1240 Scientists Demand Seralini GMO Study be Republished

The petition is here:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Open_letter_to_FCT_and_Elsevier.php
This letter has been signed by 1361 scientists and 3976 non-scientists from 99 different countries
Content from External Source
The list of signatures:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Open_letter_to_FCT_and_Elsevier_signatures.php#signed

random sample:

  1. Barry Kendler PhD in Nutrition Fellow of the American College of Nutriton Professor of Nutrition University of Bridgeport Bridgeport CT, University of Bridgeport, Bronx, UNITED STATES
  2. Michael Kern Osteopath Naturopath and Craniosacral Therapist Course Director at Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust London, CTET, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  3. David Kerr 2 degrees BS MS, Biotronic, Portland, UNITED STATES
  4. Harinamsimran Khalsa MS Biology, Santa Cruz, UNITED STATES
  5. Bill Khan Airfoil lenses supercells and other research and development , General Airfoil Dynamics, Glendale, UNITED STATES
  6. Joe Kiceniuk PhD Physiology Environmental toxicology, Nova Scotia, CANADA
  7. Julie Kidd Medical doctor, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
  8. Myung H Kim M Phil in Sociology, New York, UNITED STATES
  9. Sandra Kinghorn social organizaion and social psychology, retired, Miami, UNITED STATES
  10. Lisa Kinney DVM, Port Deposit Md, UNITED STATES
  11. Gary Kinsley Clinical Laboratory Scientist BA UCLA Hospital Laboratory Technologist Calif State Licensed, UNITED STATES
  12. Faiez Kirsten MB ChB MBA EFTcc , Health Wellness Performance Institute, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
  13. Jörg Klasmeier PhD Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabruck University, Osnabruck, GERMANY
  14. Siegfried Kleisinger Prof Dr sc agr Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, GERMANY
  15. William Klink theoretical nuclear physics, university of iowa, Iowa City, UNITED STATES
  16. Richard Klippert doctorate of dental surgery, Qualicum Beach, CANADA
  17. Kristy Knight Expertise in the Language of the Body the science of the organs and glands have studied with the famed Dean G Allen PhD for 8 years, Sandy, UNITED STATES
  18. Kent Knock Ph D in Chemistry Arizona State University, Afternoon Zephyr Farm, Rogue River Or, UNITED STATES
  19. Ed Kobrinski Public health policy, Inkscape, UNITED STATES
  20. Bob Kohl Public Health Epidemiology MPH, UNITED STATES
  21. Joseph Kohn Md Physician with over 30 years clinical experience , www WeAreOne cc, Wailuku, UNITED STATES
  22. Jon Kopel phd in biochemistry, East Brunswick, UNITED STATES
  23. Vassilios Kotaidis PhD Physics, Siegen, GERMANY
Content from External Source
Not exactly domain experts, but you could say the claim is factually true, just not very meaningful. You could find 1,000 similarly qualified people to agree with any similar contentious issue. That's how you can find Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth. It's an appeal to false authority.
 
http://www.geneticliteracyproject.o...eact-to-republished-seralini-maize-rat-study/

Scientists around the world react as a controversial animal study on genetically modified (GM) corn and glyphosate-based herbicide that had been published and then retracted has been republished in expanded form in another academic journal.

The study, “Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize” by a group of French scientists led by Gilles-Eric Séralini, claims that a Monsanto herbicide-tolerant GM corn and RoundUp, Monsanto’s brand name for the herbicide, caused severe diseases and tumor growths in rats. It was republished today in the open-access journal Environmental Sciences Europe (SpringerOpen).
Content from External Source
 
The petition is here:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Open_letter_to_FCT_and_Elsevier.php
This letter has been signed by 1361 scientists and 3976 non-scientists from 99 different countries
Content from External Source
The list of signatures:
http://www.i-sis.org.uk/Open_letter_to_FCT_and_Elsevier_signatures.php#signed

random sample:

