11
November 2008 - Vienna, Austria — Mice fed
on genetically-engineered maize produce
fewer offspring than those fed on natural
foods, according to a new study published
today by the Austrian government.
Austrian scientists
performed several long-term feeding trials
with laboratory mice over a course of 20
weeks. One test - the so-called "reproductive
assessment by continuous breeding"
showed that mouse parents fed on a diet
containing 33 percent of a Monsanto owned
GE maize variety (NK 603 x MON 810) experienced
a decrease in litter size and weight by
the time they gave birth to their third
and fourth litters. Mice fed on a closely-related
non-GE maize had normal reproduction cycles.
Of mice and men…
The study is further evidence that the food
and feed safety of GE crops cannot be guaranteed.
The biotech industry is playing a game of
genetic roulette with our food and with
health.
The reproductive ramifications
of this GE maize were totally unexpected
- regulators around the world have previously
considered this variety to be as safe as
non-GE varieties: a potentially devastating
error.
That alone should be
a good enough reason to close down the whole
biotech industry.
Protect consumers, not
Monsanto's interests
The Austrian study should be carefully considered
by food safety agencies around the world.
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA),
for example, gave this same variety the
"green light" in 2005, relying
solely on Monsanto's data. The EFSA reported
that it "considers it unlikely that
NK603 x MON810 maize will have any adverse
effect on human and animal health.
In effect, EFSA gave
the thumbs-up to a GE variety that this
latest study highlights potential danger
to human health and reproduction. Clearly
EFSA's GMO panel is in urgent need of reform.
Recall GE worldwide
Summarising his findings, Prof. Dr. Jurgen
Zentek, Professor of Veterinary Medicine
at the University of Vienna - the lead author
of the study - said the differences between
the mice was statistically significant,
and that this effect could be attributed
to the differences in food sources.
The GE maize variety
in question has been approved for planting
and food use in several countries, including
the US, Argentina, Japan, the Philippines
and South Africa. In Mexico and the EU,
it has been approved for food and feed use.
Considering the severity of the potential
threat, Greenpeace is demanding a recall
of genetically-engineered food and crops
from the market, worldwide.
