Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) called for submissions on an application to permit food from a number of genetically modified potato lines.

FSANZ Acting CEO Glen Neal said some of the lines had been modified to reduce bruising and acrylamide formed during cooking and some had been modified to protect the potatoes from a type of blight.

“The potato lines have been modified using the potatoes own genes and in some cases genes from wild potato varieties,” Neal said.

“FSANZ conducted a thorough safety assessment on the application, which included comparing the GM potatoes with non-GM potatoes from a molecular and compositional point of view.

“The aim of the assessment is to find out if there are any differences between the GM food and its conventional counterpart. No public health or safety issues were identified and the potatoes were found to be as safe as its conventional counterpart.”

All FSANZ decisions on applications are notified to ministers responsible for food regulation who can decide to adopt, amend, or reject standards or they can ask for a review.

The closing date for submissions is 7 July 2017. 

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BLOG: GMO debate and the need for better product development, at IPPSC 2015