GMO Corn Animal Feed May Make it Hard to Avoid Consuming GMO Genetic Material
Source: topsecretwriters.com
In a July 24, 2009 report about animals exposed to GMO feed, it was concluded that there is a significant risk that GMO corn feed can be transferred to the animal eating it. The reported was written by Professor Jack A. Heinemann, PhD (1) at the request of the Commerce Commission of New Zealand.Heinemann (2) reviewed numerous studies, some conducted by independent parties and others paid for by Monsanto Company, the largest GMO seed company in the world.
The issue he examined was not whether or not the GMO feed creates a GM chicken but “whether or not the use of GM feed itself might be a GM ingredient”. (3)
Several studies attempted to identify whether or not the GM plant DNA detected in animals was the result of ingesting the GMO feed or if it was the result of contamination during the processing of the meat.
Heinemann concluded that the cumulative strength of the data for positive detections “leave me no reasonable uncertainty that GM plant material can transfer to animals exposed to GM feed in their diets or environment and that there can be a residual difference in animals or animal-products as a result of exposure to GM feed”. (3)
Changes in Animals Detected
Whenever a plant is genetically modified, the DNA (genetic material) is removed and another organism is introduced in its place. DNA used to replace the removed DNA doesn’t necessarily have to be from the same species.
GMO feed is modified by inserting DNA chosen to produce specific proteins. Monsanto GMO corn was modified to be pest resistant and resistant to the company’s pesticide brand, Roundup. Several studies cited throughout the report revealed “metabolic, physiological and immunological responses” in animals exposed to GMO feed. (3)
–> Pigs: GM maize DNA showed up in stomachs, small intestines, rectal contents and some studies revealed GM maize DNA in the animals’ blood.
–> Cows: When fed GMO maize for short periods of time, there was no evidence of maize DNA in their milk. However, an Italian study revealed “DNA unique to GM plants in 38% of the samples and even in the organic milk”. (3)
The report theorizes that perhaps feed dust contaminated the milk. A warning was given:
“GM ingredients could persist in animals and cross tissue boundaries or enter the food chain in a form that the consumer could directly experience.”
–> Rainbow trout were fed “defatted GM soybean” and then changed over to a non-GM diet. Even after three days of being on the non-GM diet, the tests still detected the GM soybean DNA in the fish. In fact, the GM DNA was found in the head, kidneys and muscles of the trout.
–> The test that alarmed researchers the most was where Atlantic salmon were fed “purified (naked) DNA added exogenously (outside a system) to food”. The test revealed that “dietary DNA could transfer to organs”.
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Heinemann pointed out that GMO feed is the most prevalent feed for farm animals and it could simply be that the supermarket chickens had also been fed GMO feed.
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