From June 22, 2001
SAP to Consider
New Information on StarLink Corn
An independent body of scientific experts, the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP), will convene in July for a two-day public meeting to review a set of issues that EPA is considering as it reviews StarLink corn. In a related development, on June 13 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) submitted to EPA the results of their investigation into people who reported that they had a possible allergic reaction caused by eating corn products. The results from the joint CDC/FDA six-month analysis will be an important contribution to the growing body of scientific information on the potential allergenicity of, and exposure to, StarLink corn. EPA's scientists will carefully evaluate the results of this study as the Agency continues its review of StarLink. The SAP will review the results of this investigation and other information related to EPA's review of StarLink corn at a public meeting on July 17- 18 at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Va. 22202. Information on the meeting, including background materials, is available on EPA's web site at www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap. During the past several months, EPA has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), FDA and CDC on the investigation into potential allergenicity of StarLink, the effect of processing on the StarLink protein (called Cry9C) and development of a detection methodology for Cry9C in processed foods. These federal agencies have also coordinated in the effort to ensure that StarLink corn is not entering the human food supply.