People who often go to the supermarket to buy vegetables will notice that many vegetables will be marked with the words “transgenic†on the packaging. People will most likely buy these items that have already been sold on a large scale. However, how much do people know about "genetically modified" foods? What is the difference between it and ordinary food?
The Austrian government released the latest scientific research on November 11, local time, and confirmed for the first time that genetically modified corn will lead to a decline in the reproductive ability of mice. International Environmental Protection Organization Greenpeace: All countries need to strengthen the research on the safety of genetically modified foods, and at the same time call for an immediate halt to the commercial approval and planting of any genetically modified food crops.
The study was initiated and funded by the Austrian Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, and was chaired by Juergen Zentek, Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Vienna. The results of the study showed that in a continuous feeding evaluation experiment lasting more than 20 weeks, the white mice that were fed 33% of the genetically modified corn from the feed started from the third generation, and the offspring's body weight, body length, and number were significantly reduced. "This research result clearly confirms the threat to health of genetically modified crops. China's safety research and commercialization review of genetically modified food crops need to be more cautious and avoid harming the health and future of China's 1.3 billion people." Green Peace Foods Fang Lifeng, director of the agricultural project, said. The materials used in this research are genetically modified maize NK603 (herbicide-resistant) and MON810 (Bt insect resistant) hybrids developed by Monsanto and have passed biosafety approvals in Argentina, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa.
Fang Lifeng said: “Rice is the most important food crop in China and it is related to people’s food problems. The study of Austrian GM maize confirmed the potential hazards of GM crops in the long-term future. In this case, our country is treating The adoption of genetically modified crops, especially genetically modified rice, must be done with caution.
Links: Transgenic foods that you are not familiar with
Through biotechnology, a scientist separates a gene from an organism and then implants it in another organism, thereby giving the organism the genetic advantage of the former organism. For example, scientists believe that a certain gene in the Arctic fish has antifreeze effect, so it is extracted and replanted in tomato to make a new breed of hardy tomato. Foods containing genetically modified organisms are called genetically modified foods.
Transgenic plants and animals are man-made creatures, not native species, and they are exotic species to the Earth’s ecosystem. Because genetically modified organisms have the same ability to reproduce and mate with close relatives, if it is released into the environment, it will be difficult to remedy if it fails. Until now, GM foods have not undergone long-term safety assessments before they are introduced to the market. It is still doubtful whether humans will enjoy long-term food safety, and the scientific community has no consensus on the safety of these foods.