Second Recall Spurs Biotech Corn Seed Drop

W A S H I N G T O N, Oct. 13 -- A type of genetically engineered corn that isnot approved for food use was withdrawn from the market at thegovernment’s urging Thursday after the crop showed up in additionalbrands of taco shells.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Aventis CropScienceagreed to cancel its license to sell the corn, known as StarLink.It is only allowed for use in animal feed because of unresolvedquestions about whether it can cause allergies in humans.

The health risks from the corn, “if any, are extremely low,”the EPA said in a statement. But because “Aventis was responsiblefor ensuring that StarLink corn only be used in animal feed, andthat responsibility clearly was not met, today’s action wasnecessary,” the agency said.

Safeway Inc. removed taco shells from its stores Wednesday nightafter learning of test results that showed they may contain thebiotech corn. Kraft Foods issued a nationwide recall Sept. 22 oftaco shells it sells under the Taco Bell brand name after similartests confirmed the presence of the corn.

Aventis already had suspended sales of the seed for next year’scrop and agreed to reimburse the government for purchasing all ofthis year’s harvest.

Rarely Used Variety

The corn contains a bacterium gene that makes it toxic to someinsects. All such pest-resistant crops must be licensed by the EPAbefore farmers are allowed to grow them. StarLink is one of theleast used varieties of biotech corn and the only one not allowedin food.

The corn flour used in the Kraft and Safeway taco shells camefrom the same company, Azteca Milling of Irving, Texas, a jointpartnership of Archer Daniels Midland Co. of Decatur, Ill., andGruma S.A. of Monterrey, Mexico.

Azteca is investigating the incidents and has implementedtesting procedures to prevent the biotech corn from reaching itsmills, said company spokeswoman Sarah Wright.

Safeway’s action applied to shells sold under both its privatelabel and under the name of Mission Foods, a Gruma subsidiary alsobased in Irving. Customers who purchased the shells are beingoffered refunds. Safeway said it had been assured by Mission Foods,which made the taco shells, that the corn was not in its products.