Journal or Publishing Institution: Journal of Ecology and Health
Study: http://yadda.icm.edu.pl/yadda/element/bwmeta1.element.baztech-article-BAR8-0025-0036
Author(s): Lisowska, K. and Cortez, A.
Article Type: Journal Publication
Record ID: 1431
Abstract: There is an ongoing discussion whether to legally accept commercial GM crops in Poland. The public debate is mainly concentrated on the safety of GM food/feed and opposing statements are constantly presented – either about the risks concerned with GM products or about the absolute safety of GMOs. Thus, we decided to review research papers published in Polish which cite evidence that prove the safety of GMOs. After analyzing these works we came to the following conclusions. Very often the papers that are cited in the context of GMO safety assessment are devoted to quite different questions; mainly they concern nutritional efficiency and productivity of GM feed and do not analyze health status of the animals in the study. Some papers raise other methodological concerns, e.g., the herbicide tolerant varieties used in feeding experiments which have been grown without herbicide application. This experimental setting is inconsistent with every-day practice, as livestock and consumers are exposed to both factors: the GM product and residual herbicide. In addition, we found that many reports and popular articles refer to unpublished, non-peer-reviewed data which cannot be considered credible. In some published papers, observations are made concerning unfavorable changes in animal physiology, but they are poorly discussed in scientific papers and ignored in popular articles and press releases. Taking into account these data we assume that the widespread statement that the safety of GM food is undoubtedly scientifically proven is not entirely reasonable. This may be a reason for the widespread public distrust and lack of GMO acceptance.
Keywords: GMO, genetically modified organisms, risk assessment, public debate
Citation: Lisowska, K. and Cortez, A., 2013. Ocena bezpieczeństwa zdrowotnego genetycznie modyfikowanych roślin w badaniach krajowych-przegląd literatury. Health risk assessment of genetically modified crops in domestic studies – a literature review. Journal of Ecology and Health, 17, pp.26-32.
