New doubt is cast today on Monsanto's genetically modified soya, as research is for the first time published in a peer-reviewed science journal, showing further unknown 'gene fragments' in the soya [1].
This is a second embarrassing discovery of inaccuracy in Monsanto's original application for EU approval of the soya. Last year, the same group of scientists found that Monsanto's genetic mapping of the soya was wrong, when they discovered repeated fragments of the inserted genes. The findings of today's research paper are more significant, since this time there is an extra unidentifiable genetic sequence, which could be expressed in a new protein or exert other functions, leading to unknown and unpredictable effects.
Dr Doug Parr, Greenpeace's chief scientific advisor said
"No-one knows what this extra gene sequence is, what it will produce in the soyabean, and what its effects will be. If Monsanto did not even get this most basic information right, what should we then think about the validity of all their safety tests and experiments, which are based upon these data?"
The research paper, in the European Journal of Food Research Technology, is the first independent analysis in a peer-reviewed journal of the data submitted by a company for GM approval. In most cases government authorities neither have the means nor the ambition to validate the accuracy of the genetically modified organism's description and rely entirely on the data submitted by the companies themselves.
Greenpeace has written to Environment Secretary Michael Meacher and to the Food Standards Agency, asking that sale of Monsanto's GM soya be suspended. In Europe, the UK Government was the authority which initially assessed Monsanto`s GM soya and suggested approving its import into Europe. Hence it is the UK which is responsible for further action regarding this soya. At the very least, they will be obliged to re-examine the GM soya [2].
Dr Parr continued,
"Despite Monsanto's optimistic reassurances, this research presents further evidence that genetic modification is an imprecise technology. Given the history of omission and negligence associated with it, regulators should seriously reconsider how they approach approvals of GM plants"
Both Monsanto and the regulatory authorities have been unable to establish the origin and function of the mystery DNA, so Greenpeace published today the DNA sequence and has issued a call for the international scientific community to help identify its nature and possible consequences.
Notes for editors:
(1) The paper reports "a DNA segment of 534 bp DNA for which no sequence homology could be detected".
Peter Windels, Isabel Taverniers, Ann Depicker, Eric Van Bockstaele, Marc De Loose (2001), 'Characterisation of the Roundup Ready soybean insert', European Food Research and Technology, v.213, issue 2, pp. 107-112.
(2) The UK Government's Advisory Committee on Novel Food & Processes (ACNFP) was first informed about the unknown DNA by the Belgian scientists in Nov 2000. In Jan 2001, the Committee agreed there was still uncertainty regarding the origin of the DNA and asked Monsanto to provide data demonstrating that this DNA is "silent" and does not result in the production of a novel protein. Monsanto's GM soya is known to have various unexplained behaviours including reduced yields, and increasing lignin content which makes the plants brittle in hot temperatures, and more likely to snap.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office 020 7865 8255
