What was Starlink corn and was it allergenic?
Starlink was a variety of Bt corn intended to kill certain insect pests. Starlink contained a different Bt gene than other Bt corn varieties and microbial Bt sprays used by conventional and organic farmers. The Bt protein produced by Starlink corn did not pass the allergenicity testing required by EPA, so EPA considered it to be a potential allergen. Based on those test results, EPA decided in 1998 that Starlink corn could be used only for animal feed, not human food. The company that produced Starlink corn assured EPA that it would keep it out of the food supply, but testing by an environmental organization discovered that Starlink corn had gotten into corn food products, such as taco shells. Those test results led to numerous recalls of food products and an agreement to segregate all remaining Starlink corn so that it was only used only for animal feed. Subsequent meetings of allergy experts convened by the EPA determined that there was a moderate chance that the Starlink protein cou
