The Whole Story behind Monsanto's Cancer Causing Corn

(From Huffington Post)

Three types of Monsanto genetically modified corn are under scrutiny in the wake of a new study published by the International Journal Of Biological Sciences which found that rats ingesting the corn were subject to statistically significant amounts of organ toxicity. These three types -- Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 -- have been approved for consumption in the US and several countries in Europe.

The finding that corn produced by one of the world's agricultural giants could cause organ failure has been met with obvious concern by food activists and consumers alike. It's not the first bout of negative publicity for Monsanto, which has been vilified for everything from producing Agent Orange, intimidating farmers, using aggressive tactics to squeeze out competition, pressuring farmers to be dependent on their products, and strongly promoting the use of genetically modified seeds here and abroad. It has been negatively portrayed in films such as "Food, Inc." and "The World According To Monsanto".

While some groups like Change.org, see this study as a rallying cry for regulatory action and boycott, others on both sides of the GMO issue think the study results itself are not clear and shouldn't be accepted wholeheartedly. The IJBS is not a peer-reviewed journal, and the work was not an independent analysis of the effects of the GM corn on rats. Rather, it was a full interpretation of all of the samples of rats in the 90-day study that Monsanto itself sponsored. After analyzing the data, the European researchers came to the conclusion:

"Effects were mostly concentrated in kidney and liver function, the two major diet detoxification organs, but in detail differed with each GM type. In addition, some effects on heart, adrenal, spleen and blood cells were also frequently noted. As there normally exists sex differences in liver and kidney metabolism, the highly statistically significant disturbances in the function of these organs, seen between male and female rats, cannot be dismissed as biologically insignificant as has been proposed by others. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggests that these GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal toxicity.[...] These substances have never before been an integral part of the human or animal diet and therefore their health consequences for those who consume them, especially over long time periods are currently unknown."


Discover notes that Greenpeace, an activist environmental group sponsored the scientists' research -- they had to sue to obtain the raw data in the first place, and that the IJBS is relatively obscure. Leading nutrition professor Dr. Marion Nestle wrote on her blog about the study, "I found the paper extremely difficult to read, in part because it is written in exceptionally dense and opaque language, and in part because it presents the data in especially complicated tables and figures." Monsanto claims that the study employed "non-traditional statistical methods to reassess toxicology data from studies conducted with MON 863, MON 810 and NK603 corn varieties" and that the IJBS paper reaches "unsubstantiated conclusions."


The IJBS study itself strenuously suggests more testing over two years rather than 90 days to evaluate the long-term health impacts, and by independent researchers rather than Monsanto itself. The study also points out that Monsanto conducted the study only once rather than multiple times, and only tested one species -- rats -- and emphasizes that testing on more mammals of this GM maize is needed to reach any kind of conclusion on safety. This maize is used as both animal feed and for human consumption.

According to the FDA's website, the agency concludes that genetic engineering that occurred in the maize varieties, MON 810, NK603, MON 863 was not different enough from past approved products and did not need a pre-market review. The FDA essentially takes Monsanto's word that the company had done adequate testing to ensure its safety, as shown clearly in this letter. Several countries in Europe, such as Germany and France, have recently banned GM crops, specifically MON 810 after it had been approved for consumption in the European Union.

Furthermore, there are no laws requiring companies to label if their products contain GMOs. Even food labeled "Organic" that is processed with multiple ingredients must only be 95% organic, leaving loopholes for obscure ingredients that are genetically modified to be included. HuffPost Blogger and Eco Etiquette columnist Jennifer Grayson has written a comprehensive article detailing the ways to avoid genetically modified foods in light of the fact that there are no labeling requirements in the US.

So the facts are as follows: We eat corn and corn derivatives that have been genetically modified, which has been banned for being unsafe in other countries -- the FDA has not done independent testing on the health effects of at least three types of corn that we are eating, and have instead taken Monsanto's word for the fact that they are safe. Monsanto resisted releasing their data to independent researchers -- environmental groups had to sue to get it. Once it was released and analyzed by one group of scientists, they wrote a dense study in a non-peer reviewed journal and found statistically significant amounts of organ failure in the rats in Monsanto's own study. Consumers often have no way of knowing clearly if they are eating genetically modified food.

The FDA did not return calls for comment.

Nestle Cookie Dough Linked to E. coli, Again

Nestle USA's Baking Division announced last week that it will begin using heat-treated flour in the manufacture of its Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough. On January 11, 2010 Nestle informed the FDA that two samples of Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough manufactured at its Danville, Virginia facility did not pass this rigorous protocol, and had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Consistent with our quality assurance protocol, the finished product involved never left our factory or entered the supply chain, and none was shipped to customers.

