Transgenic, an increasingly long shadow of suspicions

2001/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Genetika

Cry9C protein is more resistant to corn, but it can cause allergies in humans, so GM corn type Star Link can only be cultivated for animal feed. Recently, remains of this protein have been found in a variety of maize cultivated for man. The Aventis house, owner of this type of transgenic maize, has not been able to explain the event, do not know if there has been an accidental mixture of the two varieties of maize, or if the transgenic gene has jumped from one to the other.

The traces of Cry9C protein were found in 1998 in the maize seeds that humans should have. Aventis still does not know how many of these seeds were planted, or where they were sold. A few months ago, Star Link corn was found in the United States in food for humans.

On the other hand, at the beginning of the year pollination occurred between two varieties of beet in some greenhouses of Aventis, making the beets more resistant to pesticides. While it is difficult to measure the severity of such events, those who defend the safety of genetically modified products are not beneficial.