ACRE Advice

A Response to Concerns about the Presence of GM Oilseed Rape Pollen in Honey

Advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment under Section 124 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990

October 2002

The Sunday Times newspaper commissioned a study to look for GM DNA presence in a 507 g sample of honey from a beehive(s) at a site in Fife. A copy of the newspaper report and a certificate of analysis from the company who conducted the tests were forwarded to the Scottish Executive. ACRE was asked to advise on whether the conclusion drawn from this study altered their safety assessment of a GM oilseed rape variety that was identified as being the source of GM DNA presence in the honey.

A DNA fragment derived from a soil bacteria commonly used in the genetic modification of plants (ie terminal repeats from the nopaline synthetase gene of Agrobacterium tumefaciens) was detected in the honey. The amplification of a DNA fragment spanning the junction between a tapetum cell-specific promoter and the barnase gene (confers male sterility) indicated that the source of the GM DNA was a SeedLink™ variety of oilseed rape. The honey has also been tested for the presence of the nptII antibiotic resistance gene - this was not detected. No tests were carried out for other genetic elements present in SeedLink™ lines, for example for the barstar (confers restored fertility), and bar genes (confers tolerance to herbicides containing glufosinate ammonium). The proximity of the beehives to a GM spring oilseed rape trial (application reference: 98/R19/18) does however, support the conclusion that one source of pollen in the honey could be from SeedLink™ oilseed rape.

The investigation was carried out on honey from one jar however, there is very little information about this sample including when it was collected. There is no indication of the concentration of pollen found in the honey and the detection of DNA fragments was not quantitative.

ACRE has previously considered the possibility of GM pollen from SeedLink™ oilseed rape plants appearing in honey and have advised that it poses no additional risk to either bees or anyone eating the honey than pollen from conventional oilseed rape varieties. ACRE was asked if this advice was altered if SeedLink™ oilseed rape pollen was found to be present in the honey sample from Fife.