Originally published February 28 2012
GMOs with 'stacked traits' exponentially more harmful to humans due to synergistic toxicity
by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Monsanto's pipeline of upcoming genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) includes several new varieties specifically engineered with "stacked traits," which means they contain multiple genetic modifications and built-in resistance traits as opposed to just one. And a new study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology has found that these new multi-trait GMOs appear to be exponentially more harmful to humans than single-trait GMOs because of their synergistic toxicity.
Conducting actual research on the effects of GMO toxins on human cells -- this is something Monsanto will never do -- researchers from the University of Caen in France have found that the Cry1Ab protein, a Bt toxin deliberately produced in many GM crops, including Monsanto's MON810 Bt corn, destroys human cells at levels of 100 parts per million (ppm) dilution and higher when consumed by itself. This level of exposure is relatively low, considering human exposure to Bt toxin comes from multiple sources, including meat and dairy products from animals fed Bt corn feed, as well as direct human consumption of Bt corn ingredients and soon-to-be Bt sweet corn from the produce section (http://www.naturalnews.com/035029_GM_corn_Walmart_Monsanto.html).
Additionally, the researchers found that exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide formula, induces human cell death at exposures as low as 50 ppm, which is "far below agricultural dilutions," according to the report. At a dilution of 57.5 ppm, which is only slightly higher, Roundup effectively kills 50 percent of human cells, which clearly illustrates its severe toxicity.
This important finding confirms the findings of numerous other reports conducted in recent days concerning Roundup's toxicity in humans, including the fact that this widely-used chemical causes birth defects, cancer, and death (http://www.naturalnews.com/033772_Monsanto_Roundup.html).
But the real kicker in the new research is the combined toxicity from exposure to both Roundup and Bt toxin which, according to the study, is tremendous. In their conclusion, researchers noted 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" (http://www.greenmedinfo.com).
So much for Monsanto's claim that Bt toxin, Roundup, and various other chemically-engineered traits are perfectly harmless. Monsanto actually claims on its website that human testing of GMOs is unnecessary because they are no different than conventional and natural crop varieties -- and regulatory authorities have never taken the agri-giant to task on actually proving this baseless claim, which flies in the face of independent science (http://www.naturalnews.com).
Sources for this article include:
http://www.greenmedinfo.com
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