My two cents worth:
Talking about GM food as a general category is a nonsense: a GM food is different from its parental species because of one or more proteins which are expressed by the transgenes. So, every single product is different, and its hazards to health must be assessed separately by evaluating the hazards to health of the extra proteins it expresses. Let's say you want to make apples orange (it's just an example): you take the gene(s) encoding B-carotenoids from carrots and transfect them into apples. If you work properly (and, believe me, it's not that easy) chances are the apples will be orange. Would such a GM be safe? It depends on the safety of B-carotenoids, which is debated (they may lead to vitamin A excess), but that's the only factor in the equation. It doesn't matter where the gene comes from (unless it comes from a virus), what matters is the protein it encodes.
Danger for environment: GM crops are usually more resistant than endogenous species to environmental stress - that's what they are designed for. So they have an evolutionary advantage and might undermine the biological equilibrium of the areas where they grow. The magnitude of this effect hasn't yet been determined, and I strongly think it once again depends on what single GM you are talking about.
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``Italy didn't present truly new evidence,'' said Simon Barber of Europabio. ``We're confident these kinds of bans only will be upheld when real evidence comes to light.''
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It's not a matter of evidence, it's a matter of mass reaction: food is something which is deeply rooted in our culture. Science tryng to modify it in ways unheard of and unknown to the vast majority of the people creates a sense of danger which isn't based on rational calculation but on emotional factors. Masses fear GMs,politicians are voted by the masses =>in all of Europe, and mostly in Italy for the reasons stated above, politicians are zealots of largely exagerated precautional measures against GMs. Throw in a bit of antiamericanism and anticapitalism (which are the main soul of the no global movement, at least here in Italy), and you will understand why this ban will not be upheld so easily, particularly after the facts from Iraq which have thrown gasoline on the fire of a growing anti USA propaganda.
[ 03-19-2003, 03:37 AM: Message edited by: B_part ]