MON863

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MON863 is a genetically modified (GM) variety of maize produced by Monsanto and approved for human consumption in the European Union.

A study was conducted in France in which the maize was fed to rats for 90 days. The results indicated that the rats fed on the MON863 maize showed greater weight gain and signs of toxicity in the liver and kidneys compared to rats not fed on the MON863 maize. Later, a study conducted by Monsanto suggested that the results of this study were not statistically significant. An Appeal Court action in Germany (Münster) allowed public access in June 2005 to all the crude data from the original 90-day rat-feeding study. Using appropriate statistics on these data a new study stated that ""with the present data it cannot be concluded that GM corn MON863 is a safe product."^[1]

The European Union agreed and licensed MON863 for food and feed use. The Australian government analyzied the data and determined that the variations found were due to normal physiologic variation in test animals and also licensed MON863 for food and feed use^{[citation needed]}.

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/factsheets/factsheets2007/updatemon863cornsafe3508.cfm

[edit] References

1. ^ Gilles-Eric Seralini; Dominique Cellier; Joel Spiroux de Vendomois (2007). "New Analysis of a Rat Feeding Study with a Genetically Modified Maize Reveals Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity". Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 52: 596–602. Springer. 

(March 2007). "Regulatory systems for GE crops a failure: the case of MON863". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-03-20.