70% of Brazilian Food Contaminated by Agrochemicals

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Brazilians consume 7.5 liters of pesticides per year— highest per capita consumption rate in the world

“Around 70 percent of food consumed by Brazilians is contaminated by agrochemicals,” said researcher Karen Friederich of the Brazilian Association of Collective Health.

Friederich delivered the findings of her research during a lecture at the Health Movement Forum, revealing that Brazilians consume nearly 7.5 liters of pesticides per year—the highest per capita consumption rate in the world.

At least one-third of agrochemicals used in the Brazil are banned in the European Union and the United States because of their impacts on human health and the environment, she stated.

“The cases of contamination are not well documented, but they affect a large portion of the population, generating reproductive changes, birth defects and effects on the immune system,” Friederich said.

The number of reported cases of human intoxication by pesticides more than doubled, from 2,178 in 2007 to 4,537 in 2013, Brazil’s Health Ministry reported.

“In 2014, Brazilian health agency ANVISA, which is in charge of evaluating pesticide residues in food, found that of 1,665 samples collected, ranging from rice to apples to peppers, 29 percent showed residues that either exceeded allowed levels or contained unapproved chemicals,” the report said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported last year that glyphosate, a key ingredient used in many herbicides and pesticides, “probably causes cancer.”

GMO Linked to Gluten Disorders Affecting 18 Million Americans – Report

Genetically Modified Foods Likely Trigger  Gluten Sensitivity: IRT

The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) has released a new report linking  genetically modified (GM) foods and gluten-related disorders.

A team of experts suggests that GM foods may be an important environmental trigger for gluten sensitivity, which affect about 18 million Americans.

Based on a variety of data provided by the  U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Act records, medical journal reviews, and international research, “the authors relate genetically modified foods to five conditions that may either trigger or exacerbate gluten-related disorders.”  The conditions include the serious autoimmune disorder, Celiac Disease:

1. Intestinal permeability
2. Imbalanced gut bacteria
3. Immune activation and allergic response
4. Impaired digestion
5. Damage to the intestinal wall

“Although wheat has been hybridized over the years, it is not a genetically modified organism (GMO), which can only be created by a laboratory process that inserts genetic material into plant DNA,” according to the report.

GMO food crops currently being grown for commercial consumption include soy, corn, cotton (oil), canola (oil), sugar from sugar beets,  zucchini, yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, and alfalfa, says the report.

“Most GMOs are engineered to tolerate a weed killer called glyphosate (Roundup®). They contain high levels of this toxin at harvest. Corn and cotton varieties are also engineered to produce an insecticide called Bt-toxin.”

“The Bt-toxin in corn is designed to puncture holes in insect cells, but studies show it does the same in human cells. Bt-toxin may be linked to leaky gut, which physicians consistently see in gluten-sensitive patients,” said Jeffrey Smith, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Expressing concern about Roundup®, Stephanie Seneff, Senior Research Scientist at MIT said: “Glyphosate is a patented antibiotic that destroys beneficial gut bacteria. An imbalance of gut flora commonly accompanies Celiac Disease and other gluten-related disorders.”

Dr. Tom O’Bryan, internationally recognized expert on gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease, said: “The introduction of GMOs is highly suspect as a candidate to explain the rapid rise in gluten-related disorders over the last 17 years.”

Emily Linder MD said: “Based on my clinical experience, when I remove genetically modified foods as part of the treatment for gluten sensitivity, recovery is faster and more complete. I believe that GMOs in our diet contribute to the rise in gluten sensitivity in the U.S. population.”

Full report is posted at  http://responsibletechnology.org/media/images/content/Press_Release_Gluten_11_25.pdf

Related Links:

• Monsanto’s Pesticides Causing Cancer, Birth Defects in Argentina
• Monsanto Chemical Found in Euro Urine
• GM Genocide: Relieving farmers of hardship and misery! [IMAGE  WAS REMOVED BY WORDPRESS. REINSTATED by FIRE-EARTH on NOVEMBER 27, 2013.]
• The GM genocide: Thousands of Indian farmers are committing suicide after using genetically modified crops
• An Assault on Japanese Farmers

Glyphosate Unsafe —Researcher

Potential health dangers of glyphosate

An environmental group recently filed a suit in Argentina’s Supreme Court, seeking a ban on glyphosate, a herbicide commonly used with soybeans, citing a local scientist’s unpublished research.

The study by Andres Carrasco, an embryology professor and researcher, who also holds a post at the Defense Ministry, reports on potential health dangers of the herbicide.

The U.S. National Pesticide Information Center, which is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, says glyphosate has low toxicity levels.

Soybeans are a major source of biofuel. Image source: NYLCV. Image may be subject to copyright.

“Argentina’s large and powerful farming industry, which has been locked in a year-long tax battle with the government, sounded alarm bells, saying the defense ministry ban was the latest sign of the government’s anti-soy campaign.” Reuters reported.

“It’s more politics than anything else,” said Ulises Forte, vice president of the Argentine Agrarian Federation, a major farm industry group.

“With the farm industry up in arms, Science and Technology Minister Lino Baranao moved to distance the government from the study. He told local media the study was not commissioned by the government and had not been reviewed by scientific peers.” The report said.

The environmental group says its suit is not political.

“The only thing we are looking for is to defend people’s health and the environment, which we understand is polluted. especially in the way that agrochemicals (are applied) in this country, very close to towns,” said Mariano Aguilar, of the Environmentalist Lawyers Association of Argentina.

SOY Facts:

• Argentina is the third biggest world exporter of whole soybeans.
• Soy exports were worth $16.5 billion last year.
• 50 percent of all Argentina’s agricultural land (about 17 million acres) is planted with soy.

“Argentina consumes an estimated 53 million gallons (200 million liters) a year of glyphosate, including the Roundup brand, produced by Missouri-based agricultural company Monsanto Co and Power Plus and other products of Argentina’s Atanor, owned by Iowa-based Albaugh chemicals company.” The report said.

Carrasco says his research confirms other studies that have shown glyphosate can harm development of amphibian embryos.

“The most notable thing are alterations in cranial bones and cartilage,” he said.

The Supreme Court does not have a deadline for taking action on the suit.

“A glyphosate ban would hit not only farming income as soy yields come down, but also the government budget, which is heavily dependent on grains taxes.” Reuters reported.