The suspicion towards GMOs is very strong, but a study risks to twist the neck to the received ideas.
Animals fed for several months or even 2 years, on corn, rice, soybeans or genetically modified potatoes are doing as well as those benefiting from a non-GMO diet. And the author of this study, an eminent French geneticist from the Institute of Life Sciences and Industries, does not hesitate to claim that the debate on GMOs is closed from a health point of view.
Indeed, the geneticist scrutinized twelve international toxicity studies to come to say that even after long periods ranging from 90 days to two years of intensive genetically modified food, the animals showed no particular health problem. For these studies, all organs were screened: pancreas, brain, heart, reproductive organs and blood. Many animal species were also and their diversity is worthy of that of Noah’s ark: chicken, mice, rats, goats and cows etc … Particularly interesting, researchers have studied the descendants of animals going up to to 5 generations. Same conclusion: no health problem linked to the long-term consumption of food derived from GMOs, a conclusion which will appear in a journal considered as the reference, Food and Chemical Toxicology.
The animals were fed with GMOs for periods ranging from 3 months to 2 years, but is the observation period of 3 months sufficient to detect chronic toxicity?
The geneticist behind the study, Professor Ricroch replied that extending the observation period would be pointless: if no toxic effect is detected within this period of 3 months, recommended internationally by the OECD, there is no reason to find more beyond that. Results that will undoubtedly not be to everyone’s taste!
Reference:
Food and Chemical Toxicology : Study of Pr Agnès Ricroch (AgroParisTech, Paris-Sud-Orsay University): forthcoming
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