  1. Barry Kendler PhD in Nutrition Fellow of the American College of Nutriton Professor of Nutrition University of Bridgeport Bridgeport CT, University of Bridgeport, Bronx, UNITED STATES
  2. Michael Kern Osteopath Naturopath and Craniosacral Therapist Course Director at Craniosacral Therapy Educational Trust London, CTET, London, UNITED KINGDOM
  3. David Kerr 2 degrees BS MS, Biotronic, Portland, UNITED STATES
  4. Harinamsimran Khalsa MS Biology, Santa Cruz, UNITED STATES
  5. Bill Khan Airfoil lenses supercells and other research and development , General Airfoil Dynamics, Glendale, UNITED STATES
  6. Joe Kiceniuk PhD Physiology Environmental toxicology, Nova Scotia, CANADA
  7. Julie Kidd Medical doctor, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
  8. Myung H Kim M Phil in Sociology, New York, UNITED STATES
  9. Sandra Kinghorn social organizaion and social psychology, retired, Miami, UNITED STATES
  10. Lisa Kinney DVM, Port Deposit Md, UNITED STATES
  11. Gary Kinsley Clinical Laboratory Scientist BA UCLA Hospital Laboratory Technologist Calif State Licensed, UNITED STATES
  12. Faiez Kirsten MB ChB MBA EFTcc , Health Wellness Performance Institute, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
  13. Jörg Klasmeier PhD Institute of Environmental Systems Research, Osnabruck University, Osnabruck, GERMANY
  14. Siegfried Kleisinger Prof Dr sc agr Agricultural Engineering, University of Hohenheim, GERMANY
  15. William Klink theoretical nuclear physics, university of iowa, Iowa City, UNITED STATES
  16. Richard Klippert doctorate of dental surgery, Qualicum Beach, CANADA
  17. Kristy Knight Expertise in the Language of the Body the science of the organs and glands have studied with the famed Dean G Allen PhD for 8 years, Sandy, UNITED STATES
  18. Kent Knock Ph D in Chemistry Arizona State University, Afternoon Zephyr Farm, Rogue River Or, UNITED STATES
  19. Ed Kobrinski Public health policy, Inkscape, UNITED STATES
  20. Bob Kohl Public Health Epidemiology MPH, UNITED STATES
  21. Joseph Kohn Md Physician with over 30 years clinical experience , www WeAreOne cc, Wailuku, UNITED STATES
  22. Jon Kopel phd in biochemistry, East Brunswick, UNITED STATES
  23. Vassilios Kotaidis PhD Physics, Siegen, GERMANY
Content from External Source
Not exactly domain experts, but you could say the claim is factually true, just not very meaningful. You could find 1,000 similarly qualified people to agree with any similar contentious issue. That's how you can find Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth. It's an appeal to false authority.

Citing the above as an appeal to authority is enough to question the validity without adding the term false. Having said that, pointing out that the petition is being used in a fallacious manner to promulgate the idea that GMOs might be dangerous doesn't do anything to addressing the real question: Are crops grown using GMO technology dangerous to our health? I know you and most here realize the main purpose of GMO corn and soy, but the general public does not. That is the fact that the crops have been genetically modified to withstand the spraying of certain herbicides, specifically the one sold in the retail market as "Roundup". The main ingredient is glyphosate. These crops are sprayed with Roundup to kill all of the weeds in the field. The weeds die, but the GMO crops suffer no damage from the chemical spray. For me, I do not need a "study" to tell me that the long term ingestion of these crops may dangerous to one's health, for the following reasons:
1. We know that plants absorb chemicals from the surrounding soil. This is how plants obtain nutrients from the soil. Unfortunately, plants do not discriminate. They absorb ANY AND ALL chemicals from soil.
2. According to the manufacturers label, the product should be kept away from small children and should NOT be ingested.
3. Therefore, we know that;
a. plants absorb chemicals in the soil
b. GMO plants absorb a certain amount of the Roundup that is sprayed.
c. When we eat or ingest these plants themselves or products made with these plants, we are ingesting small amounts of Roundup.
4. The question becomes, are the levels of glyphosate that we consume enough to cause health issues? I'm not sure we really know. There is conflicting evidence, but for me, PERSONALLY, based strictly on what I have argued above, I choose NOT to eat foods that contain GMO crops specifically because I do not want to ingest glyphosate; even in trace amounts.

