FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Amanda Gordon, 202-887-8831 or 202-550-5753

July 17, 2001 Matt Rand, 202-887-8841

Washington, DC – A coalition of consumer, public health and environmental groups, as well as scientists and private citizens requested today that the EPA refrain from approving StarLink genetically engineered corn for human consumption until a proper investigation of StarLink is completed. At the same time and location, the EPA convened the first day of a two-day Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) meeting to consider whether to approve StarLink corn for human consumption, the third panel of this kind.

Months ago, the panel requested that the government conduct studies on the public health impacts of StarLink corn. Most of this information has not been supplied. Though the panel still does not have the evidence it has requested in order to make an informed recommendation on StarLink, EPA is considering approval of StarLink-tainted food on supermarket shelves. The groups said today that the EPA should take no action on StarLink until the proper data is provided and urged the panel not to recommend an approval of StarLink.

"We are urging the EPA not to make a decision on StarLink until it gets the evidence originally requested by its scientific advisors," said Bill Freese, Senior Policy Analyst at Friends of the Earth, a member group of the Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition. "With the investigation of white corn contamination incomplete and new reports of allergic reactions, we believe the EPA cannot legally approve StarLink corn for human consumption."

Genetically Engineered Food Alert released a checklist of specific studies that the panel requested over the past two years, but have not been completed. This critical missing information includes:

• A thorough allergenicity study which would include tests on children and others who may be at high-risk for food allergies;

• Monitoring the medical community for reports of allergic reactions to StarLink;

• Submission of important case studies of people who may be allergic to StarLink from industry, which the EPA have requested from them and not yet received; and

• More accurate allergy tests using Cry9c protein from StarLink corn, not from bacteria

Genetically Engineered Food Alert also outlined today what a proper investigation of StarLink should look like. They highlighted that an investigation should include a thorough study into the degree of StarLink contamination (including white corn), an estimation of the size of the population exposed to StarLink, development of a more reliable allergy test and a prospective study on those at high-risk for allergic reactions, including children and farmworkers.

"Due to the degree of uncertainty at this point, an approval of StarLink corn would be for the sake of protecting Aventis, the corn’s developer," said Matt Rand, Biotechnology Campaign Manager for the National Environmental Trust, a member group of the Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition. "We are asking the EPA to protect public health before protecting industry."

The groups also expressed concerns over the recent detection of StarLink protein in white corn. StarLink traits were originally genetically engineered into yellow corn that was to be used only for animal feed and not approved for human consumption. Yellow corn is mostly limited to processed food and has been under observation and testing since StarLink contamination came to light in the fall of 2000. White corn is primarily for human consumption.

FDA’s most recent finding of StarLink traits found in white corn suggests that cross-pollination or co-mingling has taken place with white corn and StarLink yellow corn. This would mean the amount of exposure to the Cry9c protein (the suspect protein found in StarLink) of U.S. citizens is likely greater than originally thought. According to the StarLink Scientific Advisory Panel, increased exposure levels translate into an increased risk of allergy development. (SAP Report No. 2000-06, p. 13)

"Genetically Engineered Food Alert does not believe that the EPA can find that food containing StarLink has met the legal burden of a ‘reasonable certainty of no harm,’" said Freese.

###