Monsanto's GMO Corn Linked to Organ Failure

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/01/30 - Updated: 2018/05/29
Category Topic: Food Security Information - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: Data strongly suggests GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity.

Introduction

Monsanto's GMO Corn Linked To Organ Failure, Study Reveals, is the headline in an article from The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/12/monsantos-gmo-corn-linked_n_420365.html).

Main Content

"...In a study released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences, analyzing the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers found that agricultural giant Monsanto's GM corn is linked to organ damage in rats."

Genetically Modified food, (GM) foods, are defined as food items that have had their DNA changed through genetic engineering. Unlike conventional genetic modification that is carried out through time-tested conventional breeding of plants and animals.

Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant DNA technology, and the resulting organism is said to be "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic." GM products include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds, and fibers. Further information and list of GM foods.

GM technology inserts non-food genes into the DNA of food, sometimes making the crop more resilient to herbicides and other times causing them to produce toxic proteins that act as pesticides themselves. This process changes the structure of the food drastically and presents humans with substances that have never been a part of the human or animal diet.

Several countries in Europe, such as Germany and France, have already banned GM crops, including Mon 801. But the U.S. FDA has done us a potentially dangerous disservice by simply taking Monsanto's word that these genetically modified crops are safe and not doing any testing!

In the conclusion of the IJBS study, researchers wrote:

"Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. As there normally exists sex differences in liver and kidney metabolism, the highly statistically significant disturbances in the function of these organs, seen between male and female rats, cannot be dismissed as biologically insignificant as has been proposed by others. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity....These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown."

Tell the FDA to take these genetically modified corn varieties off the shelves until a peer-reviewed, two-year study can determine if they are safe for human consumption. Genetically Modified corn Petition - www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/755/645/429

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.