Scientists Warn of Harmful GMO Imports Into Mexico J.E. Collinson - The News
go to original February 22, 2015

In Michoacán, you are never far from maize. It's in the fields where men labor. It's in the meals women prepare for their families, and part of every celebration. It's in the history, the stories, the imagination. (One Degree Organic Foods)

Mexico should ban the import of maize that has been genetically modified and/or treated with glyphosate, and all genetically modified (GMO) produce in Mexico should be clearly labeled, said a group of scientists representing the Union of Scientists Committed to Society (UCCS) at a press conference last week.

Genetically modified maize imported from the United States accounts for almost a third of all maize consumed in Mexico, and is often found to contain high levels of the herbicide glyphosate — commonly sold under the trade-name “Round- Up” — which potentially poses an increased risk for developing chronic illnesses such as cancer, while disrupting the endocrine system and damaging the kidneys and liver, experts say.

“It’s very worrying that 10 million tons of maize are being imported from the United States annually while there is no guarantee that this maize and the associated agrochemicals are not reaching our food. A large proportion of this maize is genetically modified and the majority contains glyphosate,” said Dr. Elena Álavarez- Buylla, expert in molecular genetics from the Institute of Ecology at UNAM and board director of UCCS.

Mexico is one of the world’s largest consumers of maize, with maize making up around 50 percent of the caloric consumption of Mexicans, with 9 of 10 citizens eating it daily.

Of the maize consumed, around 30 percent is imported from the United States, which experts warn is not subject to sufficient quality controls and contains a high percentage of genetically modified organisms and a large quantities of harmful chemicals.

Read the rest at The News

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!