Although the information about these crops being modified to resist Roundup is widely available, a vast majority of the public has no clue. When I asked 10 people what they thought the main purpose of genetically modifying corn and soy was, most replied it was to obtain higher yields or make the plants resistant to disease. Only one person mentioned the connection to herbicides.

Is this due to some conspiratorial activity on the part of Monsanto? Nope. There IS evidence that the company has engaged in conspiratorial activity, but that is another issue. The reason most people don't have any idea about the issue of herbicides being sprayed on their food is an issue of sheer laziness. People do not take the time to educate themselves on the food they eat.
 
All plants absorb glysophate - not just GMO ones - that is how it kills them!!

There have been many studies of glysophate - eg see this info sheet

Unless you are drinking it straight there is no great health concern at all - and drinking it straight is not QUITE the same as getting it through eating plants that have absorbed it!!
 
Plants also absorb Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium and other chemicals...again, if YOU (or I) ate these directly, they would indeed be harmful, if not fatal, depending on dosage.

(EDIT) THIS is why ALL life is based on chemistry, and chemical reactions....
 
List of "Nutrition Experts." False claims about Monsanto... typical activist rants. "How dare people not know about this!!!" I tend to put the GMO debate along the same lines as the Chemtrail debate. Both are nonsense.
 
List of "Nutrition Experts." False claims about Monsanto... typical activist rants. "How dare people not know about this!!!" I tend to put the GMO debate along the same lines as the Chemtrail debate. Both are nonsense.
Hmm. Maybe. I'll still be eating the vegetables I grow or ones that are grown by sources I trust. I avoid processed foods. That make me a crazy conspiracy nut? If so, so be it. All I know is that I feel better than I have in years since I quit eating most of the crap lining our grocery store shelves. The truth is, we really don't know the cumulative effect of the countless manufactured chemicals on our bodies. Science has differing opinions. So I generally try and eat only things I could have found on a farm 100 years ago. And I really don't try and convince anyone else to eat the way that I do unless they are a client and have asked for my help with their diet.
 
Hmm. Maybe. I'll still be eating the vegetables I grow or ones that are grown by sources I trust. I avoid processed foods. That make me a crazy conspiracy nut? If so, so be it. All I know is that I feel better than I have in years since I quit eating most of the crap lining our grocery store shelves. The truth is, we really don't know the cumulative effect of the countless manufactured chemicals on our bodies. Science has differing opinions. So I generally try and eat only things I could have found on a farm 100 years ago. And I really don't try and convince anyone else to eat the way that I do unless they are a client and have asked for my help with their diet.

Question: What is glyophosphate metabolized into by the plant? Most of the "harmful" chemicals plants use to thrive are turned into sugars and other chemicals our bodies need while some is left over for waste... just like our bodies behave. Do you (or does anyone) know what these chemicals are turned into when the "digests" its food?
 
Hmm. Maybe. I'll still be eating the vegetables I grow or ones that are grown by sources I trust. I avoid processed foods. That make me a crazy conspiracy nut? If so, so be it. All I know is that I feel better than I have in years since I quit eating most of the crap lining our grocery store shelves. The truth is, we really don't know the cumulative effect of the countless manufactured chemicals on our bodies. Science has differing opinions. So I generally try and eat only things I could have found on a farm 100 years ago. And I really don't try and convince anyone else to eat the way that I do unless they are a client and have asked for my help with their diet.

So you'd rather trust supplements made by quacks than FDA approved food sold by well known companies like Dole, Kraft, General Mills, and Coca Cola? I have a hard time believing that you don't ingest anything that these and other companies make into your body.

So you go out and kill the animal? Make your own milk? Churn your own butter? Make your own sodas? Brew your own alcoholic beverages? Even the Amish can't get away with all that. Just because you grow some fruits and veggies doesn't mean you are rebelling against the man.
 
Organic food farmers also use man made pesticides to get rid of pests. GMOs aren't the only type of crop being sprayed with chemicals.

