Transcript GM crops and

Hidden Threats
Food from Genetically
Modified Crops
GM crops and Food Safety



Since the 1980s several
companies are aiming to
develop genetically modified
crops and to market them
Chemical company
Monsanto dominates the
market for seeds of GM crops
- holding 70%–100% market
share for various crops
Other companies: Pioneer,
Syngenta and Bayer
DVD: The World according
to Monsanto (2008)
Artificial organisms

GE crops are produced
using laboratory
techniques where
genetic material from
the cells of one species
is transferred into
another species

to artificially create new
living organisms that
would never naturally
occur through breeding.
Risks for consumers


Because genetic
engineering is a very
imprecise technology,
the insertion of foreign
genes can stimulate the
production of
unexpected proteins.
These may prove toxic
or allergenic to those
who consume them.
Types of GM Crops
Of economical
importance are so far
two types:
1.
Herbicide resistant
crops
 can stand high doses of a
specific herbicide
in case of Monsanto’s seeds:
 Roundup Ready crops
Types of GMO (2)
2. Bt crops, such as
Bt corn and Bt cotton

these crops have an
inserted gene from the
bacteria Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt)
which enables them to
produce a poison which
shall kill the dominant
pests
 corn borer,
cotton bollworm
Importance of GM crops



Worldwide, 9 percent the
global primary crop
production from
genetically modified crops
2006: over 100 million
hectares in 22 countries
64% of total soya crop
and 24% of the global
maize crop
Importance (2)


Many processed foods
contain Soybean oil
and/or glucose syrup
(from corn)
Difficult to avoid food
containing genetically
modified material,
especially in the USA
Animal feeds


Likewise animal feeds
commonly contain corn
and soybean meal from
GM crops
Also in Europe GM
material was found in
milk and meat
Concern: Food Safety




GM food is not labeled as
such
The industry argues GM
crops are “substantially
equivalent” to their
conventional counterparts
Consequently no need for
special considerations
concerning safety
Label “GMO free” opposed
Producers ensure



All food developers and
manufacturers are
required to ensure the
safety and quality of their
products.
Producers of new foods
have an obligation to
ensure that the foods they
offer consumers are safe
and in compliance with
applicable legal
requirements
(US Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act)
Are GM crops safe to eat?


According to the National
Academy of Sciences,
“genetic transfers between
unrelated organisms do not
pose hazards or risks different
from those encountered by
natural selection or traditional
cross-breeding between
similar species.”
“The process itself by which
genes are transferred does
not make living organisms
harmful.”
The risks
1.
2.
3.
Effects due to the
insertion of genes
into chromosomes
of crops
Roundup residues
Residues from Bt
Risks due to the GM transformation
process


Advocates of GM
crops:
no concerns about
safety because GM
crop material is
degraded during
processing into feed
and during digestion.
( secretions of nucleases, enzymes which
break down DNA, along the gut.)
Risks due to the GM transformation
process (2)


Since late 2005, three
published studies by three
different scientific teams
and one unpublished study
detected transgenic plant
DNA in animal tissues and
milk.
It is likely that people are
being frequently exposed to
GM DNA by eating milk and
meat from GM-fed animals,
albeit at very low levels
Risks due to the GM transformation
process (3)



Harmless protein in one
organism can be
harmful in another
organism.
One factor: post –
translation modification
Rat feeding with GM
potatoes showed that
lesions in the gut wall of
the rats were due to
substances resulting
from the process
Roundup Ready crops



‘Roundup Ready’ soya:
most widely grown GM
crop variety
tolerates applications of
Monsanto’s ‘broad
spectrum’ glyphosate
herbicide
Roundup destroys all
other plants.
Roundup Ready (2)



Italian mouse trial:
Roundup Ready soya
affects key body organs
FSA human feeding
trial: entire transgenic
gene in GM soy
survives the passage
through the stomach
and small intestine,
though not through the
colon
Roundup residues
cause cell damage
Greenpeace protest against GMO
Roundup Ready (3)


Portions of transgenic
DNA had ‘horizontally’
transferred from GM
food into the intestinal
bacteria of some of the
volunteers
Another rat feeding:
unexplained changes in
testicle cells
 indicator of toxins
Roundup Ready (4)

Russian study: rats fed
with GM soy showed a
five-fold increase in
mortality, lower birth
weights, and the inability
to reproduce.
Photo:


showing stunted growth - the
larger rat, 19days old, is from
the control group; the
smaller rat, 20 days old, is
from the "GM soy“ group.
Residues from Bt



Bt toxin is present in all
the cells in Bt maize,
the main GM maize
used in animal feed
Toxic reactions in rats
(several studies)
Residues from Bt (2)



Twelve cows died
mysteriously in
Germany when fed Bt
corn
In India, sheep died
after grazing in cotton
fields
More than 20 farmers
observed: pigs and
cows became sterile
from GM corn
No adverse effects?
Nina Fedroff:
Adviser to the US Sec. of State
“Despite dire predictions, no adverse
effects of GM crops on health,
biodiversity and the environment have
been documented to date.”
Phnom Penh Post, 24/12/2008
Conclusion


Numerous feeding trails
with rats and several
observations by farmers
indicate that the novel
substances of GM crops
are not as harmless as
Monsanto and others
state.
Assessment of the list of
risks indicates that GM
crops are currently far
too risky to be used for
food or animal feed.
Conclusion (2)

To some extent: Humanity has
been turned into a pack of
guinea pigs*
* somebody or
something
experimented
on: somebody
or something
used as the
subject of an
experiment or
test.
Conclusion (3)



Producers and
consumers need to be
aware of the looming
dangers
Information concerning
products containing GM
material is essential
In food preparations
soy oil, cornstarch and
glucose syrup should
not be used unless
origin is clear.
Thank you!