World's first GE biofuels corn threatens contamination of food-grade corn

The Center for Food Safety criticized an announcement today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it will approve the world's first genetically engineered (GE) crop designed specifically for biofuel production. The Center maintains that this GE "biofuels corn" will contaminate food-grade corn, and has not been properly assessed for potential adverse effects on human health, the environment, or farmers' livelihoods.

"The USDA has once again put the special interests of the biotechnology and biofuels industries above the clear risks to our nation's food system," said Andrew Kimbrell, Executive Director for the Center for Food Safety. "The Obama Administration is well aware of the costly effects that Starlink corn contamination had on farmers and the food industry, and now it is poised to repeat the same mistake.”

The GE corn known as Event 3272 is genetically engineered to contain high levels of a heat-resistant and acid-tolerant enzyme derived from exotic, marine microorganisms. The enzyme breaks down starches into sugars, the first step in conversion of corn to ethanol, and has not been adequately assessed for its potential to cause allergies, a key concern with new biotech crops.  Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine from Perendale Publishers.