Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/26/russia_bans_monsanto_corn/
Russia blocks Monsanto corn in GM study fallout
Rat tumour fears spark sale ban
Posted in Science, 26th September 2012 23:43 GMT
Cloud storage: Lower cost and increase uptime
Monsanto’s GM corn, the centre of a storm inspired by the now-notorious French “rat tumours” study, has been banned from Russia following a decision by consumer rights regulator Rospotrebnadzor.
The ban is more symbolic than anything else: Russia doesn’t allow its farmers to plant GM corn, and is a net exporter of grains.
According to TV-Novosti site RT, Rospotrebnadzor has asked [1] Russia’s Institute of Nutrition to review the French study, which claimed that rats developed large tumours either when exposed to the “Roundup-resistant” crop or to concentrations of Roundup in their water as low as .1 parts per billion.
According to Bloomberg, Russia had already asked [2] the European Commission to comment on the study.
The European Food Safety Authority expects to have a preliminary review of the study completed by next week.
Controversy surrounding the study [3] has continued in the week since it was released. Britain’s Science Media Centre criticized [4] the study, only to be accused of a pro-GM conflict of interest in its sponsorships. However, its concerns about the study’s methodology were echoed [5] by the Australian Science Media Centre, which is mostly funded by media organisations. ®
Links
- http://rt.com/business/news/russia-monsanto-corn-ban-005/
- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-25/russia-suspends-import-of-monsanto-corn-on-health-concerns.html
- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/09/19/gm_study_under_fire/
- http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/pages/press_releases/12-09-19_gm_maize_rats_tumours.htm
- http://www.smc.org.au/2012/09/rapid-reaction-long-term-toxicity-of-gm-maize-food-and-chemical-toxicology-experts-respond/