Environmental risk assessment of import and processing of insect resistant and herbicide tolerant GM maize DAS1131
- The present application (GMFF-2021-1530) concerns the authorisation for import and processing for use in food and feed of genetically modified (GM) maize DAS1131;
- Maize DAS1131 was produced by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, and expresses the Cry1Da2 protein which confers resistance to certain susceptible lepidopteran insects, and the DGT-28 EPSPS protein which confers tolerance to glyphosate containing herbicides;
- In the Netherlands, feral maize populations have never been observed and the appearance of volunteers – maize not deliberately planted – is rare;
- In the Netherlands, the wild relative of maize, teosinte, is not present in the natural environment, hybridisation of GM maize with other species is therefore not possible;
- The molecular characterisation of maize DAS1131 meets the criteria of COGEM, and no indications for potential environmental risks were identified;
- There are no indications that the introduced traits will allow GM maize DAS1131 to survive in the Dutch environment;
- COGEM is of the opinion that import and processing of maize DAS1131 poses a negligible risk to the environment in the Netherlands;
- COGEM abstains from giving advice on the potential risks of incidental consumption since other organisations carry out a food/feed assessment.