Are genetically modified foods safe?
In response to the widespread doubts caused by the approval of the first genetically modified rice safety certificate by the Biosafety Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, the People's Daily published a report "Genetically modified rice will not be put on the market until it passes safety clearance" to explain: In response to safety issues related to genetically modified rice Officials from the Ministry of Agriculture said that my country's safety evaluation of genetically modified rice has entered the final stage, but the entire process has not been completed. Before the work is completed, genetically modified rice will not be put on the market.
Isn’t this a slap in the face? Since the safety evaluation work has not been finalized, why should the first safety certificate of genetically modified rice be approved? Since genetically modified rice will not be on the market for the time being, why are you approving the first safety certificate for genetically modified rice? Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse?
What exactly is genetically modified? Is it really absolutely safe for the human body? Is it really absolutely harmless? Let’s take a look at the relevant news.
In October and November 2007, the New York Times and other media reported that after long-term and careful follow-up observation, it was found that the planting of two types of genetically modified corn has harmed the survival of butterflies. , has brought side effects to the food production chain, affected the normal survival of river life, and threatened the ecological and environmental safety beyond acceptable levels. To this end, the European Union has made a preliminary decision to ban the sale and use of genetically modified corn seeds.
Earlier, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences released a lengthy scientific research report that clearly stated: More and more observations and discoveries have proven that the cultivation and use of genetically modified crops poses potential safety threats to animals and the ecological environment; due to The agricultural production cycle is long, and existing inspection and prediction technologies cannot help us see in the short term those security threats that have been latent for a long time before they emerge. The existing scientific and technological capabilities cannot help us correct and compensate for the damage caused by those threats. Therefore, mandatory isolation measures must be implemented in areas where genetically modified crops are grown, and stricter control, testing and monitoring of genetically modified foods must be implemented.
As early as the autumn of 1998, Professor Pusztai of the Rowett Institute in Scotland publicly announced on television that one of his unpublished experiments proved that after eating genetically modified potatoes, young mice The young mice had abnormal organ growth, lost body weight and organ weight, and had compromised immune systems. What the professor did not say at the time was that the livers and hearts of these young mice were much smaller than those of normal mice, their immune systems were more fragile, and their brains were even smaller than those of mice that ate normal potatoes. He was afraid of causing panic among the public.
In 1999, John Losey, a researcher at Cornell University in the United States, also published a report in the British "Nature" magazine. Feeding monarch butterflies with leaves coated with Bt genetically modified corn pollen resulted in 44% of the larvae die.
In 2007, with funding from the Austrian government, Professor Zettek and his research team conducted research on the "transgenic corn NK603 (herbicide resistant) and transgenic corn MON810 (Bt insect resistant) developed by Mondo Mountain Company. hybrids" were experimented with. He first selected a group of mice as a control group. The feed consumed by this group of mice from birth to death did not contain any genetically modified crops. Then, three groups of mice were selected. The feed consumed by these three groups of mice all contained 33% genetically modified hybrid corn. For mice eating genetically modified corn, they were observed for 4 generations to study the impact of genetically modified crops on their reproductive ability.
After 20 weeks of observation, Zetek found that compared with mice eating non-GMO feed, the third litter (generation) of mice eating genetically modified corn and the number of mice in the 4th litter (generation) decreased. In other words, genetically modified products affect the reproductive capacity of mice.
From October 1998 to July 2003, the European Union implemented a comprehensive ban on genetically modified foods. Later, due to strong pressure from the four major food companies and the United States, the European Union passed new regulations on genetically modified products on July 22, 2003. The new regulations also stipulate that all genetically modified products with a genetically modified material content of more than 0.9% include crops, food, and animal feed. and vegetable oils must clearly indicate “This product is a genetically modified product”. Consumers have sufficient rights to know and choose regarding genetically modified foods.
The international environmental organization Greenpeace also expressed great concern.
Genetically modified rice may contaminate traditional rice varieties through pollen transmission, posing a serious threat to the environment and biodiversity. The food safety of GM rice in terms of long-term human health is unclear. At the same time, genetically modified rice has laid a time bomb for the country's food sovereignty because it involves multiple foreign patents. Fang Lifeng, director of Greenpeace's Food and Agriculture Program, said: "This time the Ministry of Agriculture opened the door to commercialization of genetically modified rice, which puts China's agriculture, national health and food sovereignty at huge risks."
