Europe’s second-highest court overturned a decision by the European Commission to allow the cultivation and sale of the Amflora genetically modified potato used in paper making, claiming there was a technical violation during the approval process. It was developed by German chemicals group BASF.
The Amflora potato plant produces pure amylopectin starch that is processed to waxy potato starch. The Commission gave its approval after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said in a consolidated opinion in 2009 that it believed Amflora posed no threat to human health or the environment.
The GM potato was withdrawn in the face of sharp public protests in 2012. It was only the second genetically modified plant that had been approved for cultivation in Europe after Mosanto’s MON810 corn.
It’s fate now is unknown. BASF has a second application pending for use of Amflora’s potato pulp as animal feed. In 2012, the German chemical giant announced that it was moving its biotech headquarters to North Carolina and halting the commercialization of GM products for the European market.
Read full, original article: EU court bans BASF’s ‘Amflora’ GM potato, annuals Commission Approval
