Interesting reports on GM pollen and GM soya feeding trials on mammals
The report from Australia pasted below, relating to GM pollen entering the human food chain, while certainly disturbing from the moral ethical and commercial view point pales into insignificance when related to the recently reported Russian research carried out on hamsters, which coincides with similar work carried out in France and Austria,. The effects found on the fertility of mammals is quite terrifying; H.sapiens springs to mind! Who do we believe – big business, politicians or good science, which has nothing to gain but integrity?
Follow the link below!
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Russia says genetically modified foods are harmful
The Voice of Russia, April 16 2010
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/04/16/6524765.html
Russia has started the annual Days of Defence against Environmental Hazards from the 15th of April to the 5th of June with the announcement of sensational results of an independent work of research.
Scientists have proved that Genetically Modified Organisms are harmful for mammals. The researchers discovered that animals that eat GM foodstuffs lose their ability to reproduce. Campbell hamsters that have a fast reproduction rate were fed for two years with ordinary soya beans, which are widely used in agriculture and those contain different percentages of GM organisms. Another group of hamsters, the control group, was fed with pure soya, which was found with great difficulty in Serbia because 95 percent of soya in the world is transgenic.
Concerning the experiment carried out jointly by the National Association for Gene Security and the Institute of Ecological and Evolutional Problems, Dr. Alexei Surov has this to say. "We selected several groups of hamsters, kept them in pairs in cells and gave them ordinary food as always," says Alexei Surov. "We did not add anything for one group but the other was fed with soya that contained no GM components, while the third group with some content of Genetically Modified Organisms and the fourth one with increased amount of GMO. We monitored their behaviour and how they gain weight and when they give birth to their cubs. Originally, everything went smoothly. However, we noticed quite a serious effect when we selected new pairs from their cubs and continued to feed them as before. These pairs' growth rate was slower and reached their sexual maturity slowly. When we got some of their cubs we formed the new pairs of the third generation. We failed to get cubs from these pairs, which were fed with GM foodstuffs. It was proved that these pairs lost their ability to give birth to their cubs," Dr. Alexei Surov said.
Another surprise was discovered by scientists in hamsters of the third generation. Hair grew in the mouth of the animals that took part in the experiment. It's unclear why this happened. The researchers cannot understand why a programme of destruction is launched when animals take GMO foodstuffs. They say that this can be neutralized only by stopping to eat these foods. Consequently, scientists suggest imposing a ban on the use of GM foods until they are tested for their bio-security.
The results of Russian scientists coincide with those of their colleagues from France and Austria. For one, when scientist proved that GM maize was harmful for mammals, France banned immediately its production and sale. The scientists who carried out the experiment say that it's too early to make far-reaching conclusions about the health hazards of the GMO. They insist that there is a need to carry out comprehensive research. They suggest implementing the project, "Safety Gene Technology" at the innovation centre, "Skolkovo" which is being set up near Moscow.
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http://www.theage.com.au/national/up...001-gerk.html_ (http://www.theage.com.au/national/up...1001-gerk.html)
Uproar as GM canola 'contaminates' beehive in Australia
ADAM MORTON
October 2, 2009
A Greenpeace activist takes samples in a genetically modified canola field near Teesdale, east of Geelong. Photo: Jason Souith
GENETICALLY modified canola has jumped containment lines and "contaminated" a commercial beehive in western Victoria, prompting claims that people are not being told enough about what they eat.
Scientific testing on behalf of Greenpeace Australia found Monsanto's "Roundup Ready" canola strain, which is resistant to some herbicides, had contaminated hives near Bannockburn owned by Edmonds Honey.
Victoria lifted a moratorium on growing GM canola in November 2007 after being advised it could be kept separate from non-GM crops.
Greenpeace spokeswoman Louise Sales said the contamination meant people were being denied choice: anyone buying honey from the affected hive could be eating GM food without knowing it.
She said it showed GM canola was "uncontrollable". "We're calling on the Federal Government to keep its election promise — basically not to release GM canola into the environment unless it was produced safe 'beyond reasonable doubt'. We don't believe it stands up to that test," Ms Sales said.
The health effects of GM canola remains contentious, though it is regarded as safe for consumption by the Commonwealth Office of the Gene Technology Regulator and the Australian Academy of Science.
Local farmers and Melbourne restaurateur Dure Dara joined a protest against the spread of GM material into neighbouring crops. The beekeeper affected by the contamination, John Edmonds, was less worried. He was concerned it could affect sales and said labelling should be improved. But he said beekeepers had been using GM cotton for years without negative health impacts.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Government said the health risks of GM canola had been extensively investigated and found not to differ from non-GM canola. GM labelling standards were being reviewed, with a report due mid-next year.
The State Government said the potential impact of GM canola on bee-keepers was considered in a review before the state moratorium was lifted.
Mr Edmonds said he would report the campaigners to police for removing and testing his honey frames.
