THE STUDY HAS UNLEASHED A WAVE OF CRITICISM FOR THE METHODOLOGY USED.

A scientific study carried out by French researchers has analyzed, for the first time, the effects of transgenic corn and its associated herbicide, (Monsanto NK603 corn and its herbicide Roundup Ready) on the long-term health of laboratory rats.

Scientists concluded that rats fed Monsanto's GMO suffered a higher rate of tumors, multiple organ injuries and premature death

The French government immediately asked its food health agencies to study the findings., Although at first some scientists questioned the basic methods of the research and Monsanto indicated that it trusted its products and their safety had been certified at the time..

Gilles-Eric Seralini, scientist in charge of French research, said that rats fed NK603 - a seed variety tolerant to the herbicide Roundup- died earlier than those control individuals on a standard diet.

International experts not involved in the study were skeptical, with one of them even accusing French scientists of going on a “statistical data hunt” and others describing the methods as well below standard.

Animals on a GMO diet suffered mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage.. The scientists explained that the 50% of the males and the 70% of the females died prematurely, compared to a 30% and 20% respectively in the control individuals.

Monsanto spokesperson, Thomas Helscher, has said the company will review the study and added: “Numerous studies have reviewed the effects of genetically modified crops to date.”, including more than a hundred on food, and have confirmed its safety and compliance with the safety standards of regulatory agencies around the world”.

The recommendation is very close, But in any case, it is necessary for French scientists to provide more information about the diet of rats., methodology used, growth rates, number of individuals used, etc, in order to silence the criticism.

The French authorities have already requested that the research findings be reviewed and criticism from experts for the methodology used has not ceased since the study was made public a week ago..

On the other hand, The Greenpeace organization has confirmed that consumers are guinea pigs without knowing it, since the health damage of this transgenic corn has not been sufficiently evaluated. Not even this one, nor from any transgenic, according to the Head of the Agriculture Campaign, Luis Ferreirim.

According to Greenpeace, The really serious thing is that this corn has been authorized since 2004 in the European Union for human and animal nutrition. The fact is getting even worse in Spain, Since, in addition to being the EU country where the most transgenic plants are grown on a commercial scale (in this case another Monsanto corn, el MON810), It is also the EU country with the highest number of experimental outdoor crops.

Ferreirim points out that, as has been made evident, the GMO authorization process is very weak., Therefore, in the face of these new revelations, we can only ask that the precautionary principle be applied and an immediate moratorium be decreed in Europe on all GMOs, whether for import., cultivation or even outdoor experimentation.

The only way to avoid all these problems is to eat products derived from organic agriculture and livestock., but the agribusiness has seen in this sector, that is in full growth, a new threat and attacks it as best it can, they add from Greenpeace.