The war over the health risks of GMOs continues with the European Food Safety and Authority (EFSA) expressing reservations over a recent paper on the toxicity of GM crops. The European body said that an “initial review” found that the recent paper, which noted the development of tumours, problems in liver and kidney and also a reduction in ferulic and caffeic acids in rats fed with GM maize, was of insufficient quality.
“EFSA’s initial review found that the design, reporting and analysis of the study, as outlined in the paper, are inadequate. To enable the fullest understanding of the study the Authority has invited authors Séralini et al to share key additional information,” the release said. One of the authors of the paper, Mr Robin Mesnage, was in the city during the CoP-MoP 6 and had clarified that the study wasn’t one on cancer.
“It is not a carcinogenic study but we noticed problems in liver and kidney and reduction in ferulic and caffeic acids, which causes imbalances in sexual hormones. We agree that the strain develops tumours but the ones we noted were far more than what is normal,” he said. The EFSA review also said the paper didn’t conform to standards, but Mr Mesnage had said that there are no standard protocols for such a study.