No Long-Term Effects of Feeding GM Diets
GLOBAL - A study at the University of Nottingham, looking to the long term impacts of genetically modified (GM) plants in animal diets has concluded that GM plants are nutritionally equivalent to their non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed.
19 July 2012
2 minute read
By: The review collected data concerning the effects of diets containing GM maize, potato, soybean, rice, or triticale on animal health.
Twelve long-term studies were examined (between 90 days and two years in duration) as well as 12 multigenerational studies.
The researchers studied many parameters using biochemical analyses, histological examination of specific organs, hematology and the detection of transgenic DNA.
Results from all the 24 studies do not suggest any health hazards and, in general, there were no statistically significant differences within parameters observed.
However, some small differences were observed, though these fell within the normal variation range of the considered parameter and thus had no biological or toxicological significance.
If required, a 90-day feeding study performed in rodents, according to the OECD Test Guideline, is generally considered sufficient in order to evaluate the health effects of GM feed.
The studies reviewed present evidence to show that GM plants are nutritionally equivalent to their non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed.
