Food safety authority delays GM study over credibility concerns

The European Food Safety Authority has stalled a dual study which linked tumours developed by test rats to potential toxicity in one species of genetically modified maize and a herbicide containing glyphosate.

The EFSA criticised he study for selecting tumour-prone test rats, and for failing to obey key international research protocol. The EFSA said its findings were based on details in a paper produced by the test team, French scientist Gilles-Eric Séralini and his team at the University of Caen, France.

As a result, the EFSA concluded that the study’s concerns about maize NK603 and the herbicide — both of which are commonly used in EU food production — were of insufficient scientific quality to be considered as valid for risk assessment.