I went the no-processed food route for a while and many of the benefits I experienced were pure placebo. Feeling like I was taking control of my health and life made me feel like I was doing something great, so I felt better for a while. The human body is resilient against many of the trace amounts of chemicals we have in all sorts of foods and there are strict controls on the types of chemicals that can be put into our foods. If anything in food makes people sick, companies lose a lot of profit, so it is in their best interest to make sure their food is safe for consumption. Safe doesn't necessarily mean free of chemicals, though. But small amounts of chemicals are easily handled and excreted by the human body.

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2007/02/scientific-context.html

Though, I respect anyone's decision to pursue any type of diet they wish for any reason.
 
Excellent point. The truth is that much of what we once thought about food science had been shown to be wrong according to modern science. An example of this is the
So you'd rather trust supplements made by quacks than FDA approved food sold by well known companies like Dole, Kraft, General Mills, and Coca Cola? I have a hard time believing that you don't ingest anything that these and other companies make into your body.

So you go out and kill the animal? Make your own milk? Churn your own butter? Make your own sodas? Brew your own alcoholic beverages? Even the Amish can't get away with all that. Just because you grow some fruits and veggies doesn't mean you are rebelling against the man.

Lol. It's amusing to be on a website supposedly populated by people who use "critical thinking" and "sound argument" to make their point and receive replies that are completely exagerated, fallacious, inaccurate, and vitriolic. So, GOP. YOU quoted me. Where in my quote did I say that I, "don't ingest anything that these and other companies make into your body"? What I said is that I avoid processed foods and that attempt to eat only the type of foods that were found on a farm 100 years ago. It's no protest. I'm not trying to rebel against the "man" as you put it lol. But I will answer your questions; specifically.
1. I rarely use butter for personal consumption, but when I do I use European, organic butter primarily for it's superior flavor and higher flash point; but I'm a Chef who has learned to appreciate the subtle differences between good butter and the butters widely available in American grocery stores. For fats I use a LOT of olive oil and coconut oil which I believe are much healthier than many of the polyunsaturated fats on grocery shelves. Of course, this is my opinion (backed up by science)
2. I NEVER drink "sodas". I assume you mean like Coke Cola? No. Never. Do you need evidence as to the detrimental effects of sodas? Be glad to supply for you. I NEVER eat fast food.
3. I don't drink.
4. I try and get about 75% of my daily calories from fresh vegetables. The rest I get from proteins. I try and buy wild fish, grass fed beef, and free range chicken whenever possible. Even if one doesn't believe that eating a free range chicken is healthier, there is NO question that it TASTES BETTER! I buy from local farmers; usually, NOT always! I personally know the farmers I buy from. I started buying food from local farmers 20 years ago for my restaurant. Many of them are Amish. I buy ALL of my eggs and chicken from a local Amish farmer who has become a close friend. Besides some butter and some occasional heavy cream in my coffee, I don't eat dairy products.

I do buy vegetables from the grocery store sometimes. As a Chef and someone who has taught over 3,000 cooking classes, I am well versed in the differences between "organic", "all natural", etc. I am completely aware of all the issues with the term "organic" most of which were caused by over zealous regulations that are nearly impossible to meet.

You might find it "hard to believe" that I do these things, but that's your problem, not mine. I'm not perfect. But before I began this change, I felt like shit. I was 75 lbs heavier than I am now. I had gout frequently, I was pre-diabetic, my blood sugar was extremely high, I had elevated blood pressure as well as a myriad of aches, pains, etc. Those health issues are ALL gone. MAYBE my lifestyle changes are simply placebo. If so, so what? They are REAL, nonetheless. However, modern science certainly supports my assertion that eating a diet of fresh vegetables and proteins grown with minimal use of chemicals is healthier than eating processed foods high in sugar and carbs. Don't believe it? Knock yourselves out. I'm not promoting this, again, unless it is a client. I do train people in healthy eating/cooking. Most of my clients were people who knew me when I was fat, sick, and tired. I certainly have sympathy for anyone who wants to change their lifestyle for the better, but to each his own.
 
