StarLink did not cause allergic reactions
The Cry9c protein expressed by StarLink corn from Aventis (AVE) has been ruled out as the cause of allergic reactions reported by 17 people who ate corn tacos and tortillas last year, the Centers for Disease Control reported Wednesday. The CDC worked with the FDA to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies to the Cry9c protein and then tested samples from individuals who reported anaphylactic shock symptoms following ingestion of corn products. FDA's analysis of the samples "does not provide any evidence that the reactions that the affected people experienced were associated with hypersensitivity to the Cry9c," according to CDC. A CDC report detailing its investigation of the health effects associated with potential exposure to StarLink corn is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/Cry9cReport/cry9creport.pdf. ...