Animal Feeding Studies Prompt Food Safety Alert

Animal Feeding Studies Prompt Food Safety Alert

GE-Free NZ has written to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) demanding an immediate recall and review of GE foods that they have approved, following discovery of serious damage in a newly released long-term animal feeding study [1].

The two year study on rats fed 11% GE maize genetically engineered to be tolerant to Round-Up (NK603) found that there are severe effects on the organs, and immune system of the animals resulting in lethal tumours. The study included comparisons of the effects of GE maize that had been sprayed with Round-Up with another control group in which rats ate non-GE maize which had also been sprayed with Round-Up.

The research findings include that
- female mortality rates increased by 2–3 times mostly due to large mammary tumors and disabled pituitary
- males had liver congestions, necrosis, severe kidney nephropathies and large palpable tumors

“These results are horrific and suggest there has either been a cover up or criminal negligence - probably both - on the part of GE seed companies and the Trans Tasman Food Standards Authority meant to protect public health,” said Claire Bleakley president of GE-Free NZ (in food and environment)

The findings confirm warnings made by other experts since 1999 when Dr. Pusztai called for evaluation and further testing on GE food, due to the findings of his research [2], through to 2010 when Dr. Seralini conducted a meta analysis [3] on all GE feeding studies on animals and found they all raised concerns about health effects.

“FSANZ has not just ignored, but actively denounced [4] the independent research findings of deleterious effects on animals. It is time FSANZ stopped rubber stamping GE applications and took seriously their mandate and duty to protect public health and the safety of the food supply.”

FSANZ must immediately withdraw all foods produced with the 'Round-Up Ready' GE technology and conduct independent testing.

References
[1] Seralini. G-E., Clair.E., Mesnage. R., Gress.S., Defarge.N., Malatesta.m,. Hennequin.D. and de Vendomois. JS.(2012) Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Food and Chemical Toxicity (in press) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2012.08.005
[2] Stanley WBE and Pusztai A (1999) Health risks of genetically modified foods. The Lancet, 354: 9179: 684. http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2805%2977668-6/fulltext
[3] Séralini G-E., Mesnage R., Clair E., Gress S., de Vendômois J and Cellier D., Genetically modified crops safety assessments: present limits and possible improvements. Environmental Sciences Europe 2011 23:10. http://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/2190-4715-23-10.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/23/1/10
[4] FSANZ Response to Studies Cited as Evidence of Adverse Effects from GM Foods http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/gmtableofstudies.cfm

ENDS

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