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GM Corn Causes Organ Damage in Rats: Will it Cause it in You?

A study commissioned by Greenpeace, published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Technology, demonstrated that rats who were fed for 90 days on Monsanto's MON863 maize showed "signs of toxicity" in the liver and kidneys.

This marks the first time that independent research published in a peer-reviewed journal has shown toxicity stemming from a genetically modified organism (GMO) authorized for human consumption.

Greenpeace and other organizations campaigning against GMOs say that GM technology is unproven and potentially dangerous, and also that GMO crops can contaminate other crops.

MON863 is genetically modified to make it resistant to corn rootworm. It has been authorized for human consumption in the European Union since January 2006.

Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology March 14, 2007

Scientific American March 13, 2007

NutraIngredients USA.com March 19, 2007

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

After hearing this information, you might be thinking that you are not at risk, because you don't eat GM corn. Think again. At least 75 percent of the processed foods sold contain some GM ingredients, including common foods you find at the grocery store, like frozen dinners, breakfast cereals and cooking oils.

Consider further that 90 percent of the money Americans spend on food is for processed foods, and that you also likely eat in restaurants. There is, in fact, a major probability this is affecting you even if you don't go out and consciously purchase GM corn.

The American court system is certainly beginning to pay more attention to the GM tidal wave, with judges demanding that the USDA conduct the proper oversight and not turn their heads when it comes to the shenanigans of agribusiness giants like Monsanto.

If you still have any doubt about the harm GM foods can do to your body, devote an hour to watching the brilliant documentary, Genetically Modified Food -- Panacea or Poison.

Some quick tips to protect your health and stay away from GM foods as much as you can:

  • Strive to use organic foods as often as you can and don't let the trend toward greenwashing fool you.
  • Read produce stickers and food labels carefully.
  • Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, processed foods from your diet.

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Comment on This Article Community Comments (9)
 
 
Posted On Mar 19, 2007
And the EU is one of the more enlightened places with regard to GM foods, yet they're allowing this in! In Japan, the public is vehemently opposed to genetically engineered food. The labels of most foods on the shelf specify that the products do not contain GM ingredients, but I've been told that can mean up to 5% GM content. Also, oils don't have to be labeled, as they are considered to be free of the DNA and proteins that cause problems. Moreover, in any country, contamination can occur. Allergenic Starlink corn, which was never approved for human consumption, made it into products shipped to Japan, and other countries have had similar cases of GM contamination. As the good doctor says, "Reduce, with the plan of eliminating, all processed foods from your diet." That's the best advice even without the GM issue.

 
Pat Ormsby
Savvy User Savvy User, Joined On 6/2006
Pat Ormsby  
 
 
 
Posted On Mar 19, 2007
I have come to the conclusion that the whole rat thing is just an eversion to take us away from thinking about who the "real rats" are... US! As for anything conventional, processed, GMO, etc, that key is just to stay away from it. It really is that simple.

As for Monsanto, Med Rx companies, etc, there main goal is money. They give a rats ass (no pun inteneded) about us. I just read some research that said the FDA approves most drugs that go out to society only that have been on a six week trial. So who knows what the 7th week plus side efffects are. Same goes for Monsanto and all the other monsters out there. They come up with this stuff thinking it is linear. What they do not realize is that it all creates CHAOS!

 
Josh Rubin
Moderator User Moderator User, Joined On 6/2006
Josh Rubin  
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Russ Bianchi
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 9/2006
Russ Bianchi  
 
Posted On Mar 19, 2007
CHAOS - wasn't that the name of the 'evil' organization in old TV show, 'Get Smart'?

Yes, evil companies like Monsanto and Dow Chemical, create "chaos", because they cannot convince (or profit) off of truth, logic, purity, wholesomeness, candor, or honesty, in their EVIL and HARMFUL product lines.

One wonders if these evil marketing types even care about their own families and children being HARMED by this latest in Genetically Modified Frankenfood! 

Maybe they will wise up (but I doubt it) and GET SMART?

When evil cannot convince, it resorts to confusion; just another 'play' out of The Tobacco Handbook.

 
 
 
Posted On Mar 20, 2007
WE BETTER WAKE UP AND STOP THIS GM NONSENSE.  IT MAY ALREADY BE TOO LATE.  THERE ARE MANY UNKNOWN AND UNDESIRABLE "SIDE EFFECTS" THAT REALLY EFFECT OUR ENVIRONMENT IN VERY HARMFUL WAYS! 
THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY FOR THIS CRASS IGNORANCE AND STUPIDITY.  CALL, WRITE AND EMAIL CONGRESS AND TELL THEM TO STOP THIS INSANITY IMMEDIATELY.

 
Dr. Hal
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 3/2007
Dr. Hal  
 
 
 
Posted On Apr 04, 2007
One of the comments in this article that made me sit up and take notice was the mention that one of the impacts of GM maize in test rats was  damage to their livers and kidneys.  

In the recent pet food deaths, aminopterin was found in some of the contaminated pet food connected to Menu pet foods, but not all. 

Aminopterin is a rat poison currently outlawed in China since it is 100 times more deadly than cyanide, and had been used by murderers as an easy weapon to kill victims, since it has no antidote if given in lethal amounts and takes out livers and kidneys.  

Small amounts of this in contaminated wheat gluten sold to the Menu pet food company could explain some of the pet deaths, since this poison shuts down livers and kidneys, but not all.

The scientists still found pet deaths in wheat gluten not contaminated by the rat poison, and they were at a loss to explain why the pets died that ate that pet food, since melamine, another contaminant that was found, but not known to be toxic in the levels found.  

Since China currently is using GM products, it may well be that some of the liver and kidneys failures observed may lead back to GM wheat or other grain crop, and not aminopterin or melamine.
 
If this is the case, then one has to ask if GM grain in China is making it into the human food supply, and if some of the kidney and liver failures in America may be the result of this GM wheat.  Even if GM grains are not coming directly to the United States as grain, the GM materials may being processed in other asian countries and sold here in canned goods or pasta.

 
Jonathan B
Apprentice User Apprentice User, Joined On 3/2007
Jonathan B  
 
 
 
Posted On Apr 03, 2007
SInce almost all corn products & corn seed are infected by aspergillus molds which produce mycotoxins such as aflatoxin, it would be interesting to find out if the original corn was tainted prior to genetic modification. I'm not a GMO fan, but would like to know if the cancer was produced by the mycotoxin or the genetic modifications.
 
Also wonder if this might be what is causing pet deaths in the contaminated pet foods recently. Contaminated grains commonly cause such death & disease in agricultural produce animals.

 
cer
Novice User Novice User, Joined On 6/2006
cer  
Replied

Pat Ormsby
Savvy User Savvy User Joined On 6/2006
Pat Ormsby  
 
Posted On Apr 03, 2007
Good point! We need to cover all bases. I think the case against GMO is strong even without this latest study, but assuring that all possible confounding factors have been addressed will make it an even stronger case. Meanwhile, don't wait for absolute proof of danger to start eliminating GMO products from you diet and household products. There was no word for years regarding harmfulness of GM soy, so I went ahead and ate a bunch and got sick. Later, studies started showing that rats got sick on it. It may take many years before we finally know the full impact of this aberration--and that's truly what it is!

 
 
 
 
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