The US EPA supports a proposal by the Food and Drug Administration to stop testing maize for residues of genetically modified insect-resistant StarLink maize. The product was withdrawn by the Bayer CropScience forerunner, Aventis, in 2000 following the detection of illegal residues in US tacos. Levels of the Bt Cry9C toxin have decreased steadily since 2000 to be "virtually non-existent", the EPA points out. Exposure of the US population to the toxin is "extremely low" and continued testing provides "no additional human health protection", the Agency concludes. StarLink was not approved for human consumption due to allergenicity concerns.
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