Erik Millstone, professor of science policy at the University of Sussex, has submitted a report to EFSA challenging its biased review of the artificial sweetener aspartame. EFSA had issued an opinion saying aspartame is safe, though history and much scientific evidence says otherwise. Prof Millstone emphasizes that a fundamental problem at EFSA is its asymmetrical [...]
In this classic article from The Ecologist, Australian psychiatrist Dr David Straton explains how genetic engineering is carried out and the risks posed by the technique. While the article dates from 1977, it is still relevant. Article summary: Genetic engineering has aroused an unprecedented controversy in the scientific world. It has been described by one Nobel [...]
The article, “Conflicts of interest at the European Food Safety Authority erode public confidence”, has been published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, part of the British Medical Journal group. (Download the PDF.) […]
The horsemeat scandal is just the tip of the iceberg, as consumers don’t know what’s in their food, regardless of packaging fraud. More and more food contains residues of carcinogenic herbicides. The industry has a strong hold on Europe’s food safety agency, holding back independent standards and inspections. […]
Earth Open Source press release, 18 Feb 2013 Contact: Claire Robinson claire.robinson@earthopensource.org An EU-US free trade deal would obliterate EU safeguards for health and the environment with regard to genetically modified (GM) crops and foods, warns Earth Open Source. […]
By Evaggelos Vallianatos, 27 January 2013 Western civilization suffers from the delusion of replacing peasants and traditional culture with industrialized farmers. This goes hand-to-hand with another hazardous practice: privatizing and ruthlessly exploiting the natural world. This hubris has been infecting more than private corporate executives and governments, which, after all, have the models of nineteenth-century [...]
By The Bovine In 1999, 35 million small family plots produced 90% of Russia’s potatoes, 77% of vegetables, 87% of fruits, 59% of meat, 49% of milk — way to go, people! And since 1999, it seems things have only gotten better when it comes to small-scale agriculture in Russia. […]
GMOSeralini.org press release: New website shows public lied to about GM maize study 7 January 2013. Contact: Claire Robinson claire.robinson@gmoseralini.org A new website set up by scientists and citizens challenges criticisms of a landmark study [1] that found genetically modified (GM) maize damaged the health of rats. The group concludes there is an urgent need [...]
By Evaggelos Vallianatos 14 October 2012 The engineers who inserted the DNA bacterial gene, Bt, into corn assumed corn would produce nothing but a poison for the insects feeding on it. However, moving the Bt gene into the alien environment of corn, in addition to the insect-killing protein, the Bt gene could give birth to [...]
EU Commission waters down GM regulation just as new research shows “safe” GM maize causes increased tumours, organ damage, and premature death 20 September 2012 The European Commission is pushing through a new Regulation [1] that fatally weakens the way genetically modified (GM) foods are assessed for safety, according to a new report [...]
