GMOs Don't Hurt Anyone, But Opposing Them Does

T

Timshel

New member
http://www.science20.com/science_20/blog/gmos_dont_hurt_anyone_opposing_them_does-117782

How do you demonize scientists who added 3 genes to the 30,000 in rice in order to stop vitamin A deficiencies in poor countries with rice-dominated diets? There are zero pitfalls to it yet an elaborate, well-funded marketing campaign has been leveled against it.


Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer genetically engineered their Golden Rice, called that because the genes they used for producing beta carotene, a Vitamin A precursor, gave the rice grains a 'golden' color, and even persuaded companies to waive patent rights so that they could give the seeds away for free. No 'Monsanto is evil' nonsensical reasoning applies to this, yet 'green' juggernauts like Greenpeace and Union of Concerned Scientists have opposed it by every means possible, using lawyers and, of course, scare campaigns about biology.


How many kids have died in the 14 years this has been protested as "Frankenfood"? Estimates on deaths are always somewhat overblown but activist groups love to throw them around so let's give them one they can think about; as many as 18 million children have died due to vitamin A deficiency while they have blockaded just this one technology and another 18 million have gone blind, according to World Health Organization numbers. Deaths due to GMOs? Zero. Heck, stomach-aches due to GMOs - still zero.
 
I have no issues with GMO's. I do have an issue with not having an option. The Vitamin A thing is a good modification.

But in regards to Monsanto...how many modifications are for yield that sacrifice nutrition? A big corporation like that can hire a team of well paid scientists to cook the books any way they want. Then use lobbyists and lawyers to squash any opposing findings.
 
Steelplate said:
I have no issues with GMO's. I do have an issue with not having an option. The Vitamin A thing is a good modification.

But in regards to Monsanto...how many modifications are for yield that sacrifice nutrition? A big corporation like that can hire a team of well paid scientists to cook the books any way they want. Then use lobbyists and lawyers to squash any opposing findings.
Click to expand...

You mean like the Anti-GMO groups are doing in the OP?
 
Extremely well written article on 'golden rice', there is pro vitamin A in unpolished rice but that apparently is not a solution. There is a stigma attached to brown rice in third world as it is associated with the poor, also much of the white rice is exported. There is also considerably more in the roots and leaves which could easily be kept, dried and eaten.


‘ Golden rice’ is no technical improvement and more unsafe

‘Golden rice’ exhibits all the undesirable, hazardous characteristics of existing GM plants, and in added measure on account of the increased complexity of the constructs and the sources of genetic material used. The hazards are highlighted below.

  • It is made with a combination of genes and genetic material from viruses and bacteria, associated with diseases in plants, and from other non-food species.

  • The gene constructs are new, and have never existed in billions of years of evolution

  • Unpredictable by-products have been generated due to random gene insertion and functional interaction with host genes, which will differ from one plant to another.

  • Over-expression of transgenes linked to viral promoters, such as that from CaMV, exacerbates unintended metabolic effects as well as instability (see below). There are at least two CaMV promoters in each transgenic plant of the ‘golden rice’, one of which is linked to the antibiotic resistance marker gene.

  • The transgenic DNA is structurally unstable, leading to instability of the GM plants in subsequent generations, multiplying unintended, random effects.

  • Structural instability of transgenic DNA increases the likelihood of horizontal gene transfer and recombination.

  • Instability of transgenic DNA is enhanced by the CaMV promoter, which has a recombination hotspot, thereby further increasing the potential for horizontal gene transfer.

  • The CaMV promoter is promicuous in function and works efficiently in all plants, in green algae, yeast and E. coli. The spread of genes linked to this promoter by ordinary cross-pollination or by horizontal gene transfer will have enormous impacts on health and biodiversity. In particular, the hygromycin resistance gene linked to it may be able to function in bacteria associated with infectious diseases.

  • Horizontal transfer of transgenic DNA from GM plants into soil fungi and bacteria has been demonstrated in laboratory experiments. Recent evidence suggests that it has also taken place in a field-trial site for GM sugar-beets, in which transgenic DNA persisted in the soil for at least two years afterwards.

