EFSA assesses 2009 Post-Market Environmental Monitoring report for maize MON810

Published:

25 October 2011

2 minutes read

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a scientific opinion Opinions include risk assessments on general scientific issues, evaluations of an application for the authorisation of a product, substance or claim, or an evaluation of a risk assessment. on the 2009 Post-Market Environmental Monitoring ( PMEM Monitoring of the effects of a new product (e.g. a GM plant) following its release onto the market. This may reveal adverse effects which were not predicted in the risk assessment conducted prior to market release. It stands for post-market environmental monitoring.) report for the cultivation of genetically modified maize MON810. The PMEM report was assessed by EFSA’s Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms ( GMO A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism which contains genetic material that has been deliberately altered and which does not occur naturally through breeding or selection. Panel) which concludes that maize MON810 cultivation for the 2009 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 the previous EFSA risk assessment A specialised field of applied science that involves reviewing scientific data and studies in order to evaluate risks associated with certain hazards. It involves four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation. of maize MON810 from 2009. However, the GMO Panel pointed out a number of shortcomings in the methodology used for the monitoring and surveillance and makes several related recommendations to improve future data collection and reporting.

Monitoring is a key feature of the legislative framework on GM plants and, taken together with a rigorous pre-market environmental risk assessment and risk management The management of risks which have been identified by risk assessment. It includes the planning, implementation and evaluation of any resulting actions taken to protect consumers, animals and the environment., forms an important part of the cycle of measures in place to detect and limit possible adverse effects, including those that may occur over a long period of time. The PMEM report for MON810 was submitted by the producer on a voluntary basis as the original authorisation application from 1998 fell under the previous European Union regulatory framework (Directive 90/220/EC).