Thread: Cancer linked to GM Potatoes

GM makes potatos now? i thought they were a car company

Originally Posted by CRASHMAN

GM makes potatos now? i thought they were a car company

Wth is a GM potato?

Originally Posted by fufu

Wth is a GM potato?

Genetically Modified. Which = most of the produce you buy at the supermarket.

Originally Posted by BigDyl

Genetically Modified. Which = most of the produce you buy at the supermarket.

I was always leery of that, I wonder what spud has to say about this.

"Pusztai and a colleague used potatoes that had been genetically modified to produce a protein, lectin. They found cell damage in the rats' stomachs, and in parts of their intestines."

The journal article they wrote can be found at: http://www.gene.ch/genet/1999/Oct/msg00055.html

An excerpt: "In conclusion, the stimulatory effect of GNA-GM potatoes on the
stomach was mainly due to the expression of the GNA transgene in
the potato. By contrast, the potent proliferative effect of raw
GNA-GM potatoes on the jejunum, and the antiproliferative effect
of boiled transgenic potatoes on the caecum can be attributed
only partly to GNA gene expression. Other parts of the GM
construct, or the transformation, could have contributed to the
overall effects. Once bound, GNA is internalised by endocytosis;"

They have identified a link between GM potatoes and a bad side effect. However, they do not identify whether it is the recombinant gene that causes the problem, the synergy of the produced protein with other macromolecules or even if it could be a problem with the sampled rats.

I do not think this should translate to human nonconsumption.
1) The inability to determine the reason for the rat intestine degradation means there is no certainty that humans possess the same weakness.
2) The rats were fed a diet of potatoes + supplementary nutrition. Humans don't eat that. I refuse to believe this is a good indicator of human physiologic response.

Spud protecting the spuds

uhhhh... i can't believe that just happened....

"It showed that the potatoes did considerable damage to the rats' organs. Those in the "control groups" that were fed non-GM potatoes suffered ill-effects, but those fed GM potatoes suffered more serious organ and tissue damage."

Looks like a flawed study to me...If your control is suffering ill-effects from normal potatoes then that could have been the catalyst for the mutated taters to cause even worse damage...That is no reason to conclude that in a human who may not suffer any ill effects from the normal potatoes would be hurt at all by the GM's. It may possibly be that it takes the initial ill effects to lead to the more serious damage from the mutants...

Originally Posted by bigss75

Spud protecting the spuds

I gotta protect my kind from being fried, or baked, or mashed.

Originally Posted by Spud

I gotta protect my kind from being fried, or baked, or mashed.

Originally Posted by Spud

I gotta protect my kind from being fried, or baked, or mashed.

Thought that was you every Friday, Saturday night?