  • Prof. Hans-Hinrich Kaatz from the University of Jena, has just presented new evidence of horizontal gene transfer within the gut of bee larvae. Pollen from GM rapeseed tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate were fed to immature bee larvae. When the microorganisms were isolated from the gut of the larvae and examined for the presence of the gene conferring glufosinate resistance, it was found in some of the bacteria as well yeast cells.

  • All cells including those of human beings are now known to take up genetic material. While natural (unmanipulated) genetic material is simply broken down to supply energy, invasive pieces of genetic material may jump into the genome to mutate genes. Some insertions of foreign genetic material may also be associated with cancer.

  • Horizontal transfer of genes and constructs from the ‘golden rice’ will spread transgenes, including antibiotic resistance genes to bacterial pathogens, and also has the potential to create new viruses and bacteria associated with diseases.
Conclusion

In conclusion, the ‘golden rice’ project was a useless application, a drain on public finance and a threat to health and biodiversity. It is being promoted in order to salvage a morally as well as financially bankrupt agricultural biotech industry, and is obstructing the essential shift to sustainable agriculture that can truly improve the health and nutrition especially of the poor in the Third World. This project should be terminated immediately before further damage is done.
The ‘golden rice’ possesses all the usual defects of first generation transgenic plants plus multiple copies of the CaMV promoter which we have strongly recommended withdrawing from use on the basis of scientific evidence indicating this promoter to be especially unsafe. A growing number of scientists (318 scientists from 39 countries to-date) are calling for a global moratorium on the environmental releases of GMOs until and unless they can be shown to be safe.
Click to expand...

Read more: http://www.i-sis.org.uk/rice.php
 
Last edited:
This is why ..

Institute for Responsible Technology: 65 Health Risks of GM Foods
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers/65-health-risks/1notes

GMOs and Genetically Modified Foods - Risks and Dangers of GMOs
http://www.wanttoknow.info/gmoinyourfood

Former Pro-GMO Scientist Speaks Out On The Real Dangers of Genetically Engineered Food
http://www.foodrevolution.org/blog/former-pro-gmo-scientist/

10 IRREFUTABLE evidence that GMO can harm you
http://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=a2415619a6deb0cd&q=gmos+dangerous

Much of the world is not convinced that GMO's are as harmless as you believe they are.

They are not trusted .. as vaccines are often not trusted.

Just because science did it, doesn't mean they are safe.
 
Professor Baxter said:
Another group of homeopathic and anti science quacks.

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/water2.php
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/SO_holhealth.php

Do you have a source that uses real science? Can you cite one person that has suffered from eating GMOs as opposed to the 18 million dead kids from vitamin a deficiency.
Click to expand...

Can you tell me why the kids with vitamin A deficiency can't be fed unpolished rice along with roots and leaves of the rice plant? Are the farmers able to save the seeds from this supposed great charity act of handing them seeds for free? I suspect it is more likely that they want to get them hooked like a drug dealer who gives a a free hit to gain new customers.
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
Can you tell me why the kids with vitamin A deficiency can't be fed unpolished rice along with roots and leaves of the rice plant? Are the farmers able to save the seeds from this supposed great charity act of handing them seeds for free? I suspect it is more likely that they want to get them hooked like a drug dealer who gives a a free hit to gain new customers.
Click to expand...

Because the fat in unpolished rice oxidizes rapidly resulting in rancid tasting rice.

Your suspicions are nothing but nonsense based on cynicism.
 
Last edited:
Steelplate said:
I have no issues with GMO's. I do have an issue with not having an option. The Vitamin A thing is a good modification.

But in regards to Monsanto...how many modifications are for yield that sacrifice nutrition? A big corporation like that can hire a team of well paid scientists to cook the books any way they want. Then use lobbyists and lawyers to squash any opposing findings.
Click to expand...


yeap their motivations are not hard to see.


I wish we could trust them but we just cant.
 
Rune said:
Too soon to tell, kid. That's the whole problem. You basing your safety claims on faith alone, interesting for one of your type.
Click to expand...

That's bs and you are basically using the idiotic argument of those who claim atheism is based on faith. It's not faith, there is no proof that GMO's do any harm. Greenpeace and other wackos have done everything they can to stop testing of Golden Rice while promoting their "you need to continue to test this until it is found harmful or you give up" agenda (as the op article puts it). Meanwhile, they promote organic farming while ignoring any harmful effects from it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top