NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Chuck Conner or Shannon Shoesmith March 7, 2001 EPA WHITE PAPER BACKS SAFETY OF REFINED CORN PRODUCTS The Corn Refiners Association, Inc. welcomes today's release of a White Paper from the Environmental Protection Agency on the possible presence of Cry9C protein in human foods produced by the corn wet milling process. A careful and independent review by the Agency has confirmed that the sweeteners, starches, oils and other food ingredients produced by corn refiners contain virtually no Cry9C protein and pose no health concern for the public. Cry9C is a protein found in StarLink corn. Chuck Conner, President of the Corn Refiners Association stated, "EPA's review will provide purchasers and consumers of food products from corn wet milling with an extremely high level of confidence in the safety and suitability of refined food ingredients made from corn. While EPA continues to examine the potential issues of exposure and allergencity to Cry9C protein, the public can be assured that the numerous foods produced with corn sweeteners, starches and oils pose no risk of inducing sensitization or allergic response to the Cry9C protein." Beyond this assurance, members of the Corn Refiners Association, in accordance with EPA's recommendations, will continue to operate reasonable risk-based testing programs to ensure that StarLink corn is not utilized for food starch production. Such programs recognize the extremely low risk of Cry9C protein being found in corn wet milled foods but also ensure that the grain market does not consider corn wet milling facilities as acceptable locations for delivery of StarLink corn. ### Editor's Note: A copy of the EPA White Paper is available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/otherdocs/wetmill18.PDF. For more information on the corn refining industry, visit the Corn Capsules newsletter page.