195 GE Corn – the French Study [10 Dec 2012]

The first long term independent study for safety of a genetically engineered food crop was conducted in France and the results published this September in the peer-reviewed Food and Chemical Toxicology. The study followed rats fed a genetically engineered glyphosate-tolerant corn (NK603) and/or glyphosate at 0.1ppb in water (the amount allowed in US drinking water) over two years. Control animals were fed conventional corn and pure water.

The results proved devastating to the industry’s claim that GE crops are not substantially different so safety tests are not necessary. Compared to the control animals, the rats fed the GE corn and or glyphosate water much more frequently developed massive tumors and kidney and liver damage. Female rats developed large mammary tumors earlier and more often and they died 2-3 times more often and much earlier. The pituitary gland was also frequently disabled. Males developed much higher rates of liver congestion and necrosis. Males also developed 4 times more large tumors and up to 300 days earlier. And by large I mean golf-ball size – in rats! Severe kidney damage occurred in much higher rates in both sexes. The gender differences can be explained by the known endocrine-disrupting effects of glyphosate.

Industry officials countered this by repeating that numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies confirmed the safety of biotech crops. But the longest feeding study prior to this one was stopped after only 3 months. Interestingly in the French study the tumors and liver and kidney damage began to show up at 4 months and peaked at 13 months. And while the biotech industry claims approval by some government regulatory agencies as evidence of safety, they decry governments who remain skeptical of biotech crop safety as pandering to the ignorant hysterical masses.

This study adds to the growing list of studies finding disturbing effects of GE crops and foods. You can see a summary of some of these studies here.

After reading about this study, would you feed GE corn to your livestock? Would you feed it to your children? Your livestock may not be eating it but you and your family are, without your knowledge. And no one is studying the effects it may be having on our health. Without labeling of GE foods and human studies we will never know to what extent they are responsible for the increase in cancer and other health issues in North America over the past decade. See Dr. Mercola's discussion of this topic for more information.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.