Roccaforte Monica Free

repression March transgenic

Transgenic and cheese with tomato sauce, a typical Uruguayan food

Feb. 15, we learn that the polenta that we are selling is transgenic. The news came to us through the presentation of a thesis by Martin Fernandez Campos, entitled "Transgenic Analysis of 20 polentas found on sale in the Uruguayan market." The work is performed in Laboratory of Molecular Food Traceability Biochemistry Section Faculty of Science, under the guidance of Dr. Claudio Martínez Debat.

As reported by the author, the research was conducted with 20 samples of corn flour sent by the Laboratory of Food Science at the Municipality of Montevideo. The result was positive for 18 of them so it is concluded that 100% of the samples could be analyzed were prepared at least in part by a genetically modified corn. Two of the polenta could not extract DNA and therefore were not analyzed.

also

was possible to identify the presence in the polenta of two GM maize grown in Uruguay: the MON810 (Monsanto Company) and Bt11 (Syngenta Company). The MON 810 was found in 13 samples, while the Bt11 was found in 14 of them (only 4 samples MON 810, Bt11 only in 5 and mixed in 9 of them).

What is known about transgenic maize and health

A study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences reveals that three varieties of genetically modified corn produced by the transnational Monsanto (MON810, MON863 and NK603) can cause health problems, especially damage to the kidneys and liver.

worth noting that one of these varieties (MON 810) grown in Uruguay since 2003. The research results were reported in early December 2009 by the Independent Committee for Research and Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN), based in Caen, France.

According to the first study has shown that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not healthy enough to be marketable.

work out that in the case of transgenics analyzed, we found that in animals and humans, the kidneys and liver "experienced problems because they are the main bodies react to food chemical poisoning, as indicated by Gilles-Eric Séralini, expert of the Commission for the Revaluation of Biotechnology, a body created by the European Union in 2008.

The right to choose

In Uruguay it is not possible to choose products that do not contain transgenic elements, since nothing is reported about the labeling of products. That is, the consumer not only has no freedom to choose, but I can not even exercise their right to information. In the case of the popular polenta, we only learn that GM corn is made from a thesis by the Faculty of Science where did the studies.

The situation is even worse because the polenta is very popular not only among Uruguayans, but also is one of the first foods that babies eat in our country, so that our children are eating a food that can affect your health without his parents knowing.

is hoped that this study will serve to alert the entire population on this issue and to motivate decision makers to implement measures to give consumers the right to choose what they want to consume and than those companies that decide on what goes on the plate of each city daily.

Thanks to Martin Fernandez Campos for sharing your excellent work, which can be accessed at the following address: http://www.rapaluruguay.org/ transgenic / Uruguay / Tesis_ analisis_transgenesis_20_ polentas_14022011.pdf