Insect Resistant and Herbicide Tolerant Zea maize event DP-915635

In 2020, Health Canada received a submission to allow the sale of maize derived from a novel maize variety referred to as herbicide tolerant and insect resistant DP-915635 maize.

In order to determine whether this maize developed through recombinant DNA technology and genome editing could be sold in Canada as food, the scientists at Health Canada conducted a scientific assessment that ensured that it is safe for consumption. Our scientists also assessed how this maize variety was developed, produced and whether it can be toxic or cause allergic reactions.

Scientists with expertise in molecular biology, microbiology, toxicology, chemistry, and nutrition conducted a thorough analysis of the data and the protocols provided by the applicant to ensure the validity of the results.

Following this assessment, it was determined that the changes made to this novel maize variety do not pose a greater risk to human health than maize varieties currently available on the Canadian market. In addition, Health Canada also concluded that this novel maize variety would have no impact on allergies, and that there are no differences in the nutritional value of this maize variety compared to other traditional maize varieties available for consumption. Lastly, Health Canada verified that the CRISPR-Cas machinery was not present in DP-915635 maize.

Health Canada's assessment of maize derived from insect resistant and herbicide-tolerant DP-915635 maize was conducted according to the Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods. The approach taken by Health Canada in the safety assessment of novel foods is based upon scientific principles developed through expert international consultation over the last 20 years with agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The approach taken by Canada is currently applied by regulatory agencies around the world in countries such as the European Union, Australia/New Zealand, Japan, and the United States.

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