Rat Study on GM Maize Indicates Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity

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Rat Study on GM Maize Indicates Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity

 

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Rat Study on GM Maize Indicates Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity: French

Review of Original Data

 

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TOKYO, June 14 --

(Kyodo) -- A rat showed signs of hepatorenal toxicity after eating

genetically modified maize developed by U.S. chemical giant Monsanto

Co., a French research team said in an article published in the

electronic edition of a U.S. science journal.

 

The researchers re-analyzed data provided by Monsanto on the health risk

assessment of its genetically modified maize, called MON863, which

incorporates anti-soil toxin genes.

 

In their study, the team added appropriate statistics, such as a

multivariate analysis of the growth curves, and for biochemical

parameters comparisons between genetically modified organism-treated

rats and the controls fed with an equivalent normal diet and separately

with six reference diets with different compositions, according to the

article in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicity.

 

" We observed that after the consumption of MON863, rats showed slight

but dose-related significant variations in growth for both sexes,

resulting in 3.3 percent decrease in weight for males and 3.7 percent

increase for females, " the study says.

 

" Chemistry measurements reveal signs of hepatorenal toxicity, marked

also by differential sensitivities in males and females. "

 

" Triglycerides increased by 24-40 percent in females (either at week 14,

dose 11 percent or at week 5, dose 33 percent, respectively); urine

phosphorus and sodium excretions diminished in males by 31-35 percent

(week 14, dose 33 percent) for the most important results significantly

linked to the treatment in comparison to seven diets tested, " it says.

In conclusion, the team says, " It cannot be concluded that GM corn

MON863 is a safe product. "

 

" Longer experiments are essential in order to indicate the real nature

and extent of the possible pathology, " the study says.

Monsanto's MON863 maize has already been approved as food and feed in

the United States, the European Union and Japan.

 

In Japan, it has been used mainly as livestock feed.

 

The European Commission has asked the European Food Safety Authority to

analyze the study, while Japan's Food Safety Commission is collecting

information on the matter, Japanese officials said.

 

Monsanto Japan Ltd., a Japan subsidiary of the St. Louis-based

multinational chemical maker, says its genetically modified maize poses

no safety problems, noting that it has already been authorized as food

and feed in the United States and Europe.

 

The researchers who conducted the study are Gilles-Eric Seralini of the

Committee for Independent Information and Research on Genetic

Engineering; Dominique Cellier of the University of Caen; and Joel

Spiroux de Vendomois of the University of Rouen, Mont-Saint-Aignan, all

of France.

Genetically modified crops incorporate some particular genes against

herbicides and harmful insects.

 

In Japan, sales of genetically modified beans, corns and potatoes have

been approved, but no such crops are grown in the country.

 

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