European scientists and food safety experts drove the final nail in the coffin on the controversial Séralini rat study this week, finding that it finding that it “does not meet acceptable scientific standards” and raises no valid questions about the safety of genetically modified corn.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) presented a final statement on Wednesday that reaffirmed its initial assessment that “the authors’ conclusions cannot be regarded as scientifically sound because of inadequacies in the design, reporting and analysis of the study as outlined in the paper.”
EFSA noted the emergence of a broad European consensus, as each of the six assessments conducted independently by member states had determined that Séralini’s conclusions regarding the safety of GM corn were not supported by the data presented in the study. Read more.
After a five-year study, the Swiss National Science Foundation has reported to the Swiss government that it can find “no danger” to human health or the environment in the use of genetically engineered crops.
“Two literature reviews…analyzed more than a thousand scientific publications worldwide,” said a news release from the Swiss National Science Foundation. “They concluded that there is no danger to human health or the environment in the light of the latest scientific knowledge.”
Eleven research projects exploring the possible environmental risks of genetically modified wheat, maize and strawberries, came to the same conclusion, the Foundation reported: “They could not identify any negative impacts on beneficial organisms, microorganisms or soil fertility.”
Switzerland is debating whether to end a moratorium on agricultural biotechnology. Swiss farmers raise a wide variety of crops on mostly small-scale farms in addition to the nation’s famous dairy industry, which relies on crops grown for feed.
“It is almost impossible to distinguish between newer genetically modified plants and conventionally grown plants,” the scientists added. “Hence treating genetically modified plants differently is becoming increasingly questionable in scientific terms.” Read more.