I generally try and eat only things I could have found on a farm 100 years ago.

Aiming for the 52 year life expectancy (of 1914), eh? :p http://demog.berkeley.edu/~andrew/1918/figure2.html

jk...it's no news that veggies are generally best, and--though I'm on the side of science--I would've liked to have seen
Prop 37 pass here in Cali a year and a half ago (just so consumers could be more informed re. GMO options).
Congrats on the 75 lbs, but--just out of curiosity--since you always knew a vegetable-heavy diet was better for you, what made you change?
 
Excellent point. The truth is that much of what we once thought about food science had been shown to be wrong according to modern science. An example of this is the


Lol. It's amusing to be on a website supposedly populated by people who use "critical thinking" and "sound argument" to make their point and receive replies that are completely exagerated, fallacious, inaccurate, and vitriolic. So, GOP. YOU quoted me. Where in my quote did I say that I, "don't ingest anything that these and other companies make into your body"? What I said is that I avoid processed foods and that attempt to eat only the type of foods that were found on a farm 100 years ago. It's no protest. I'm not trying to rebel against the "man" as you put it lol. But I will answer your questions; specifically.
1. I rarely use butter for personal consumption, but when I do I use European, organic butter primarily for it's superior flavor and higher flash point; but I'm a Chef who has learned to appreciate the subtle differences between good butter and the butters widely available in American grocery stores. For fats I use a LOT of olive oil and coconut oil which I believe are much healthier than many of the polyunsaturated fats on grocery shelves. Of course, this is my opinion (backed up by science)
2. I NEVER drink "sodas". I assume you mean like Coke Cola? No. Never. Do you need evidence as to the detrimental effects of sodas? Be glad to supply for you. I NEVER eat fast food.
3. I don't drink.
4. I try and get about 75% of my daily calories from fresh vegetables. The rest I get from proteins. I try and buy wild fish, grass fed beef, and free range chicken whenever possible. Even if one doesn't believe that eating a free range chicken is healthier, there is NO question that it TASTES BETTER! I buy from local farmers; usually, NOT always! I personally know the farmers I buy from. I started buying food from local farmers 20 years ago for my restaurant. Many of them are Amish. I buy ALL of my eggs and chicken from a local Amish farmer who has become a close friend. Besides some butter and some occasional heavy cream in my coffee, I don't eat dairy products.

I do buy vegetables from the grocery store sometimes. As a Chef and someone who has taught over 3,000 cooking classes, I am well versed in the differences between "organic", "all natural", etc. I am completely aware of all the issues with the term "organic" most of which were caused by over zealous regulations that are nearly impossible to meet.

You might find it "hard to believe" that I do these things, but that's your problem, not mine. I'm not perfect. But before I began this change, I felt like shit. I was 75 lbs heavier than I am now. I had gout frequently, I was pre-diabetic, my blood sugar was extremely high, I had elevated blood pressure as well as a myriad of aches, pains, etc. Those health issues are ALL gone. MAYBE my lifestyle changes are simply placebo. If so, so what? They are REAL, nonetheless. However, modern science certainly supports my assertion that eating a diet of fresh vegetables and proteins grown with minimal use of chemicals is healthier than eating processed foods high in sugar and carbs. Don't believe it? Knock yourselves out. I'm not promoting this, again, unless it is a client. I do train people in healthy eating/cooking. Most of my clients were people who knew me when I was fat, sick, and tired. I certainly have sympathy for anyone who wants to change their lifestyle for the better, but to each his own.

So why don't you trust the FDA? What do you mean by you only buy stuff from farmers you trust? Do you actually watch them grow the stuff to make sure that they don't use pesticides (cause that's a little excessive TBH) or do you just trust them by word of mouth? How is that different from the government?

I congratulate you on whatever you find that matches your diet and living habits, but since you are a chef, you might realize that you have access to certain information or the actual fruits and veggies to make your diet doable. I'm am glad that you are trying to help people but it sounds awfully close to the marketing I see often on CT sites for so-called miracle diet pills, veggie pills, and brain growth crap.

