French government health watchdog ANSES last week published its opinion on a controversial study conducted by researchers at a French University which showed rats fed on a diet of genetically modified maize for their entire lives contracted tumours at a higher rate than those in a control group. Professor Séralini fed rats on GM maize licensed for consumption but not production in the EU. However, his findings caused a furore upon their release in September and have since attracted criticism.

The European food safety agency EFSA has said the study is currently "inadmissible as evidence" of adverse health effects caused by eating GM material and has asked Séralini, a professor at the University of Caen, and his team for more supporting information. In response, Professor Séralini has asked EFSA to furnish him with all available information on safety testing on NK603, the variety of maize used in his experiment.

Although ANSES' scientific opinion is similar to that put forward by the EFSA, the agency said Séralini’s study is one of the few to look at the long-term effect of consuming GM organisms and agricultural chemicals. ANSES advised the EU to increase research funding in the area. France has currently banned planting of the EU's only licensed GM crop, Monsanto’s MON180 maize, sold as Yieldgard. The French government has come under extreme pressure in past years over its stance on GM, but the technology is deeply unpopular in France, and throughout much of Europe, and the government has remained stalwart.

An investigation into the Seralini study was launched by France's ministries for ecology, health, consumer affairs and agriculture upon its release two months ago. ANSES concluded that, "Beyond the criticisms already made by other bodies on the study’s methodology… the central weakness of the study lies in the fact that the conclusions reached by the authors are not sufficiently supported by the data. They do not scientifically establish a link between the consumption of GMO maize and the pathologies observed."

Although the EFSA has made an announcement on the study, it will reserve its final opinion until further information has been supplied by Professor Seralini. A final evaluation is expected later this year.

Last year, ANSES recommended a strengthening of the European regulatory process for GMOs. The agency restated its position and said “A draft European regulation incorporating ANSES' recommendations is being finalised and was submitted to the [EU] Member States in spring 2012.”

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