Journal or Publishing Institution: Agricultural Biotechnology
Author(s): Long, W., Wang, H., Li, W., Shen, X., Bai, J., Wang, D., Wang, X., Fan, S. and Zhou, Z.
Article Type: Peer Reviewed Study
Abstract: Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the healthy risk of genetically modified (GM) soybeans using a novel approach for functions and safety of food. Method. Different from traditional evaluation of substantial equivalence, three innovations were performed in this study, involving basic diet, evaluation approaches and principle, as well as the clarification of connotation differences between absolute and relative mass of organs. Hence a novel BDI-GS (Benefit-Damage Index and General Score) evaluation approach was established and applied in comparative evaluation between RR GM and natural soybeans. Healthy male ICR mice during linear growth were selected; experimental mice were fed with 15% RR GM soybeans and 15% natural soybeans blending maize meal diets, and control mice were fed with single maize meal diet for 13 d; the mice were dissected after collecting blood samples, tissues and nine organs to record their masses and conduct statistical analyses. Result. Plenty of matching information was obtained through simple design. The growth performance of treated mice had markedly individual differences, some mice were thwarted due to regular intake of RR soybeans. Meanwhile, the functions and safety of RR soybeans were markedly lowered in overall nutritional and healthy effects than those of natural soybeans expressed in GS values, and present some declines in nutrition and health of thymus, pancreas and spermary; especially, it can make thymus immune (P < .05) in markedly lower level than that of natural soybeans. Conclusion. Major troubles and risks of RR soybeans intake are of personal risks in different degrees. In addition, RR soybeans may increase health and related chronic epidemics risks, and herein it presents certain safety issues. The creation of this novel evaluation system provides a simple and available evaluation approach for functions and potential risks revelation of food effects, and will yield far-reaching influences to evaluate safety and healthy development of GM foods, as well as public health.
Keywords: Genetically modified soybean, animal model, food quality, evaluation approach, function and safety; Glycine (Fabaceae), Mice, Plants; Animal Experiments, Animal Models, Food Safety, Functional Properties, Genetically Engineered Foods, Genetically Engineered Organisms, Growth, Laboratory Animals, Nutrition Physiology, Pancreas, Soyabeans, Thymus Gland, Transgenic Plants; Animal Research, Genetically Engineered Plants, Genetically Modified Food, Genetically Modified Foods, Genetically Modified Organisms, Genetically Modified Plants, GEOs, GM Foods, GMOs, Soybeans, Transgenic Organisms; Genetically Modified Foods, Soybean, Health Risk Assessment, Public Health, Plant Biotechnology, Laboratory Mice
Citation: Long, W., Wang, H., Li, W., Shen, X., Bai, J., Wang, D., Wang, X., Fan, S. and Zhou, Z., 2013. A novel approach for evaluation of food functions and safety applied in RR GM soybeans. Agricultural Biotechnology, 2(3), p.5.