Nearly seven months earlier,on June 18, 2009, the CDC announced that 65 persons infected with a strain of E. coli O157:H7 with a particular DNA fingerprint have been reported from 29 states. Of these, 23 have been confirmed by an advanced DNA test as having the outbreak strain; these confirmatory test results are pending on the others. The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Arkansas (1), Arizona (2), California (2), Colorado (5), Delaware (1), Hawaii (1), Iowa (2), Illinois (5), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (4), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Minnesota (5), Missouri (2), Montana (1), North Carolina (1), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (1), Nevada (2), Ohio (4), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Pennsylvania (2), South Carolina (1), Texas (3), Utah (2), Virginia (2), Washington (5), and Wisconsin (1).

Ill persons range in age from 2 to 57 years; however, more than 70% are less than 19 years old and none are over 60 years old; 75% are female. Twenty-five persons have been hospitalized, 7 developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

Story taken from the E. Coli Blog

864,000 Pounds of Ground Beef Recalled Due to E. Coli Contamination

MONTEBELLO, Calif. (AP) -- A Southern California meat-packing firm has recalled some 864,000 pounds of ground-beef that might be contaminated with E. coli.
The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Monday that no illnesses have been reported from the products sold by Montebello-based Huntington Meat Packing under the Huntington, Imperial Meat and El Rancho brands.

The affected beef was sold to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California between Feb. 19 and May 15, 2008, and between Jan 5. and Jan. 15, 2010.

Huntington did not return a phone message.

Officials say department personnel discovered the problem during a food safety assessment.

E. coli is a potentially deadly germ that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration and, in the most severe cases, kidney failure.

Woman Keeps 37 Cats in 1 Bedroom Apartment

Kelis Calls PETA Founder A 'Batty Hypocrite'

I get LOTS of e mails daily, but I found this one the other day and HAD to read the accompanying article. Here's an excerpt:

She notes, "There is no humane way to kill anything. It's unfortunate but it's part of life. With that being said, I would eat pterodactyl if you found some and you told me it was meaty and delicious.

"I eat meat, and in fact my mouth salivates as I type the word meat!"

Kelis goes on to urge PETA activists to concentrate their efforts on other causes: "I feel very strongly about a lot of things such as the sweatshops that spin cotton and the blood on their hands.

"If u (sic) want to preach do it about something worthwhile, don't waste my time trying to save the dang chipmunk.

"Find a worthwhile cause like the women being maimed in these Middle Eastern countries. Or female circumcision. Or women's rights here in America; we still get paid less for doing the same jobs as men."



(the entire article appears here)
Be warned ... a rant is brewing ....

Taking a deep breath.

Ok ... so MANY people know that Ms. Newkirk isn't a "model" for the humane treatment of animals, but at the same time, PETA has done a lot to bring it to peoples attention that attrocities are going on every day to animals who suffer needlessly and in the most atrocious ways. Albeit, PETA likes to shock, but as ANYONE who's ever done work with shelters or rescues, sometimes people NEED to be shocked. To see the message. Animals SUFFER. Now, with that said, let me address Kelis. I have NO idea who this woman is, but her level of either ignorance or disregard of suffering, is appalling. Animal activists realize that this is NOT just about animals. There's a MUCH bigger picture here, but I guess that's lost on "celebrities" who want to grab publicity or just have something to say.
My personal idea about ethical and humane treatment of animals, is that they are NOT commodity, nor property, or have a right to be treated with ANY more harm than you would ANY other living thing. WHY? Because we are their stewards. They have no voice, other than cries, bleats, meows, barks, etc. As a thinking, feeling animal myself, I cannot stand to hear the cries of another animal in pain. It's absolutely shocking to me that someone feels that it's ok to marginalize the plights of animals and FORGET that we, humans, are animals too.

Saturday Cuteness

Puppy rescued from train track, frigid air; gets new home, name

Seriously ... this story (and the puppy) is too cute for me NOT to post.

Report: Monsanto Corn Causes Organ Damage in Mammals

A report released by the International Journal of Biological Sciences states that three types of Monsanto corn, cause cancer and organ damage in mammals.

In what is being described as the first ever and most comprehensive study of the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers have linked organ damage with consumption of Monsanto’s GM maize.

Three varieties of Monsanto’s GM corn – Mon 863, insecticide-producing Mon 810, and Roundup® herbicide-absorbing NK 603 – were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities.

The study can be found here

The original article can be found here

Sign the Petition here to tell the FDA to get Monsanto's GMO corn off the market.