20th February 2012
By Sayer Ji
Contributing writer for Wake Up World
Disturbing new research published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology indicates that genetically modified (GM) crops with “stacked traits,” that is, with multiple traits such as glyphosate-herbicide resistance and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal toxins engineered together into the same plant, are likely far more dangerous to human health than previously believed, due to their synergistic toxicity.
Resistance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, has been engineered into many GM plants, so that fields can be sprayed indiscriminately with herbicide without destroying the crops. While the GM glyphosate-resistant plants survive, they subsequently contain residues of glyphosate and its various metabolites (e.g. aminomethylphosphonic acid) that present a significant health threat to the public.
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In this latest study the glyphosate-containing herbicide Roundup was tested on human embryonic kidney cells at concentrations between 1 to 20,000 parts per million (ppm). It was found that concentrations as low as 50 ppm per million, which the authors noted were “far below agricultural dilutions,” induced cell death, with the 50% of the cells dying at 57.5 ppm.
The researchers also found that the insecticidal toxin produced by GM plants known as Cry1Ab was capable of causing cell death at 100 ppm concentrations.
Taken together the authors concluded “In these results, we argue that modified Bt toxins are not inert on nontarget human cells, and that they can present combined side-effects with other residues of pesticides specific to GM plants.”
These disturbing findings follow on the heels of recent revelations that Roundup is several orders of magnitude more toxic than previously believed. Only 5 days ago (Feb. 14) the journal Archives of Toxicology reported that Roundup is toxic to human DNA even when diluted to concentrations 450-fold lower than used in agricultural applications. This effect is likely due to the presence of the surfactant polyoxyethyleneamine within the Roundup formulation which may dramatically enhance the absorption of glyphosate into exposed human cells and tissue.
For additional research on two dozen adverse health effects reported in the biomedical literature on Roundup, go here. Also, for research on the ubiquitous nature of glyphosate exposure, read our article on the subject here.
About the author:
Sayer Ji is the founder of Greenmedinfo.com, a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine, Co-founder and CEO of Systome Biomed, Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Health Federation, and Steering Committee Member of the Global Non-GMO Foundation.
For more, visit GreenMedInfo.com and Facebook.com/GreenMedInfo, or sign up for GreenMedInfo’s free e-Newsletter.
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Great concise article and thank you for the scientific resources, Sayer Ji. I love your site, by the way. Jack
Thanks for the positive feedback Jack!
Thank you for this great article, Sayer! I had a hard time reading and understanding it together with the feeling of not being able to do anything about it. Writing about Monsanto washes over them.
I have stopped buying anything that could be GM food remotely, i.e. I buy fresh organic or biodynamically grown food. And I grow my own.
As long as people buy products made with GM food, Monsanto will continue to produce and make profits.
I bought “organic” pea seeds. Grew great peas(so I thought) – I kept seeds to replant to give as “Pass The Peace Peas Please”. I planted the peas I had previously grown – they never got past 6 inches and withered and died.
Organic???
I find it hard to believe!
I have always had 2 seasons of peas except this year.HMMMMMMMMMMMM
Paula, what happened was you probably had GMO peas and the reason they died was called “terminator seeds” which they grow weird, do not produce and food. My daughter worked for a seed company for a while and she became friends with some of the people who were experimenting with the seeds and they gave her some samples to try in her garden. I had some corn come up from the years before crop. It was bizarre. One stalk grew about15 inches tall and had at the start of the tassels they looked normal though short. Another stalk started at the base of the plant but was shorter than the 1st and no tassel. Then a limb started at the base and 5 smaller stalks came out of that and on the other side of the plant 2 more smaller stalks started to grow. I left it in the grow to see what else it would do. The original tassel grew round seeds that were dark orange and no corn at all. Not that was a GMO or GE corn plant.Or some seeds will only grow within the expiration date on the package of seeds, something never done when I was a child. Those seeds only grow for a limited time and loose the ability to grow afterwards.
Thank you so much for this science-based information! I’m using it and your sources for a research paper ^_^
Just so you know, PPM stands for parts per million.