Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

http://www.newstarget.com/021784.html
Originally published April 10 2007
Monsanto's GM corn MON863 shows kidney, liver toxicity in animal studies
by David Gutierrez

A variety of genetically modified corn that was approved for human
consumption in 2006 caused signs of liver and kidney toxicity as well
as hormonal changes in rats in a study performed by researchers from
the independent Committee for Independent Research and Genetic
Engineering at the University of Caen in France.

Jump directly to: conventional view | alternative view | resources |
bottom line

What you need to know - Conventional View
• The corn in question, MON863, is made by the Monsanto Company and
approved for use in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union,
Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and the United States. It has had a
gene inserted from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which
causes the plant's cells to produce a pesticide.

• Researchers fed rats either unmodified corn or diets containing 11
or 30 percent MON863 for 90 days. The rats who ate modified corn were
found to exhibit signs of liver and kidney toxicity, as well as signs
of hormonal changes.

• Male rats lost an average of 3.3 percent of their body weight, and
their excretion of phosphorus and sodium decreased. Female rats
gained an average of 3.7 percent of their body weight, while their
triglyceride levels increased by 24 to 40 percent.

• The mechanism that causes the toxicity is not yet known, but the
researchers say there is evidence that the Bt toxin may cause the
perforation of blood cells. They expressed concern that the methods
used by Monsanto in initial tests of the corn were statistically
flawed and called their own tests "the best mammalian toxicity tests
available."

• Greenpeace responded to the study by calling for an immediate
recall of all MON863 corn and the reassessment of all genetically
modified foods currently approved for the market.

• Quote: "Our counter-evaluation shows that there are signs of
toxicity, and nobody can say scientifically and seriously the
consumption of the transgenic maize MON863 is safe and good for
health." - Lead Author Gilles Eric Seralini

What you need to know - Alternative View
Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, author of Grocery Warning: How
to identify and avoid dangerous food ingredients

• It seems that the more these GM foods are tested, the more
frightening the implications seem to be for human health. When
companies like Monsanto do their own in-house testing, results are
mysteriously favorable in nearly all cases, but when independent labs
run their own tests, the results are downright shocking.

• I find it interesting that the FDA believes U.S. consumers should
not be allowed to know which foods are genetically modified and which
aren't. The push for honest labeling of GM foods has been blockaded
by corporate interests and corrupt federal regulators.

Resources you need to know
The Campaign for labeling of GM foods: http://www.thecampaign.org

Bottom line
• A variety of genetically modified corn was found to cause signs of
hormonal changes and liver and kidney toxicity in rats.