Assessment of the Safety of Genetically Modified Soybean Used as MON 87705 X MON 87708 X MON 89788 for Food and Feed Uses Under Assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 (RP2149)

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) received an application from Bayer CropScience Ltd (“the applicant”) under assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 for soybean MON 87705 x MON 87708 x MON 89788 (three-event stack soybean). The FSA and FSS reviewed the submitted evidence, including the 2020 European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) opinion and a 2024 EFSA statement to assess the safety of three-event stack soybean in terms of the UK. The three-event stack soybean is modified by conventional crossing to combine three single soybean events: MON 87705, MON 87708 and MON89788. This combination is intended to alter the fatty acid profile in the seed, through a FAD2-1A/FATB1-A suppression cassette, increasing the levels of oleic acid. In addition, two proteins are produced to confer tolerance to both dicamba (DMO) and glyphosate-based herbicide (CP4 EPSPS). EFSA previously assessed the three single soybean events whilst the UK was a Member State of the EU, and did not identify safety concerns. The scope of the application is for the authorisation for import, processing, and food and feed use of soybean MON 87705 x MON 87708 x MON 89788. The application does not cover cultivation, and no soybean MON 87705 x MON 87708 x MON 89788 will be grown in the UK. The FSA and FSS agreed with the EFSA Scientific Opinion and the Statement complementing the EFSA Opinion, confirming that soybean MON 87705 x MON 87708 x MON 89788, as described in this application, is as safe as its non-GM comparator and the non-GM reference varieties tested in the context of its intended uses in GB. This safety assessment represents the opinion of the FSA and FSS.