Fang Lifeng said: "Greenpeace urgently calls on the Chinese government to reconsider the many risks and uncertainties inherent in the commercialization of genetically modified rice, and immediately stop the commercialization process of genetically modified rice to protect my country's most important food crops and protect the Farmers’ livelihoods, do not give up China’s food sovereignty to foreign biotechnology companies such as Monsanto.” A few years ago, the WHO advocated continuing to conduct more in-depth assessments of the impact of genetically modified foods on human health. Test every new genetically modified food because no matter what kind of food it is, it is difficult to know its long-term effects on human health without long-term follow-up studies. The WHO still advocates a cautious attitude towards the development of genetically modified foods, especially the introduction of foreign genetically modified products that have not undergone strict testing.
Netizen Makikawa wrote in the article "Genetically Modified Rice - The Latest National Suicide Plan" that no country in the world has yet used genetically modified grains as human staple food. Using genetically modified foods as the staple food of 1.3 billion people is likely to become a suicide plan that will harm 1.3 billion people, especially their descendants. The harm of genetically modified products is not very obvious in the first generation, but it is likely to damage the immunity, reproductive ability and brain of their offspring. It is undoubtedly extremely irresponsible and disastrous to use a genetically modified food whose safety has not been fully proven as human staple food!
Netizen littmu, a researcher engaged in genetic engineering, listed the major dangers of genetic modification. Animal experiments have found that some genetically modified foods harm the immune and reproductive functions of animals.
These situations clearly show that genetic modification is a research direction or field with major flaws and potential crises.
It was against this background that China allowed soybean oil and other genetically modified foods to be placed in Chinese supermarkets and became food that ordinary people could not avoid. It was against this background that China approved the first safety certificate for genetically modified rice. !
Why do Europeans refuse genetically modified soybeans to enter the market? Why do they reject genetically modified foods? Isn’t this in itself a very clear problem? If genetically modified foods are really safe or absolutely safe, Europeans have no reason to reject genetically modified foods. The EU has imposed a comprehensive ban on genetically modified foods. What reason does China have to open up genetically modified foods? By doing this, isn’t China taking ignorance as truth? Today, many supermarkets in China are filled with various genetically modified soybean oil and other genetically modified foods. This leaves the Chinese people completely without any right to know or choose! Is this a responsible attitude towards the nation by China?
A lengthy scientific research survey report by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that “existing inspection and prediction technologies cannot help us see in the short term those security threats that have been latent for a long time and then become apparent, and existing scientific and technological capabilities cannot help us.” We correct and make up for the damage caused by those threats." This means that the impact of genetic modification on humans cannot be seen in a few years or more. It sometimes takes decades, hundreds or even hundreds of years. Years, it will take several generations or even more than a dozen generations to become apparent. Why does China think that genetically modified foods are safe and harmless?
Some netizens wrote that it is said that insects will not eat genetically modified things. I don’t know if this is true. Genetically modified foods are indeed bad! We can’t eat bugs, how can we still eat them? What netizens said is so accurate. Yes, since pests cannot eat genetically modified plants and will die if they eat them, then why should there be no problems if people eat genetically modified foods? Is this logical? Does it conform to dialectics?
China’s introduction of genetically modified genes is an act that is completely harmful to the country and the people.
Can China's mainstream "elites" guarantee that genetically modified genes are safe? The answer is clearly, they can't guarantee it! They can't guarantee it! They can't guarantee it! ! !
Today, China is opening up and letting genetically modified foods go unchecked. If problems arise in a few decades or hundreds of years, and the Chinese people begin to suffer from reduced immunity and infertility disasters, it is still possible. Save it? Isn’t it true that the Chinese nation, which has experienced thousands of years, is about to undergo genocide?
What a terrible situation this must be! The problem is that such a situation is possible, and once it occurs, it will be irreversible, catastrophic, and tragic. In a sense, the introduction of genetically modified genes is something more evil than betrayal of the country. The main loss of national interests is the loss of traitors, and the introduction or indifference of genetically modified genes may exterminate the Chinese nation!
