In the StarLink case, EPA's Scientific Advisory Panel concluded on July 27 that "there is inadequate information to establish a reasonable scientific certainty of that exposure to [to the corn grain] would not be harmful to public health." Therefore, the panel could not recommend establishing a specific tolerance level for StarLink corn.

This means that StarLink will continue to be treated as an adulterant and that any load of corn containing StarLink corn-or more accurately, the Cry9C protein or its gene-must be diverted from the human food supply and used only for animal feed.

StarLink corn-or more accurately, the Cry9C protein or its gene- was approved in 1998 with the stipulation that StarLink grain be used only in the US and only for animal feed or for industrial uses. In September 2000 the Genetic Engineering Action Network detected StarLink's cry9c gene in several types of foods, triggering extensive food recalls.

StarLink seed was not sold for planting in spring 2001, and the EPA estimates that almost all of the existing StarLink corn will be out of the grain supply by 2002.

The EPA's press release is available at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/biotech/pressjul.pdf and the SAP's report is posted at http://www.epa.gov/scipoly/sap/2001/july/julyfinal.pdf