Also I am sure you know that what you do won't and can't work for everybody even if they lived in an area where they can do this stuff. Suburbs are not well known for providing for alternative healthy eating lifestyles. The only saladworks in my upper middle class town, has gone out of business mostly due to high prices. $4 for 3 tacos at taco bell or you can spend twice that much on a wrap at saladworks!
 
There have been many studies of glysophate - eg see this info sheet
That site is wonderful - it gives conclusions directly contradicting the studies it quotes:
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/glyphotech.pdf look at page 6 for example

a) pregnant rats fed glyphosate - low body weight for mothers and young, many young with skeletal defects
b) rabbits, so many mothers died they could get no results on the young
c) conclusion - analysis of studies shows "did not cause reproductive effects in animals studies". Waaa????

Same thing on several other pages, too.

They go on to say it is excreted mostly unmetabolised, YET up to 7 days later is still to be found in tissues, fat, bone, eggs etc. (although it is allegedly also all cleared in 168 hours).

Then ends up with "the clinical significance of residues in human tissues in unknown " which is NOT the same as saying it's safe or harmless. (p 7).

"Because glyphosate binds to the soil, plant uptake ... from soil is negligible" BUT
"Lettuce, carrots and barley contained glyphosate residues up to one year after the soil was treated ....."

C'mon guys, which is it? is there soil uptake or not?

And then there were no studies on glyphosate residues in FOOD (for FDA purposes).

A good half of the quoted studies were unpublished ones (so not checkable) from or for Monsanto, so can't be considered neutral by any means.

None of this proves Roundup Ready GM food is dangerous but it certainly doesn't prove it is safe, either. If people wish to play safe by avoiding it, it should be their right to do so, which means food with GM ingredients should be so labelled.
 
1361 scientist from 99 countries. So in the the whole scheme of things not many scientist are upset that the Seralini study was identified as a poorly constructed study designed to come to a specific conclusion that never should have made it through the peer review process and has been withdrawn from publication. It is an appeal to authority that doesn't have much authority behind it. On the brighter side if the petitioners carry through with their threat to:

boycott Elsevier, i.e., decline to purchase Elsevier products, to publish, review, or do editorial work for Elsevier.
Content from External Source
Elsevier's publishing standards will probably marginally improve.
 
a) pregnant rats fed glyphosate - low body weight for mothers and young, many young with skeletal defects
b) rabbits, so many mothers died they could get no results on the young
c) conclusion - analysis of studies shows "did not cause reproductive effects in animals studies". Waaa????

Probably because the statistical analyses proved that their experimental groups weren't significantly different from the control groups. Glyphosate has been tested extensively and has been shown to be one of the mildest and least toxic herbicides on the market. People have every right to avoid GMO's if they want, but they should know that the science points to it being harmless.
 
Probably because the statistical analyses proved that their experimental groups weren't significantly different from the control groups. Glyphosate has been tested extensively and has been shown to be one of the mildest and least toxic herbicides on the market. People have every right to avoid GMO's if they want, but they should know that the science points to it being harmless.
It is a case of selective reading that ignores the dosages required to produce adverse effects. Like anything else if you use a high enough dosage you will eventually cause damage to the test organism.
 
Question: What is glyophosphate metabolized into by the plant? Most of the "harmful" chemicals plants use to thrive are turned into sugars and other chemicals our bodies need while some is left over for waste... just like our bodies behave. Do you (or does anyone) know what these chemicals are turned into when the "digests" its food?

See this paper on residues.

the ones identified are apparently less toxic than glysophate, itself having "low toxicity", so are of no concern.


NAG and N-acetyl AMPA were concluded to be less toxic than glyphosate, which itself has low toxicity potential. On this basis, the establishment of a separate ADI for NAG and Nacetyl AMPA, was considered unnecessary. Therefore the current Australian ADI for glyphosate of 0.3 mg/kg bw/day remains appropriate for dietary risk assessment purposes.
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A review of AMPA is given here
AMPA is slightly hazardous to rats given a single oral dose, with an LD50 of 8300 mg/kg bw
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