March 15, 2007

 

GMO corn approved in Philippines shows signs of toxicity, study reveals
 

 

A genetically-modified (GM) corn strain approved for food, feed and processing in the Philippines shows signs of toxicity to mammals, a new study released today reveals.

 

The study, and written by a panel of three independent scientists in France, showed that laboratory rats fed with the GMO corn Monsanto (MON) 863 YieldGard Rootworm displayed kidney and liver toxicity. MON 863 is corn genetically manipulated to produce its own insecticide called 'modified Cry3Bb1' to kill rootworm insects in the soil, and contains gene coding for antibiotic resistance.

 

Entitled 'New Analysis of a Rat Feeding Study with a Genetically Modified Maize Reveals Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity,' the study is published this week in the scientific journal "Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology."

 

The study also analysed results of safety tests submitted by Monsanto to the European Commission (EC) when the company was seeking authorization to market MON 863 in the European Union. The data shows that significant health risks were associated with the GMO corn; still, the EC granted licenses to market MON 863 for consumption by both humans and animals. The incriminating data was obtained by Greenpeace following a court case, and was passed on for evaluation by a team of experts headed by Professor Gilles Eric Seralini, a governmental expert in genetic-engineering from the University of Caen in France.

 

According to Daniel Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Genetic Engineering Campaigner, the report is significant to the Philippines in the light of the Bureau of Plant Industry's (BPI) claims that they will enforce stringent regulatory systems for the approval of GMOs. He said genetic manipulation of organisms is dangerously unpredictable as no GMO has ever undergone long-term testing and the study results indicate a clear warning of the inherent risks of biotech crops.

 

MON 863 is approved in several countries around the world and was approved in the Philippines by the BPI in October 2003, according to Ocampo.

 

The data in question has been the subject of fierce debate since 2003, when significant changes were identified in the blood of tested animals fed on MON 863. MON 863 was approved by the EC, despite opposition by a majority of EU member states who raised concerns over the GMO's safety. Professor Seralini's analysis now scientifically confirms these concerns. As the study states, "with the present data, it cannot be concluded that GMO corn MON 863 is a safe product."

 

Professor Seralini also questioned Monsanto's analyses of MON 863 which was used as a basis for the approval. He said Monsanto's analyses have not lived up to rigorous scrutiny as it has failed to run a sufficient analysis of the differences in animal weight and urine tests were also concealed.

 

Greenpeace is demanding the complete and immediate withdrawal of MON 863 corn from the global market and is calling upon governments to undertake an urgent reassessment of all other authorised GE products, and a strict review of current testing methods. Greenpeace is also calling for a moratorium on the approval of GMOs for human consumption.

 

The Philippines has 25 GMO food crops (including corn, soybean, sugar beet, alfalfa, potato, and cotton) approved by the BPI for direct use in food, feed, and processing, while four GMO corn crops are approved for propagation Twenty-four of the 29 GMOs approved in the country are owned by Monsanto. At present, the BPI is reviewing an application for a GMO strain of rice, LL62, developed by Bayer Cropscience. Greenpeace has been actively blocking the approval of Bayer LL62, asserting that the entry of GMO rice in the country's food chain will have disastrous consequences on the country's--and the world's¡ªmost important food crop.

 

Ocampo said the recent findings reveal that genetically-engineered crops are not the future of agriculture as no GMO has been proven safe for animal and human consumption.