Activist's Misrepresentation of Bt Toxins in Genetically Modified Crops
BiotechBloggers
Smith, an anti-biotech critic, has written a very misleading article
linking Baccilus Thuringiensis (Bt) to allergy. Baccilus Thuringiensis
is commonly found in genetically modified crops. Upon sporulation,
according to an entry on Wikipedia, it produces Cry toxins, which have
effects on certain orders of crops pests such as moth and butterflies.
These are the toxins that Smith claims can cause allergy to people wo
eat GM food.
He explains that because Cry toxins in crops genetically modified to
resist pests "split open" the stomachs of pests that feed on them, our
stomachs, too, might one day face the same fate. And he goes on to
justify his lopsided argument against GM crops by including a laundry
list of citations. One glaring mistake in these citations is that
they're one sided, of course, to make Smith's argument empirically
grounded.
To say the least, Mr. Smith article is a ploy to ram through our
throats anti-biotech propaganda. It conjures up images of the anti-
biotech movement doing what it takes to mislead the public about
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) despite proven evidence that
they're a force to reckon with in ameliorating hunger and malnutrition
in the world.
Let's, now, face the facts about Smith's insinuations about Bt toxins.
Bt toxins are insect specific, and pose no health dangers to
vertebrates. Writing on Agrichemical and Environmental News in 2000,
Dr Allan S. Felsot, an Environmental Toxicologist at the Washington
State University, U.S.A., notes that even "feeding rats high doses of
any of the purified insecticidal proteins [such as Bt toxin] causes no
measurable toxic effects. To people like Jeffrey Smith who fear the
long-term effects of consuming Bt-laden genetically modified crops,
Dr. Felsot advises that when protein is toxic, "the effect is
immediate (acute), never cumulative."
The World Health Organization (WHO), which Mr. Smith attempts to use
to shore up his argument, has already stated that "...Bt products are
unlikely to pose any health hazard to humans or other vertebrates or
to the great majority of non-target invertebrates...."
In their article in the journal Science, researchers led by Raffi
Aroian of the University of California - San Diego, United States,
note that Bt toxins hold great potential in the treatment of parasitic
diseases in animals." Cry proteins have now been shown to target
nematodes as well, including the intestinal parasite Nippostrongylus
brasiliensis, suggesting that Cry proteins may be used in the future
to control parasitic nematodes of animals and plants," When scientists
finally shout Eureka, with regard to these efforts, I am wondering if
the Jeremy Smiths of this world will advise us to keep off beef or
pork.
It's clear that Bt toxins pose no health risks to human beings.
Scientific evidence attests so. Mr. Smith's proclivity to twisting
scientific facts about GMOs serves no public interest. Modern
agricultural biotechnology is a reality that won't crumble under the
weight of lies and propaganda.