04/March/20

 

After decades of pro-GMO hype telling us that only GM will save the banana from going extinct due to attack from black Sigatoka disease, non-GMO breeding has produced a variety that is resistant to the fungus. The new variety of banana can be produced using organic and agroecological production methods and is set to become commercially available in France. GMWatch

 

 

A new peer-reviewed paper published in the international journal Environmental Sciences Europe addresses specific environmental risks associated with genetically engineered (GE) plants that can spread and propagate in the environment. It is the first publication that focuses on on the risk assessment of so-called next generation effects. The review examines unintended effects that were observed in spontaneous hybrid offspring but absent in the original plants. Some of the risks include a higher invasive potential of the GE plants and/or disruption of the associated ecosystems. GMWatch

 

 

Judging from the high number of media articles drawing attention to the post-Brexit threat of the US's GM foods invading British supermarket shelves, it's clear that the GM food issue is far from dead in the UK. It appears that it was only "sleeping" due to the fact that EU labelling and risk assessment requirements for GMOs, combined with public resistance, have mostly kept GM ingredients from going directly into human food for over two decades. Concerned about the new threat? Here's how to take action. GMWatch