The darker side of genetically modified food
R. PRASAD
GENETIC ROULETTE — The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods: Jeffrey M. Smith; SAGE, distributed by The Other India Bookstore, Next to New Mapusa Clinic, Mapusa-403507, Goa. Rs.475.
People who oppose genetically modified (GM) food on various grounds are very often portrayed as fear mongers. And one of the major criticisms against these people is that the opposition to GM food is not based on sound scientific evidence. Scientific evidence or lack of it comes from the absence of research papers published in reputed, peer-reviewed journals.
The Indian edition of this book by Jeffrey M. Smith, author of the famous book Seeds of Deception, sets the record straight. It proves that the opposition to GM food is based on studies carried out by several organisations and individuals. Some of their work has been published in leading journals including Science, Nature, Lancet and Nature Biotechnology.
Written in a reader-friendly accessible way, and covering various aspects of genetic modification of plants, Smith ensures that lay readers get a grasp of the complexities involved and the lacunae in our understanding of GM science.
Why contentious
The book provides a good starting point for anyone interested in knowing the darker side of GM food. It shows why GM science is such a contentious issue, and why it should not be considered as having matured.
It takes the readers through a journey that will inevitably shock them. Several strategies that companies use to get favourable results are clearly explained. It almost serves as a compendium on the ill-effects of GM food on animals and humans. It very clearly explains how GM food companies resort to surrogate testing of proteins extracted from bacteria instead of testing those taken from GM plants. Only a few studies look for the effects of feeding animals with the whole plant. Unfortunately, this is buried in the book instead of being highlighted at the very beginning.
Similarly, many pages have been devoted to exposing the regulators’ role in the deception. Though this may be well known to those following the GM controversy, the author should not have assumed that every reader knows it. This should have been highlighted at the very beginning and not buried somewhere.
Judgmental
While it provides a wealth of information, the biggest drawback is that the book is too judgmental. Most of the titles appear alarming. Even if every word of what Smith states is true, it would have been wise to make it sound neutral. Citation of facts, and not the language, should have communicated the dangers, if any. For instance, the first section in part-4 of the book reads: “Why GM crops are not needed to feed the world.” One may be forced to conclude that Smith is given to hyperbole. Just as the claims of companies, that every aspect of GM science has been studied and GM products have been found to be safe, should be condemned, Smith’s stand that GM crops are unnecessary is also unacceptable. GM science is still in its infancy, despite claims by companies and governments that have vested interests. Given the many risks that have shown up in several laboratory and field studies, which he brings out very well, one would have expected him to stress on the need for greater transparency and freedom for scientists to report any negative findings.
Given the tone of the book, it should come as no surprise if the painstaking work of Smith gets ignored by the companies at first, then dismissed summarily when they are questioned on specific issues raised in this book, and other strategies such as cherry picking of some arguments to imply that the content of the book is questionable, and finally tarnish his image. After all, these are the strategies that companies use to handle any book or work that exposes the shortcomings of GM science.
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