Scientist warns against genetically modified wheat

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Scientist warns against GE wheat crops

3News NZ

GE wheat crops are being trialled in Western Australia

GE wheat crops are being trialled in Western Australia

Scientists are warning against genetically modified wheat crops, saying they could pose significant health risks to humans and other animals.

The crops are being trialled in Western Australia, but Jack Heinemann of Canterbury University says adequate safety procedures have not been followed.

“The biochemistry of the modification is still not fully understood, and therefore there is gaps in any risk assessment,” he says.

According to Mr Heinemann, there is a risk of modifications being passed on to human genes through the crops.

“These molecules that are being produced are also transmitted to us through food, so they can be transmitted through our digestive system into our blood stream,” he says.  “The potential is they can act on our genes just as they’re acting on the wheat genes.”

Mr Heinemann says not enough information has been made publicly available about the test measures that are in place.

Watch the video for Firstline’s full interview with Jack Heinemann

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Comments

24/09/2012 1:55:13 p.m.

idli wrote:

Thank you for the scientists who took the courage to speak out about this issue which is clearly could impact our and our future generations to come. I agree with the scientists that full information is needed for the risk assessment, it is clear that there are real issues surrounding these GM crops from other closely related studies and anyone who knows the biological function of the liver would also understand the importance of the glycogen. My question, what is it that we the public could do further to help either to clarify that safety measures were taken and further studies were done to prove the safety of the crops by these companies that are at present clearly trying to push these crops onto the consumers without thinking of the ramifications. Or are we just getting the news and we are like puppets on a string and there is nothing that we can do to stop them from going ahead anyway?

12/09/2012 1:55:40 p.m.

S wrote:

The Australian people need to urgently stop this trial and not be used as guinea pigs....it's never going to to work in the best interests of Australia and the peoples health, and obviously not in the best interest of anyone apart from the company who will make money out of this.

12/09/2012 1:29:57 p.m.

Noel wrote:

Full marks for Prof Heinemann for a great description of the potential problems in terms this layman could understand. Also the department staffers who explored if what Joe Public was been told actually stood up.

12/09/2012 9:41:44 a.m.

Greg wrote:

Allowing seeds to be controled by one powerful company is not a good thing for society or food production. They rabbit on about capitislism in competition yet all we see being created is cartels. They are worse than drug lords who prey on their victims