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  • From: Robyn Williamson <robinet@aapt.net.au>
  • To: PermacultureInternational NETWORK <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] Fwd: GM Crops and Microbes for Health or Public Health Hazards?
  • Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:52:44 +1100

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

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ignorance. *-Reuben Blades*



  • [permaculture] Fwd: GM Crops and Microbes for Health or Public Health Hazards?, Robyn Williamson, 11/16/2006

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