal and other US foods.

The contamination occurred when farmers and grain elevators mixed StarLink with other corn varieties.

Farmers in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska have sued Aventis, claiming that the contaminated corn cost them export business and pulled down the overall price of US corn. Japan, the biggest importer of US corn, virtually halted its purchases for weeks and continues to test shipments in an effort to detect contamination.

Wichtrich said Aventis had already spent "tens of millions of dollars" to resolve the StarLink contamination.

StarLink, engineered to repel pests that feed on young corn plants, was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1998 only for animal feed.

Aventis, which maintains StarLink is safe for human food, said it wanted the EPA to approve a tolerance level for the bio-corn. That move would allow a set amount of StarLink or its Cry9C protein to exist in corn intended for human food.

"I know you are wondering: will there ever be an end to this?" Wichtrich said.

"Unfortunately, as of right now, the answer is no - there will never be an 'end' as long as there is a zero tolerance for Cry9C in food."

Present Government testing procedures say the detection of one kernel of StarLink corn or its Cry9C protein in a testing sample of 2400 kernels is enough to reject an entire railcar of corn for human food use.

Aventis asked the EPA last autumn to grant a four-year approval of StarLink for human food. That is the time needed for corn ingredients to work their way through food manufacturing plants, grocery stores and home pantries, Aventis said.

The EPA has yet to rule on the request. An independent science panel urged the agency in December to conduct more tests and to investigate two dozen instances in which consumers claimed they had allergic reactions to food with StarLink.

Aventis said it expected the Government to soon publish a broad rule saying the DNA of biotech foods - which would include Cry9C protein - do not need to be regulated.

The rule is being reviewed by the Bush Administration.

- REUTERS

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