Report highlights potential risks of GM maize

A report, commissioned by Greenpeace, said there were \'statistically significant\' effects on the blood and organs of laboratory rats, reports the Sunday Times. The rats fed the GM maize suffered liver and kidney toxicity and differences in weight gain between the sexes. NK603 is licensed in SA and is eaten in certain maize products, but the report says more tests are needed before it is deemed safe for consumption. The report also contains a detailed analysis of the Monsanto Company’s own health and safety trial of NK603, which similarly found significant differences between rats fed NK603 and other maize. However, Monsanto said the differences pose no health or safety risk. Dr Julian Jaftha, chairman of SA’s GMO executive council, said the government could reverse its decision to license the products if toxicity claims proved to be true. A similar report, raising concerns about another type of GM maize, Mon863, was referred to the panel earlier this year. Monsanto has slammed the report, which it claims is part of a broader anti-GMO strategy. Full Sunday Times report [dl=967 style=original]Download the report commissioned by Greenpeace[/dl]