Unauthorized Bt10 Found in Ireland Corn Shipment

A shipment with a consignment of corn-gluten feed contaminated with the unauthorised GMO maize Bt10 arrived in Ireland this week. The Irish authorities are taking the necessary measures to ensure that this consignment does not enter the feed chain.

Swiss-owned Syngenta announced in March that seed sold in the United States as Bt11, an approved corn variety in Europe, may have traces of Bt10. Since the measures were adopted on April 18, consignments of genetically modified corn-gluten feed and brewers grain from the U.S. can only be placed on the EU market if they are accompanied by an analytical report by an accredited laboratory which demonstrates that the product does not contain the Bt10 variety.

This is the first time that the arrival of a consignment of maize containing the unauthorized GMO Bt10 has been reported. To date, 290 tests on corn gluten feed and brewers grain have been carried out in the United States, and 289 have proved negative.

On 25 May, the Irish authorities informed the Commission and the other Member States via the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) that a consignment of corn gluten feed containing Bt10 arrived in Ireland on 24 May 2005.

The Irish authorities were informed by the importer prior to the arrival of the vessel and the necessary measures are being taken in order to ensure that the contaminated feed does not enter the feed chain and that it is disposed of. This situation arose because the results of the testing became available when the vessel was already en route to the EU. The contaminated consignment will be disposed of under the supervision of the Irish authorities.

Once the Irish authorities have completed this risk assessment to their satisfaction, the four separate consignments of corn gluten feed and distillers dried grain that were on the same shipment which tested negative can be placed on the market.

Audrae Erickson, president of the Corn Refiners Association, explains that the recent detection of Bt10 in a shipment in a shipment of corn gluten feed is an "unfortunate, but isolated, incident." Erickson goes on to say that, "This detection demonstrates that the system implemented by the European Commission is working. We will continue to comply with European requirements to continue to supply this vital product to producers in the European animal agriculture system."