GM foods explained

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GM foods explained

• Presented by MADGE
• Mothers are Demystifying Genetic Engineering

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Who is MADGE?

• A network of mothers concerned about the
  introduction of GM foods and crops
• We want to be confident about the safety of our
  food
• We believe we have the right to know what is in
  our food

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Getting to know you

• Hands up if
• You are a mother
• You are a farmer
• You are a councillor
• You feel like you already know a lot about GM
• You feel like you dont know much about GM at all

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What are we going to talk about today?

• Introduce Madge
• What is Genetically Modified food?
• How are GM foods made?
• Are they safe?
• What GM foods are in Australia?
• How can I avoid GM foods?

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What does Genetically Modified mean?

• DNA - instructions for life.
• Genes are instructions for making proteins that
  do particular things.
• GM scientists take a gene from one species and
  transfer to another species.
• Like moving lego blocks around - simple!

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How are genes transferred?
A T C G
Gene cassette

• Gene cassette coated onto tungsten or gold
  pellets
• Blasted in using gene gun
• Not precise random insertion location.

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Effect on the DNA

• Mutations (2-4 of DNA)
• Deletion of genes
• Permanently on or off
• Altered gene expression (up to 5)

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• What could go wrong?

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• Pigs engineered with human gene some born with
  no anus or genitals.
• GM tobacco created toxic compound not normally
  found in tobacco.
• GM yeast unintentionally increased natural toxin
  40 to 200 times.
• A GM potato accidentally had its starch content
  boosted.

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Rats refused to eat GM tomatoes
Rats were forced fed through gastric tubes and
stomach washes.
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After 28 days

• 7 of 20 rats developed stomach lesions and
  bleeding
• Another 7 of 40 died within 2 weeks
• Tomato was approved 1
• Industry funded study

a
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GM potatoes damaged rats

• Rats developed
• Potentially precancerous cell growth in the
  digestive tract
• Smaller brains, livers and testicles
• Partial atrophy of the liver, and
• Immune system damage

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Mice fed GM soy

• Altered young sperm cells
• Embryos had altered gene expression

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Control
Rat testicles
GM soy fed
GM-soy disturbance of blood stream
Control
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What do GM crops look like?
Non GM canola
GM canola

• Can you tell the difference?
• Neither can we and thats the problem!

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What GM crops are available?

• In the Americas
• Soy, Cotton, Canola, Corn
• 2 x GM traits
• Herbicide tolerance (Ht).
• Insecticide Synthesis (Bt).

• In Australia
• Bt cotton in NSW, Qld.
• (Soon) Ht canola in Vic, NSW.
• SA, WA, Tas have all extended their GM bans!

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Is there evidence of possible harm from GM foods?

• There are only a small number of independent
  safety studies of GM foods, but some have shown
  adverse effects
• Dr Judy Carman
• Effects have been found on the liver, kidney,
  pancreas, testes, digestive system, respiratory
  system, immune function (including allergy) and
  reproduction

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Are GM foods safe to eat?

• Dont know, because FSANZ (Food Standards
  Australia New Zealand) ...
• Does none of its own testing!
• Merely reviews test data submitted by GM
  companies!
• Requires no long-term animal feeding studies.
• Safety assessment based on substantial
  equivalence
• No post marketing surveillance of any GM
  products.
• No human clinical trials.

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Hospital admission rates for anaphylaxis in
Australia have increased dramatically

• Hospital admission rates for anaphylaxis -
  financial years 1993-94 to 2004-05

Rate per million population Paediatric food
allergy trends in a community-based specialist
allergy practice, 1995-2006, Raymond J Mullins,
MJA Vol. 186 No. 12 pp 618-621
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Anaphylaxis Admissions vs GM Crop Approvals

• Is there a link between allergy increases and the
  introduction of GM foods?

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GM on our plates in our fields

• Bans instituted in 2003.
• Set to expire Feb 29, 2008.
• Victorian govt. created a panel of experts to
  conduct review.
• Review panel recommended lifting of bans.
• Farmers are now free to grow GM canola.

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Weak Australian labeling laws

• GM foods do not have to be labeled if
• Sold in restaurant or food outlet
• Food is derived from animals fed GM fodder.
• If GM product is an oil, enzyme or processing
  agent.
• If less than 1.0 accidental contamination.

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Questions we are entitled to ask

• Why havent studies showing adverse health
  effects of GM foods in animals been repeated?
• Why dont our Government authorities carry out
  independent animal feeding studies before
  introducing GM crops into our food system?
• Why arent all GM foods labelled to facilitate
  traceability in the food system and monitoring of
  public health effects?

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Being a food detective
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The supermarket challenge

• Are any of these foods GM?

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First the good news

• We have lots of wonderful food in Australia that
  isnt GM
• Fruit vegetables
• Pasture-fed meats dairy
• Australian-grown cereal crops (except canola from
  November)
• Foods labelled Product of Australia
• But ingredients like additives enzymes may be
  imported may be GM
• Cottonseed could be GM canola from November
• Many producers have GM-free policies look for
  the labels or call the information lines
• Organic foods are GM-free

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What foods might be GM?

• Australian cottonseed oil, vegetable oil
  (from November) canola oil
• Find out what your chips are cooked in
• All other GM will be imported, mostly from the
  Americas
• Look out for soy lecithin/protein, corn/maize
  syrup/starch think laterally!
• A handful of soy lecithin is thrown into almost
  everything processed
• Food additives processing enzymes

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How can I avoid GM foods?

• Eat unprocessed foods make your own out of
  lovely Australian ingredients
• Except for cottonseed oil and soon canola
• Use the Greenpeace True Food Guide
• Look for products labelled GM-free
• Buy from local farmers markets
• Buy organic
• Ring information numbers on food packaging
• Be a food detective!

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If youre concerned, what else can you do?

• Be informed - sign up to the MADGE newsletter
• Go through your cupboards, and contact food
  manufacturers to find out whether your foods
  contain GM ingredients
• Tell MADGE what you find out, so we can let
  others know
• Tell food manufacturers and retailers how you
  feel about GM foods
• Right now, Australian food companies are deciding
  whether to use GM canola in their products
• Tell your State and Federal politicians your
  concerns
• Sign the Greenpeace GM Food - Our Right to Know
  petition

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GM Food - Our Right to Know

• At the very least it is imperative that any GM
  produce be labelled
• Stephanie Alexander
• People have a right to know what they are eating
• Margaret Fulton
• If we are to get GM canola, it should be
  labelled, and if it is not labelled, we should
  all ask why
• Dr Rosemary Stanton, Nutritionist

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Our food, our right, our responsibility

• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
  committed citizens can change the world
• Margaret Mead, Anthropologist