The European Food Safety Authority says that the recent study linking genetically modified maize and a glyphosate herbicide with cancer in rats is of “insufficient scientific quality to be considered as valid for risk assessment”
EFSA’s initial review found that the design, reporting and analysis of the study are “inadequate”. As a result, the authority says that it is presently unable to regard the authors’ conclusions as scientifically sound.
EFSA claims that “numerous issues relating to the design and methodology of the study” mean that no conclusions can be made about the occurrence of tumours in the rats tested. On that basis, it says, it will not be to re-examining safety evaluation of maize NK603 nor to consider these findings in the ongoing assessment of glyphosate.
• Russia has suspended imports of Monsanto’s NK603 maize and the country’s consumer watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, has asked scientists and the Insitute of Nutrition to review the study.
