Genetically engineered crops contain latent pesticides that are activated when eaten by consumers

http://www.newstarget.com/z020363.html

NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published September 7 2006
Genetically engineered crops contain latent pesticides that are activated
when eaten by consumers
(NewsTarget) According to a recent article from the Institute for
Responsible Technology, certain varieties of herbicides used on genetically
modified (GM) crops -- though inactive inside the plants they protect -- can
be re-activated after consumption and cause toxic reactions.
Herbicide tolerance (HT) is a common trait in roughly 71 percent of all GM
crops, which are mostly comprised of corn, soy, cotton and canola. HT crops
tend to make a lot of money for biotech companies, since farmers who buy HT
seeds are required to purchase that company's brand of herbicide as well.

The herbicide used in many GE crops is derived from a natural antibiotic
found in soil, which produces specialized enzymes that transform from an
antibiotic to a non-toxic form called NAG (N-acetyl-L-glufosinate). The
enzymes are then inserted into the DNA of GM crops, so that when the crop is
sprayed with herbicides, the plant transforms the herbicide into non-toxic
NAG -- essentially, the plant is able to protect itself from the toxic
chemicals that kill the weeds surrounding it.

However, recent animal studies have shown that after GM crops -- which have
accumulated high levels of NAG after several herbicide sprays -- are
consumed, stomach bacteria can re-transform NAG back into the toxic
herbicide. Two rat studies found a 10 percent and a 1 percent rate of NAG
conversion after consumption of HT crops.

According to a January 2006 report by the Environmental Protection Agency's
Office of the Inspector General, certain pesticides easily enter the brains
of young children and fetuses, where they then destroy cells. Studies of
mice embryos exposed to glufosinate resulted in reduced numbers of vital
brain receptors, growth retardation, increased death rates and incomplete
development of the forebrain.

Critics of GM crops urge the public to call on the EPA for more rigorous
testing of genetically engineered crops, and for stricter labeling laws on
GM products so consumers can more easily avoid them.

"Jan Drew" wrote in message
m...
http://www.newstarget.com/z020363.html

NewsTarget.com printable article
Originally published September 7 2006
Genetically engineered crops contain latent pesticides that are activated
when eaten by consumers
(NewsTarget) According to a recent article from the Institute for
Responsible Technology, certain varieties of herbicides used on
genetically modified (GM) crops -- though inactive inside the plants they
protect -- can be re-activated after consumption and cause toxic
reactions.
Herbicide tolerance (HT) is a common trait in roughly 71 percent of all GM
crops, which are mostly comprised of corn, soy, cotton and canola. HT
crops tend to make a lot of money for biotech companies, since farmers who
buy HT seeds are required to purchase that company's brand of herbicide as
well.

The herbicide used in many GE crops is derived from a natural antibiotic
found in soil, which produces specialized enzymes that transform from an
antibiotic to a non-toxic form called NAG (N-acetyl-L-glufosinate). The
enzymes are then inserted into the DNA of GM crops, so that when the crop
is sprayed with herbicides, the plant transforms the herbicide into
non-toxic NAG -- essentially, the plant is able to protect itself from the
toxic chemicals that kill the weeds surrounding it.

The problem with this is that you can't insert an enzyme into DNA. DNA is
made of nucleotides. Proteins are made from amino acids.

Now, you can insert the gene for a protein into DNA, but this is not the
protein itself.

That the authors of this article made this mistake makes me question that
accuracy of the rest of the article.

However, recent animal studies have shown that after GM crops -- which
have accumulated high levels of NAG after several herbicide sprays -- are
consumed, stomach bacteria can re-transform NAG back into the toxic
herbicide. Two rat studies found a 10 percent and a 1 percent rate of NAG
conversion after consumption of HT crops.

However, humans don't have many bacteria in their stomachs. Human have lots
of bacteria in our intestines. So I don't know if this would apply to
humans.

According to a January 2006 report by the Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of the Inspector General, certain pesticides easily enter
the brains of young children and fetuses, where they then destroy cells.
Studies of mice embryos exposed to glufosinate resulted in reduced numbers
of vital brain receptors, growth retardation, increased death rates and
incomplete development of the forebrain.

However, we don't know if these are the ones that are used in GM plants.

Critics of GM crops urge the public to call on the EPA for more rigorous
testing of genetically engineered crops, and for stricter labeling laws on
GM products so consumers can more easily avoid them.

Critics of GM crops actually would want to end all GM crops. So the
statement above means nothing.

Jeff