Earthworks: GM Corn: Organ Failure

วันจันทร์ที่ 13 มิถุนายน พ.ศ. 2554

GM Corn: Organ Failure

The varieties of corn, Mon 810, Mon 863, and NK 603, were approved for food use for humans in Europe and North America. The research is described as the first to ever comprehensively study the potential mammal health risks that may arise from eating genetically modified food products. The research titled A Comparison of the Effects of Three GM Corn Varieties on Mammalian Health was conducted by four French scientists. Monsanto has said that that its GM products are safe, although at least one other independent study has shown Mon 863 maize to have toxic effects on the liver. Mon 810 corn was banned in a few European countries, contravening a directive from the European Commission, which had approved the corn. This controversial product contains Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to control the Asian corn borer. Bt is bacteria commonly found in the soil. The safety of this product has been questioned frequently since it was released to the market in 1997. NK 603 is a variety of corn engineered to be resistant to Monsanto's herbicide, Roundup. While the safety of this product has been a concern, there has been little scientific research demonstrating that NK 603 is not safe until recently. Sharratt said all three varieties are approved in Canada. France, which banned Mon 810 in 2008, is calling for more research into the environmental safety of Mon 810 -- the only gm corn allowed to be grown in Europe. France presented its concerns to a European body reviewing Mon 810. The ...