Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is seeking public comment on an application by biotech firm Monsanto Australia to approve the sale of food derived from a genetically modified (GM) cotton line.

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This variety of cotton (MON88913) has been genetically modified for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. 


Cotton is currently the only GM crop grown commercially in Australia, with about 40% of the New South Wales and Queensland cotton crop coming from a GM source. Cottonseed oil is widely used in the food industry in blended vegetable oils, baked foods, fried foods and snack foods.


All GM foods have to undergo a pre-market safety assessment before they can be sold in Australia and New Zealand. Following a safety assessment of this GM cotton, FSANZ said it will only approve it for sale in food if it is found to be at least as safe as its non-GM counterpart.

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