Amidst the European food safety watchdog’s investigation into a French study drawing links between a genetically modified variety of maize and cancer in rats, France has asked the EU to bolster its approvals process for GM foods.

Although the European Food Safety Authority has said that, based on currently available information, the study on GM maize by professor Seralini and his colleagues at the University of Caen is inadmissible as evidence of a health risk associated with Monsanto’s NK603 maize, French authorities have asked the EU to revisit its food safety policy relating to GM products and said France will uphold its national ban on GM organisms.

The EFSA assessment of the Seralini study is ongoing; the watchdog has asked the researchers to supply them with more information and questioned their methodology. In response, Professor Seralini has asked the EFSA for all of the available information on the NK603 maize used in his study.  

The government charged national health agency ANSES with reviewing the Seralini study when it was released last month. Experts at ANSES agreed with their EU counterparts that the study appears to be flawed. However, the agency said the study did raise questions over long-term exposure to GMOs and requested the EU commit to support further research into this area, which it says has not been adequately explored.

An ANSES spokesperson said on Tuesday (23rd October), "Anses recommends starting studies and research on the long-term effect of GMOs associated with phytopharmaceutical preparation. This work should be done in the framework of public financing and on the basis of precise research protocols."

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