A new corn protein no longer needs safety limits, making it cheaper to use

US environmental regulators just removed the requirement to set a maximum safe level for a specific protein used in genetically modified corn. This means companies can now use this protein in corn without having to prove its residue levels are below a specific threshold.

Every new genetically modified crop or ingredient used to require extensive testing to establish a "tolerance level" — the maximum amount of a substance allowed in food. This process is expensive and time-consuming, acting as a barrier to new products. This change means that for this specific protein, a company no longer needs to spend money and time proving its safety through that particular regulatory hurdle.