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Food safety of genetically modified plants
The Royal Society, UK, concludes in its updated report that there is no
additional health risk from the consumption of transgenic plants in the
human diet. This report updates the previous report published in 1998, by
incorporating new scientific evidence regarding the human health aspects of
GM food consumption. The long history of mankind cultivating, selecting
and breeding plants provides the background against which the safety
assessment of GM foods is performed.
Source: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/files/statfiles/document-165.pdf
Feed safety of genetically modified plants
Antibiotic resistance marker genes in transgenic maize fed to chickens are
degraded during digestion. Under a grant by the Food Standards Agency, UK,
scientists conducted feeding studies and found that chickens fed GM maize
where the resistance gene has been incorporated did not have detectable
levels of the marker gene in the lower digestive tract.
Source: http://jac.oupjournals.org/
China looks to biotechnology
With $112 million spent in 1999, China accounts for more than half of the
developing world's expenditures on plant biotechnology. China's concern for
national food security is reflected in the nation's commitment to
biotechnology, with emphasis on research and development programs for food
crops that do not receive attention in other major GM crop producing
countries.
Source: Science (2002), 295: 674-677
Approvals of transgenic crops
Approvals and plantings of plants with biotechnology traits continue for
both research and commercialization. Monsanto reports ten more new
commercial approvals in over eight countries worldwide in 2001. Earlier
this month, the Australia New Zealand Food Authority invited the public to
comment on two new recommended food approvals: herbicide tolerant canola
and maize modified for resistance to insects and tolerance to glufosinate
ammonium herbicide.
Source: http://www.isaaa.org/kc http://www.anzfa.gov.au/
