StarLink Report Doesn’t Quell EPA Concerns

New scientific data submitted by the maker of StarLink corn do not dispel government scientists’ concerns that the gene-altered crop may cause allergic reactions in humans, the Environmental Protection Agency said. In what it described as a preliminary evaluation and not a final ruling, the EPA said it still questions Aventis’ contention that there is little chance of allergic reactions for those who eat the corn. But the agency also said new data submitted by France’s Aventis “supports an overall conclusion that the potential dietary exposure” of humans to StarLink in corn flour, chips and other processed foods is “extremely low.” Along with its 26-page preliminary assessment, the EPA published a list of questions about the safety of StarLink that it wants a panel of independent scientists to consider before giving their recommendation to the agency Dec. 1. The EPA approved the corn for use only as livestock feed in 1998. Traces of the corn were found in taco shells in September, triggering a recall of more than 300 brands of foods.