[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[SANET-MG] GM Crops for health?



Below is the first of 5 parts of a long brief I prepared with Mae-Wan Ho for codex. I urge as many as possible to submit briefs on this important subject to codex. Of course USDA/APHIS would benefit from such a review of a topic of growing importance and threat to organic farmers.
part 1
GM Crops for Health?
New genetically modified crops are being promoted for nutritional or health benefits. Health depends on a balance of macro and micronutrients, cofactors and vitamins, best achieved by organic agricultural practices. Overdose of many single nutritional factors can be toxic, and hence food crops genetically modified to overproduce single nutrients could be public health hazards. Above all, genetic modification fails to address climate change and the depletion of energy, water, soil nutrients, and other agricultural resources that already threaten food security; it is a dangerous waste of time and dwindling resources.
Prof. Joe Cummins and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

The Codex Alimentarius Commission of the United Nations is deliberating Safety Assessment of Food Derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants Modified for Nutritional or Health Benefits. Governments and international organizations wishing to submit comments on the subject matters are invited to do so no later than 1 October 2006, preferably in electronic format, for the attention of Dr. FUJII Mitsuru, Fax No: +81 3 3503 7965; E-mail:codexj@mhlw.go.jp with a copy to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy (Fax +39.06.5705.4593; E-mail: Codex@fao.org). Our submission from the Institute of Science in Society consists of a review followed by specific comments.

Metabolic engineering for health
The first genetically modified crop, Calgene’s Flavr Savr tomato for prolonged shelf life, was approved for commercial release in 1992. It was not a commercial success. Since then, however, the area planted to GM crops has been increasing, and according to industry sources, reached 90 million ha in 2005 [1]. Two traits, herbicide-tolerance and insect-resistance, currently account for nearly all GM crops; but that will soon change. New GM crops with other traits are poised to enter the market, in the guise of nutritional benefits and health foods. In 2004, Monsanto received approval for commercial release of high lysine corn modified with a bacterial gene to produce enhanced production of the amino acid lysine [2] (Why Not Transgenic High Lysine Maize). In the same year, Monsanto released ‘Vistive’ soybeans with reduced linolenic acid fat, a trait selected using traditional breeding but bred into a glyphosate resistant soybean [3] (Beware Monsanto’s "Vistive Soybeans"), and should not have been considered a crop modified only for food quality. In 2005, Syngenta applied for commercial release of a corn modified to produce a heat stable amylase enzyme as an aid in food and feed processing [4]. There are many more crop modifications for ‘food quality’ in the pipelines to be petitioned for commercial release. But are they safe? And what criteria are used in their food safety assessment? A number of reviews have appeared, one of the most comprehensive coming from the International Life Sciences Institute of Washington DC, whose Trustees include academics as well as representatives from Monsanto, Syngenta, Novartis, Unilever and other corporations [5]. “Metabolic engineering” is highlighted, which consists of up or down regulating metabolic pathways, or introducing entirely new pathways to enhance production of key nutrients in foods [6]. Genes for biosynthetic enzymes or regulatory genes are introduced, as well as anti-sense genes to block competing pathways to increase production of desired secondary metabolites [7]. Engineering soybeans has focused on altering functional properties of soy protein to improve processing and on improving the flavour of soy products [8]. Plant genomics is also put forward as an alternative to genetic modification. Using marker assisted selection in conventional breeding to improve flavour, health and nutritional value would obviate the need for genetic modification of the crops [9], and ultimately prove much more acceptable to consumers worldwide. Nevertheless, a lot of work involving genetic modification is in progress, targeting every aspect of nutrition and health, from the improvement of storage proteins to increased mineral content.
GM

********************************************************
To unsubscribe from SANET-MG:
1- Visit http://lists.sare.org/archives/sanet-mg.html to unsubscribe or;
2- Send a message to <listserv@sare.org> from the address subscribed to the list. Type "unsubscribe sanet-mg" in the body of the message.

Visit the SANET-MG archives at: http://lists.sare.org/archives/sanet-mg.html.
Questions? Visit http://www.sare.org/about/sanetFAQ.htm.
For more information on grants and other resources available through the SARE program, please visit http://www.sare.org.