London (12th March, 2006) – The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has agreed that a GM potato with an altered starch composition produced by BASF poses no threat to human health.

The new potato was derived from the cultivar Prevalent. Leaf discs were transformed by Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer technology with the modification inhibiting expression of granule-bound starch synthase protein responsible for amylose biosynthesis. As a result, the starch produced has little or no amylose and consists of amylopectin (branched starch), which modifies the physical properties of the starch. A kanamycin resistance gene was used as a selectable marker.

With a higher amylopectin:amylose ratio, the modified potato is designed for the production of starch for industrial purposes, not for human consumption. BASF nevertheless agreed that the new potato itself, or some product made from it, might find its way into human food, hence the need for a full health safety evaluation.

In accordance with established procedures for novel food testing, the assessment included the DNA inserted into GM potato together with the nature and safety of the modification in protein expression in the plants with respect to toxicology and allergenicity. The tests also included a comparative analysis of agronomic traits and composition.

Molecular analysis shows that the new potato contained two partial copies of the DNA fragment: the insert, including the flanking region, duplicated in reverse orientation and joined tail-to-tail, is present at a single locus in the nuclear genome. EFSA panel concluded that the analysis of the DNA insert and flanking regions gave no cause for concern, and that sufficient evidence for the stability of the insert structure was provided.

EFSA accordingly concluded that the potato is unlikely to have an adverse effect on human and animal health or on the environment in the context of its proposed uses.

Source:

Opinion of the GMO Panel related to the notification (Reference C/SE/96/3501) for the placing on the market of genetically modified potato EH92-527-1 with altered starch composition, for cultivation and production of starch, under Part C of Directive 2001/18/EC from BASF Plant Science. European Food Safety Authority (24.2.06) (http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gmo_opinions/1373_it.html)

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