The woo-woo hullabaloo that has transpired out of the publication of the Séralini study has set some chins a-waggin’ and generated a whole lot of debate in the media and on the internet. How about you? Are you worried about GMOs?
Don’t be. Or at least don’t let Séralini’s sketchy science be the cause for alarm (see more on this on my blog entry dated September 20th): ‘I smell a rat‘). There have been harsh criticisms of the study by numerous reputable, independent scientists and food safety organizations worldwide. Séralini (and other anti-GMO proponents) claim that there has been no studies done on the long-term effects of GMOs. Not true. Here is at least one review of the literature that you should be aware of:
Snell etal (2011) review several studies examining effects GM lines of maize, potato, soybean, rice and triticale. The studies in question are of two types: 1) 12 long term toxicological studies, where feeding time exceeds well over (up to 2 years) that of the 90 day studies classically used in toxicological studies applied to GMOs; and 2) 12 studies whose duration extended over several generations of animals.
Long story, short – Snell etal (2011) conclude that these studies by public research laboratories do not reveal any safety problem linked to long term consumption of GMO-derived food.
From what I can tell Seralini’s study would not pass muster as a 5th grade science experiment.
It’s tragic, really. Couple that with a well-executed PR strategy (evident in the strategic roll-out of the paper and other related events/materials), which lies outside the whole realm of scientific process, and you have got the makings of a Hollywood thriller.