Genetically Engineered Crop Gene Found for First Time in Bacteria in Human Digestive

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[Paranormal_Research] Genetically Engineered Crop Gene Found for First

Time in Bacteria in Human Digestive

 

 

 

http://www.commondreams.org/news2002/0717-03.htm Genetically Engineered

Crop Gene Found for First Time in Bacteria in Human Digestive System Concerns

About Antibiotic Resistance Raised

 

WASHINGTON - July 17 - New evidence from British scientists raises serious

questions about the safety of genetically engineered foods. A study published by

the British Food Safety Standards Agency (FAS) showed for the first time that a

gene inserted in a genetically engineered crop has found its way into bacteria

in the human gut. Many engineered crops have antibiotic resistance marker genes

inserted in them, and there are fears that if material from these marker genes

passes into humans, people's ability to fight infections may be reduced.

 

Researchers fed a single meal of a hamburger and a milk shake that both

contained genetically engineered soy to study participants. According to the FSA

gene uptake study, entitled " Evaluating the Risks Associated with Using GMOs in

Human Foods " (pp. 22-27,http://

www.foodstandards.gov.uk/science/sciencetopics/gmfoods/gm_reports), an

hherbicide resistance gene from a Roundup Ready variety of engineered soy was

found by researchers in bacteria from the small intestines of three out of seven

study participants (pg. 24).

 

Adrian Bebb, GM food campaigner for Friends of the Earth UK said, " This

research should set alarm bells ringing. Industry scientists and government

advisors have always played down the risk of this ever happening, but the first

time they looked for it they found it. "

 

The biotech industry has long maintained that DNA is destroyed during

digestion and that there are barriers to incorporation of genetically engineered

crop genes by bacteria. According to a March 4, 2001 news release by the

multi-million dollar biotech lobbying initiative called the Council for

Biotechnology Information, " the DNA contained in food -- including the

antibiotic- resistance gene -- is broken down in the human gut during the

digestive process. " (http://

www.whybiotech.com/index.asp?trackid=7 & id=1726#1726). However, these assertions

crumbled under the FSA findings, which showed that engineered crop genes can

survive digestion long enough to be incorporated by bacteria.

 

The new evidence raises safety concerns for people eating genetically

engineered foods. In particular, if antibiotic resistance genes used in some

varieties of engineered crops are being picked up by bacteria in the intestines

of people eating engineered foods, this could increase bacterial resistance to

life-saving antibiotics.

 

According to Michael Antoniou, a senior lecturer in molecular genetics at

King's College Medical School in London, the study " suggests that you can get

antibiotic marker genes spreading amongst the bacterial population within the

intestine which could compromise future antibiotic use. They have shown that

this can happen even at very low levels after just one meal. "

 

Given the research results, Friends of the Earth is calling for the

immediate withdrawal of genetically engineered crops containing antibiotic

resistance markers from the market. The organization also calls for further

research into the effects of gene transfer to bacteria.

 

In May 1999, the British Medical Association also called for a ban of

crops with antibiotic resistance marker genes stating, " There should be a ban on

the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes in GM food, as the risk to human

health from antibiotic resistance developing in micro-organisms is one of the

major public health threats that will be faced in the 21st Century. "

 

And from the Food Standard people:

 

http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/science/sciencetopics/gmfoods/gm_reports

 

 

'Extremely low' risk of GM transfer Thursday, 11 July 2002

 

A series of FSA research projects have concluded that it is extremely

unlikely that genes from genetically modified (GM) food can end up in bacteria

in the gut of people who eat them.

 

The Agency's independent advisers on genetically modified foods had

expressed concern about the presence of a particular gene (an antibiotic

resistance marker) in GM maize approved for consumption by the European

Community. This led the Agency to commission five related research projects to

investigate the transfer and survival of DNA - the fundamental genetic material

of all living things - in the bacteria of the human gut.

 

The most recently completed study - which will be published in a

scientific journal later this year - shows that in real-life conditions with

human volunteers, no GM material survived the passage through the entire human

digestive tract. Although some DNA survived in laboratory-created environments

that simulated human or animal gastrointestinal tracts, the research concluded

that the likelihood of functioning DNA being taken up by bacteria in the human

or animal gut is extremely low.

 

Much of the work from the first four research projects has already been

published in respected scientific journals. All five reports, including the

study involving human volunteers, can be accessed via the links below. [see

above link]

 

 

 

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