Milling Journal - Q2 2008 - (Page 53) No Need for StarLink Testing FDA withdraws testing guidance The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in the Federal Register April 25 that it has withdrawn its voluntary guidance to corn dry millers and masa flour manufacturers to test all corn for the presence of the Cry9C protein found in StarLink corn hybrids. According to the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), the withdrawal follows a white paper issued Oct. 17 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that states the presence of Cry9C has been sufficiently removed from the human food supply and that there is no longer any justification for continued testing of the protein for StarLink corn. Concerns about the presence of the Cry9C event being present in StarLink corn arose in late 2000. The FDA’s guidance about testing for the event had been in effect since January 2001. Industry Response “The U.S. Grains Council applauds USDA’s decision,” said USGC President and CEO Ken Hobbie. “We hope our international customers will use sound science to eliminate their StarLink testing and documentation requirements .” NAMA Vice President Jim Bair said, “The North American Miller’s Association (NAMA) is grateful that FDA has withdrawn its StarLink testing guidelines, and we now look forward to redirecting our efforts to the quality and safety issues that really matter. “Every dollar spent on Starlink testing was a dollar not spent on important matters such as employee safety and product quality,” Bair said. Frank Zaworski, editor Response No. 531 Response No. 532 MILLING JOURNAL Second Quarter 2008 53 http://www.lorenz.com http://www.bratney.com http://www.bratney.com http://www.lorenz.com
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