High levels of harmful herbicide found in GM soy
An independent research by the Arctic University of Norway which was funded by the Research Council of Norway has found extremely high levels of the herbicide Roundup in 70% of the genetically modified (GM) soybeans.
In 1999 Monsanto had claimed that residue levels of up to 5.6 mg/kg in GM-soy represent “…extreme levels, and far higher than those typically found”.
The Norwegian study found levels as high as 9 milligrams per kilo on an average.
However, the non-GM soybean and organic soybean samples did not show residues of these chemicals.
What is significant is that, with the aggressive promotion of GM soybean, Roundup Ready GM soybeans constitute 75% of the total global soybean production.
According to the Norwegian study, in 2011-12, in the US, GM soybean contributed about 93% of the production and even in other leading soybean producing countries like Brazil and Argentina, GM soybean accounts for 83% and 100% of production respectively.
The US, Brazil and Argentina account for over 80% of the global production of soybean.
The study also pointed out that glyphosate found in Roundup formulations has been shown to interfere with genes that regulate early development in frogs and chickens resulting in deformities of embryos.
