Human Feeding Trials of GM Banana Delayed

Earlier this month, an article in the Des Moines Register announced the delay of Iowa State University’s human feeding trials of the genetically modified “Super Banana.” AGRA Watch and its partners have consistently raised concerns regarding the development of this GMO. We condemn the feeding trials because the human subjects are unlikely to be aware of the controversy surrounding this research, and are unlikely, themselves, to benefit; we also question the GMO’s supposed effectiveness in accomplishing its goal of preventing vitamin A deficiency. In the article, Tony Leys quotes a press release and open letter from AGRA Watch partner, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, and discusses the controversy surrounding the genetically modified fruit.

Mariam Mayet, Director of South African-based AGRA Watch partner, the African Centre for Biosafety, is quoted in the article and makes clear her disappointment that the open letter was not met with a response or greater transparency from Iowa State.

Please see our previous post to learn more about the press release and open letter, and check out our website to find links to press coverage of the open letter.

Also, for more information regarding the GM Banana, see this report from our partner, the African Centre for Biosafety.

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