BASF Calls on EU Commissioner Dimas to Approve Amflora
Amflora is a genetically optimized potato that produces pure amylopectin starch and is ideal for technical applications. Conventional potatoes produce a mixture of amylopectin and amylose starch.
18/04/08 BASF has published an open letter to EU Commissioner Stavros Dimas calling on him to approve the genetically optimized starch potato Amflora for commercial cultivation in Europe without any further delay. Since the vote in the Council of Agricultural Ministers in July 2007, the decision to approve Amflora has been with Commissioner Dimas.
Amflora is a genetically optimized potato that produces pure amylopectin starch and is ideal for technical applications. Conventional potatoes produce a mixture of amylopectin and amylose starch. For many technical applications, such as in the paper, textile and adhesives industries, only amylopectin is needed; separating the two starch components is uneconomical. Amflora produces pure amylopectin starch and thus helps to safe resources, energy and costs. Moreover, paper produced with amylopectin starch has a higher gloss. Concrete and adhesives can be processed for a longer period of time.
"Even though all steps in the EU approval process have been taken successfully, Mr. Dimas failed to grant approval," said Dr. Stefan Marcinowski, Member of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE. "An important future technology that offers benefits to farmers and the starch industry in Europe is being blocked without any reason. Amflora is safe. This has even been confirmed repeatedly by the EFSA experts."
EFSA, the European Food Safety Authority, is responsible for the scientific assessment of genetically modified crops.
BASF representatives met with Commissioner Dimas on April 15 in Brussels, but the meeting failed to produce results. Representatives from the Commission were not able to present new scientific findings that would argue against approving Amflora for commercial cultivation in Europe.
Leading starch producers recently confirmed that amylopectin potatoes like Amflora represent annual value-added of at least €100 million for Europe’s starch industry and farmers.
The open letter can be downloaded from http://www.basf.com/plantscience.
