Make Way For "Mutant" Crops As GM Foods Face Opposition

squiggleslash writes "The concerns, legitimate or otherwise, about genetically modified foods such as Monsanto's Round-up Ready soy-beans, may be causing unintended consequences: Monsanto's rivals such as BASF are selling 'naturally' mutated seeds where extreme exposure to ultra-violet is used to increase the rate of mutations in seeds, a process called mutagenesis. These seeds end up with many of the same properties, such as herbicide resistance, as GM seeds, but inevitably end up with other, uncontrolled, mutations too. The National Academy of Sciences warns that there's a much higher risk of unintentionally creating seeds that have active health risks through mutagenesis than by other means, including relatively controlled genetic engineering, presumably because of the blind indiscriminate nature of mutations caused by the process. But because mutagenesis is effectively an acceleration of the natural system of evolution, it's very difficult to regulate."

Comments

Re:The real risk

[Reliable Windmill]

Exactly! While I am convinced GMO crops, in particular those by this large, greedy American corporation, are hazardous, the fact that Monsanto is becoming an extension of the U.S government, is a greater threat. The aim is not to feed people, but to use production and supply of food as a political weapon. The world must reject Monsanto, and ideally all American mega-corporations where possible, or you will see them take over more and more control over trade and politics over your countries.