U.S. to Test Japan-Bound Corn For Presence of StarLink Grain 

AP 3nov00

WASHINGTON -- Corn being shipped to Japan to be used in food will be tested for the presence of StarLink grain, the gene-altered variety that slipped into the U.S. food supply without being approved for human consumption, the Agriculture Department said.

As the largest foreign buyer of U.S. corn, Japan accepted the testing plans on Friday, said Tim Galvin, administrator of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service.

The testing will provide "assurances that it's not going to find its way into the food supply in Japan," Mr. Galvin said.

StarLink, developed by Aventis CropScience, was never approved for human consumption in the U.S. because of questions about its potential to cause allergic reactions, and it is not approved for use in any foreign country.

A consumer group said last month that it found StarLink corn in snacks sold in Japanese stores and in animal feed. The Japanese government asked USDA for assurances the corn wouldn't be in any further shipments to the country.

"It was a market that we were very anxious to continue. We wanted to be able to find a way to accommodate the Japanese concerns and keep the grain moving," said Susan Keith, senior director of public policy for the National Corn Growers Association.

Corn bound for Japan will be tested for StarLink residue when it is loaded on barges and railcars, which will then be sealed until the grain is moved onto ships.

Japan imports about 16 million metric tons of corn from the U.S. -- about a third of total U.S. corn exports -- with about 5 million tons of that going for food use, primarily for corn starch.

Japan imports about 60% of its food, much of it from the U.S.

The Agriculture Department, meanwhile, is still trying to track down all of the StarLink grown this year, an estimated 80 million bushels. About 1.2 million bushels has not been located; the rest is being stored or has been put to approved uses, USDA officials say.

Aventis has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily approve the grain for food use in the U.S. to avoid further recalls of corn products or shutdowns of processors.

Federal officials say that there is little, if any, health risk from the corn.