GM WHEAT DISCOVERY
SCIENTISTS WARN ON CSIRO GM WHEAT THREAT
Expert scientists warn that genetically modified wheat may cause Glycogen Storage Disease IV, resulting in
an enlarged liver, cirrhosis of the liver, and failure to thrive. Children born with this disease usually die at
about the age of 5.
Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to grow GM wheat commercially, and to test this in
human feeding trials.
Today in Melbourne molecular biologist and risk assessment researcher Professor Jack Heinemann of the
University of Canterbury, NZ, and Associate Professor Judy Carman, a biochemist at Flinders University, will
release expert scientific opinions on the safety of CSIRO’s GM wheat. These opinions have been reviewed
by Dr Michael Antoniou, reader in molecular genetics at King’s College, London.
Professor Heinemann’s expert opinion outlining how CSIRO’s GM wheat silencing technology could transfer
to humans is believed to be a world-first, and has been reviewed by scientists in Australia, the UK and
Austria.
Australia is on track to be the first country in the world to allow the commercial growing of GM wheat. It is
not yet grown anywhere else, nor is there any market worldwide that wants GM wheat. Current GM food
crops, like canola and corn, are experiencing fierce resistance across the globe, and there is growing anger
in the USA, the birthplace of GM food technology.
Australia has been selected to lead the push for the acceptance of GM wheat and CSIRO is currently
conducting field trials of GM wheat in WA, NSW, and the ACT. CSIRO says human feeding trials are
planned. It is feared these may already be underway.
Professor Heinemann has studied the similarity in the DNA sequencing of the wheat branching enzyme
which makes starch in wheat, and the human branching enzyme which produces glycogen.
CSIRO’s GM technology deliberately suppresses the wheat branching enzyme in GM wheat so there is less
starch and the wheat has a lower glycaemic index.
Professor Heinemann says there is strong evidence that siRNA, a type of dsRNA – which is a form of
ribonucleic acid, like DNA – when produced in wheat will transfer to humans through food.
“There is strong evidence that siRNAs produced in the wheat will remain in a form that can transmit to
humans even when the wheat has been cooked or processed for use in food.
Download expert opinions:
