Contamination in GM crop raises concern

Recurring incidents of contamination in various genetically modified crops such as corn and rice have led to growing concerns about the consumption safety of genetically engineered varieties.

Globally, consumer groups, researchers, and non-governmental bodies have been putting pressure on authorities to ban contaminated varieties and provide more details about varieties being cleared for consumption.

Monsanto's MON863, a variety of genetically modified corn, caused signs of liver and kidney toxicity as well as hormonal changes in rats in a study conducted by researchers from the Committee for Independent Research and Genetic Engineering at the University of Caen in France.

The variety has been approved for human consumption in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and the US

Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini, who headed the study said, "These revelations are profoundly disturbing from a health point of view. They are certainly sufficient to require new and more carefully conducted feeding studies and an immediate ban from human or animal consumption of GM maize MON863 and all its hybrids. This maize cannot now be considered safe to eat."

Following these findings, Arthur Yap, secretary, US Department of Agriculture, ordered disapproval of genetically modified corn MON863 on March 30.

"Secretary Yap's statement to withdraw the approval of genetically-modified corn, MON863, shows that the administration is waking up to the dangers posed by genetically-modified organisms," Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner Daniel Ocampo said.

Interestingly, Monsanto's own research revealed that rats fed MON863 had lower growth rates and lower body weight than the rats fed organically grown maize. The rats also showed higher levels of toxicity in the kidneys and liver.

But, Monsanto in a 2004 media release argued that there was no "biologically significant" difference.

"It seems the more these GM foods are tested, the more frightening the implications seem to be for human health. When companies like Monsanto do their own in-house testing, results are mysteriously favourable in nearly all cases, but when independent labs run their own tests, the results are downright shocking," said Mike Adams, author of Grocery Warning: How to Identify and Avoid Dangerous Food Ingredients.

In July, German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer's agrochemicals division, CropScience, notified the US regulatory body that trace amounts of LLRICE601, a genetically engineered variety, had contaminated commercial rice seed in the US.

The contamination occurred due to faulty testing practices at fields, where Bayer was testing this genetically modified rice varieties.

USDA announced in August that a scientific review of available data revealed no human health, food safety or environmental concerns were associated with the rice.

Subsequently, the European Union, Japan, and Mexico imposed a ban on US rice imports. This led to some rice farmers suing Bayer CropScience, alleging its GM rice had contaminated their crop.

On March 30, a Greenpeace release said, "The US Department of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap must repeal and withdraw all other authorised GMO crops and products in the country, starting with rejection of Bayer's application for the LL62 GMO rice variety, which if approved will signal the entry of GMO rice in the country's food chain and will result in disastrous consequences to our most important food crop."

In November, Bhartiya Kissan Union and the President of the panchayat of Rudrapur village lodged a police complaint against Mahyco's department of biotechnology and genetic engineering approval committee, for various violations and faulty testing practices found in a genetically modified rice plot in Rudrapur village of Gorakhpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

Acting on the complaint, authorities seized material lying in a house from the trial plot.

India's Central Information Commission chief, Wajahat Habibullah, on Thursday ordered the department of biotechnology to disclose toxicity and "allergenicity" data on transgenic food crops that are being field-tested across the country.

Habibullah, directed the government to make public within 10 working days all the relevant data on genetically engineered brinjal, okra, mustard, and rice which have been approved for multi-location trials.

The order came on an appeal filed by a Greenpeace activist Divya Raghunandan, against government's refusal to disclose the data saying it was covered by Section 8 (1)(d) of RTI Act, which exempts from disclosure "information, including commercial confidence, trade secrets or intellectual property, the disclosure of which would harm the competitive position of a third party."

Habibullah also noted the government should publish the data routinely and not wait for people to file appeals, given the obvious public interest in the health risk assessment of genetically modified foods.