permaculture

[Robyn Williamson <robinet@aapt.net.au>]

LFL - ISIS gave me permission to forward - Robyn

Begin forwarded message:

> ISIS Press Release 16/11/06
> ***************************
>
> GM Crops and Microbes for Health or Public Health Hazards?
> **********************************************************
>
> Food crops genetically modified to overproduce single
> nutrients could be public health hazards as overdose of many
> single nutritional factors are known to be toxic
>
> Genetically modifying natural gut bacteria could turn them
> into pathogens pre-adapted to invade the human gut
>
> Prof. Joe Cummins and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho
>
> Metabolic engineering
> *********************
>
> The first genetically modified crop, Calgene's Flavr Savr
> tomato for prolonged shelf life, was approved for commercial
> release in 1992. It was a complete flop. Since then,
> however, the area planted to GM crops has been increasing,
> and according to industry sources, reached 90 million ha in
> 2005 [1]. Two traits, herbicide-tolerance and insect-
> resistance, currently account for nearly all GM crops; but
> that will soon change.
>
> New GM crops with other traits are poised to enter the
> market, in the guise of nutritional benefits and health
> foods. In 2004, Monsanto received approval for commercial
> release of high lysine corn modified with a bacterial gene
> to produce enhanced production of the amino acid lysine [2]
> ( Why Not Transgenic High Lysine Maize ). In the same year,
> Monsanto released ‘Vistive' soybeans with reduced linolenic
> acid, a trait selected using traditional breeding but bred
> into a glyphosate resistant soybean [3] ( Beware Monsanto's
> "Vistive Soybeans" ) , and hence should not have been
> considered a crop modified only for food quality. In 2005,
> Syngenta applied for commercial release of a corn modified
> to produce a heat stable amylase enzyme as an aid in food
> and feed processing [4].
>
> There are many more crop modifications for ‘food quality' in
> the pipelines. In addition, much activity is also devoted to
> creating GM microbes to enhance nutrition and health. But
> are they safe? And what criteria are used in their food
> safety assessment?
>
> The Codex Alimentarius, UN's food safety regulator, has
> issued a Consultation that ended 1 October 2006, and that is
> a sure sign of serious commercialisation.
>
> A number of timely reviews have appeared, one of the most
> comprehensive coming from the International Life Sciences
> Institute of Washington DC, whose Trustees include academics
> as well as representatives of Monsanto, Syngenta, Novartis,
> Unilever and other corporations [5]. “Metabolic engineering”
> is highlighted, which involves up or down regulating
> metabolic pathways, or introducing entirely new pathways to
> enhance production of key nutrients in foods [6]. Genes for
> biosynthetic enzymes or regulatory genes are introduced, as
> well as anti-sense genes to block competing pathways to
> increase production of desired secondary metabolites [7].
> Engineering soybeans has focused on altering functional
> properties of soy protein to improve processing and on
> improving the flavour of soy products [8].
>
> Plant genomics is also put forward as an alternative to
> genetic modification. Using marker assisted selection in
> conventional breeding to improve flavour, health and
> nutritional value would obviate the need for genetic
> modification of the crops [9], and ultimately prove much
> more acceptable to consumers worldwide.
>
> Nevertheless, a lot of work involving genetic modification
> is in progress, targeting every aspect of nutrition and
> health. We present an overview of what biotech companies are
> intending to put into our diet; based on a much longer
> report produced previously [10] ( GM Crops for Health? ).
>
> GM crops for health and nutrition
> *********************************
>
> A large class of GM crops under development is aimed at
> improving the nutritional and health promoting quality of
> food plants. It includes those that improve storage
> proteins, increase cancer-fighting antioxidant compounds,
> enchance the levels of specific vitamins, minerals, and
> essential fatty acids. In addition, plants are modified with
> natural and synthetic peptides as antimicrobials and with
> enzymes that improve food processing.
>
> Storage protein
> ***************
>
> Cassava root, a staple food for over 500 million people in
> the tropics, has been targeted with a completely synthetic
> and novel storage protein to enhance its protein content.
> Potato tuber has been genetically modified with the seed
> albumin gene from Amaranthus hypochondriacus ( Prince-of-
> Wales feather), again, to increase its protein content. An
> attempt to transfer a methionine-rich maize delta-zein
> storage protein into soybean to overcome its deficiency in
> sulphur amino-acids failed to increase the methionine
> content of seed flour. In rice, the level of storage protein
> could be increased only in low storage protein mutant
> strains that had “room” in the seed .
>
> Cancer fighting and health promoting nutrients
> **********************************************
>
> As evidence has accumulated that organic produce are richer
> in cancer fighting antioxidants [11] ( Organic Strawberries
> Stop Cancer Cells, this issue), genetic engineers have been
> busy trying to enhance these compounds, especially
> flavonoids by genetic modification, and t omato was the
> first target. Red wine is rich in the flavonoid stilbene,
> thought to be responsible its health benefit in preventing
> heart disease. Tomatoes have been transformed with the grape
> stilbene synthase gene; with a petunia flower gene that
> makes stilbene as well as similar genes from grape, alfalfa
> and the flower Gerbera , resulting in the production of high
> levels of health related flavonoids. Phenolic precursors of
> health related flavonoids, lignans and phenols were enhanced
> in tomato by down regulating a competing metabolic pathway,
> using RNAi to inhibit the gene for cinnanomyl-CoA reductase,
> though RNAi has turned out to be highly fatal to mice in
> recent ‘gene therapy' experiments [12] ( Gene Therapy
> Nightmare for Mice ) . Tomatoes were also modified with the
> genes for enzymes that enhanced production of phytosterols,
> which lower cholesterol and may prevent cancer.
>
> Apple too, has been modified to enhance stilbene synthesis
> with a gene for stilbene synthase from grape.
>
> Seed phytosterol levels were enhanced in tobacco using a
> shortened gene of a rubber tree enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-
> CoA reductase (the gene was shortened to remove a cell
> membrane binding domain to increase activity in seeds).
> Phytosterol was increased more than 3 fold to 3.5 percent of
> the seed oil. Such constructs are likely to be transferred
> to food oil crops such as canola, soybean or maize.
>
> Metabolic engineering of proanthocyanidines (anthocyanidines
> are a class of flavonoid antioxidants) using genes for
> anthocyanidine reductase and for the Myb protein
> transcription factor from Arabidopsis provided a way to
> enhance the (epi)-flavan-3-ol antioxidants. Myb protein was
> first identified as a virus oncogene (cancer-associated
> gene).
>
> Read the rest of this article here
> http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GMCMHPHH.php
>
>
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CONTACT DETAILS:

Robyn Williamson
Permaculture Design Consultant
Urban Horticulturist
Local Seed Network Coordinator
NORTH WESTERN SYDNEY COMMUNITY SEED SAVERS
mobile:  0409 151 435
ph/fx:  (612) 9629 3560
http://www.seedsavers.net
http://www.communityfoods.org.au
http://www.communitygarden.org.au
http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au/Bidjiwong

I think we risk becoming the best informed society that has ever died of
ignorance. *-Reuben Blades*