This is yet another example of genetically engineered organisms having unintended and unpredictable impacts. It underscores the need to use the Precautionary Principle when dealing with all GMOs–forcing scientists and industry to PROVE these GMOs are safe BEFORE allowing them to be released into the environment, especially commercially.
It is also another warning about the dangers of GE trees, which will interact with their environment for far longer than annual crops like corn. There is simply no way to be certain that GE trees will not, at some point in their lives, have adverse impacts on the environment, local forest ecosystems, songbirds, wildlife, or rural human communities.
GMOs should not be grown and GE trees must be absolutely rejected.
– Anne Petermann, GJEP
Ben Webster of the United Kingdom’s The Times recently reported on a study showing corn consumed by millions of people and animals around the world may be unsafe due to previously undetected toxic effects.
The study conducted by King’s College London shows that the genetic modification of NK603 maize changed the protein content of the kernels and increased the risk of exposure to damage when reacting with oxygen. In addition:
The NK603 maize also contained increased levels of cadaverine and putrescine, which are thought to be involved in the formation of carcinogenic substances. They can also heighten allergic reactions by enhancing the effects of histamine.
Michael Antoniou, lead author of the study in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, said: “Our results call for a more thorough evaluation of the safety of NK603 [maize] consumption on a long-term basis.”
See the Times article here and read the report at Nature.com.
