This study was conducted to assess the environmental risk of CMV resistant GM pepper and to evaluate the effects of the transgenic pepper (Line: H15) with CMV resistant gene and non-transgenic peppers (Line: P2377, PM Singang, Berota) without gene introduction on the insect community in the three pepper cultivation areas. Sampling was conducted using yellow sticky traps in Deokso, Anseong and Ochang fields, respectively. The total number of insect individuals caught by sticky trap was not shown significant differences between GM and non-GM pepper at Deokso, Anseong and Ochang fields, respectively. Also, there were no significant differences in density of aphids caught on sticky traps between GM and non-GM pepper, and the species richness and species diversity was no statistical difference between the types of crops, GM and non-GM at three experimental pepper fields.

Genetically modified (GM) pepper H15 containing the gene for cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) coat protein (CP) and its control line non-GM pepper P2377 were investigated for their allergic risk. Amino acid sequence of the inserted gene product CMV-CP was compared with those of known allergens. No known allergen had greater than 35% amino acid sequence homology over an 80 amino acid window or more than 8 consecutive identical amino acids. Protein patterns of GM and non-GM pepper extracts were evaluated by SDS-PAGE, which showed similar distribution of protein bands for both GM and non-GM pepper. Antigen-antibody reactions were compared between GM and its non-transgenic parental control. ELISA and immunoblot analysis of sera from allergic patients showed some IgE reactivity; however, no differences were observed between GM pepper H15 and P2377. We therefore conclude that CMV-CP is less likely to be an allergen; the protein composition and allergenicity of the GM pepper H15 is not different from that of P2377 and safe as a commercial host.