China should act in a responsible manner for the Chinese nation and reject genetically modified rice from companies such as Monsanto in the United States, as well as the dumping of genetically modified soybeans by the U.S. government to China. If it continues to tolerate genetically modified crops, it will inevitably become the fate of the Chinese nation. sinner.
Why do U.S. companies such as Monsanto dump genetically modified soybeans with major defects into China? Why is it promoting genetically modified rice to China that has major problems? The United States is so devoted to promoting genetically modified food in China. This may not be a huge conspiracy that endangers the survival of the Chinese nation. Some so-called experts in China have already pointed out why some so-called experts in China vigorously promote genetic modification in China. Some netizens have pointed out that they do it for profit and to make small profits for themselves. Regardless of the life and death of the nation for the sake of small profits, it can be seen how crazy these people are. If China's so-called experts must promote GMOs in China, then you should first go to Europe to promote them. If Europe accepts GMOs, you can then go back to China to promote them.
The hybrid rice researched by Chinese scientist Yuan Longping has become a major scientific and technological achievement widely recognized at home and abroad, especially by the international community. The successful development of hybrid rice has greatly increased the yield of rice per unit area in our country and made a huge contribution to solving the food problem of our people. At present, hybrid rice is not only grown in China, but also in foreign countries. So, now that hybrid rice has achieved large harvests, the Chinese government has no reason not to do a serious job in promoting hybrid rice cultivation, but to introduce a controversial or major risk of genetically modified rice cultivation.
To save the Chinese nation, the Chinese people must unite, fight resolutely against the mainstream "elites" who are bureaucrats, compradors, traitors, and traitors, and resist genetically modified genes. Only by fighting can disaster be avoided and the Chinese nation be saved.
Strongly protest against the large-scale introduction of genetically modified soybeans! Strongly protest against the country’s approval of the first safety certificate for genetically modified rice!
Attachment: Special report of the National Academy of Sciences: Ten years of experience and lessons from genetically modified foods.
The trend of genetically modified foods in the past ten years (information comes from government departments, scientific research institutions, mainstream professional publications and mainstream media reports in the UK, EU, Canada and the United States):
In 1994, The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved genetically modified tomatoes for food supply. This is the first time that genetically modified food products have been introduced.
In February 1996, genetically modified tomato seeds grown in the United States were planted in Europe and the products were launched. Research on the development of genetically modified foods has reached a climax.
From 1997 to 1998, experimental analyzes by the United Kingdom and others found that genetically modified foods caused health abnormalities in some animals and abnormalities in growing areas. Research funded by the British government showed that mice that ate genetically modified potatoes developed early symptoms of liver cancer, underdeveloped testicles, and partial atrophy of the immune and nervous systems.
In 1998, EU countries passed laws that strictly restricted the operation of genetically modified agricultural products to laboratory environments or closed areas.
In February 1999, starting from the genetically modified tomato products grown in the United States, the European market began to withdraw all genetically modified foods; later, the European Union called this a global "turning point for genetically modified foods."
Around May 1999, Western countries improved their regulations on genetically modified foods and more strictly required that food product labels must fully indicate genetically modified product information. At the same time, EU and Japanese regulations have greatly reduced the allowable proportion of genetically modified ingredients in food.
From 2000 to 2001, there were more confirmations that abnormalities in the ecological environment were found in genetically modified planting areas. For example, no abnormalities were found in the genetically modified corn varieties themselves, but abnormalities occurred in the surrounding wild ecological environment, while genetically modified sugar beets and other varieties Field tests have shown abnormalities both in itself and in the environment. To this end, the government agricultural departments of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union have urgently established an agricultural ecological environment protection working group and initiated round-the-clock strict monitoring measures in genetically modified planting areas.
In 2002, the focus of genetically modified food research in the United States, Canada and EU countries shifted from the development of individual new products to the safety of agricultural ecological environment. Scientific research and experimental institutions show that individual product development testing is not enough to prove whether genetically modified crops are safe. Putting genetically modified crops into the natural environment, no matter how "safe" genetically modified crops are, may damage the natural ecological environment, and the relevant testing systems are still very lacking, and some even blank.
/From China.com community club.china.com/