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http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/gm-crops-giving-truth-a-ch...
Modifying genes is no fiction; its pure science. Stop spreading confusion and let tests speak for themselves
Nothing sells like fear. And nothing illustrates this better than what China is encountering in trying to promote
genetically modified (GM) crops. The country is trying to promote GM food to expand its food supplies.
Actually, some of the hurdles China is facing in this issue are quite amusing. For instance, a Chinese woman
entrepreneur, reports say, was wary of using GM corn since she had come across an article, shared by her friend,
which said that GM food caused infertility.
Instances of those opposed to GM crops coming up with such fear-mongering are many.
In the last few years, the anti-GM lobby has gone to town with the study of French scientist Gilles-Eric Sralini on
the long-term effects of GM corn on rats. The paper, published in the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal, was
withdrawn last year.
The ground for the withdrawal was that the rats on which the experiments were carried out are prone to developing
cancer with age. The study was republished in a new journal earlier this year; but it is inconclusive in its finding. It
calls for long-term feeding trials to thoroughly evaluate the safety of GM foods.
No impacts
Monsanto Chief Technology Officer Robb Fraley made a valid point at the US Farm Progressive Show a few weeks
ago, saying ever since modified corn was introduced in 1990s, not a single issue with food safety or technology has
been reported because of the GM crop.
Probably, the findings of Alison L Van Eenennaam, geneticist in the Department of Animal Science, University of
California-Davis, and AE Young, her understudy, on the impact of GM food on livestock were at the back of his
mind.
The study, Prevalence and impacts of genetically engineered feedstuffs on livestock populations published in the
Journal of Animal Science, says no adverse effect had been found on any animal despite being fed with GM food.
A feature of the study is that it has compiled data on livestock productivity and health from publicly available
sources from 1983, before the introduction of GM crops in 1996, and subsequently through 2011, a period with high
levels of GM crops in the feed.
It gains credence since the US produces nine million livestock animals every year, nearly 95 per cent of which are fed
GM food.
This then brings us to the Indian scenario, where the Narendra Modi government is yet to take a call on permitting
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10/22/2014 9:46 AM