The precautionary principle should to be applied after a new study shows pigs are harmed by the consumption GM feed.

A new research paper [1], published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Organic Systems and released on Wednesday, revealed that pigs are seriously harmed by the consumption of feed containing genetically modified (GM) crops over a commercial rearing lifetime. Pigs fed on the GM diet had more severe stomach inflammation and GM fed females had on average a 25% heavier uterus than non-GM-fed females.

This study, lead by Dr Judy Carman, adjunct associate professor at Flinders University (Adelaide) is adding to the long list of recent research showing there are potential health risks linked to eating GM foods that are not addressed in any current assessment regime anywhere in the world. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the Government agency in charge of determining if GM food is safe for people to eat, has written positive assessments for every single application it has received for GM food products, without seriously considering independent scientific studies. Every time a study showing adverse findings is assessed by FSANZ, they find subjective reason after reason to ignore the studies and any evidence that GM foods are harming human health.

“Few people know that GM foods are never tested over a time frame longer than 90 days. This new study shows once again the need to develop strong and independant long term feeding studies of GM food crops designed to research their potential effects over whole lifetimes and across generations”,  Scott Kinnear, Director of the Safe Food Foundation, said.

“To assure the safety of people, it is urgent to freeze all future GM food approvals while FSANZ’s assessment regime is reviewed and all previous approvals are reassessed, using an independent safety testing and assessment regime that applies the precautionary principle and proves the safety of each variety of GM food beyond reasonable doubt. The broader environmental and social implications of the culture of GM crops should also be taken into account”, he added.

For interview or more information

Scott Kinnear, Director, The Safe Food Foundation :  0419 881 729