美国CNN发表舒伯特教授文章：我们为何需要转基因标识？

     A common claim made by this group is that GM foods have been proved safe to eat and that there is a global scientific consensus to support this statement; therefore, no labeling is needed.

    转基因种子产业常见的说法是，转基因食品已经证实食用安全，说全球科学界共识支持这样的声明，因此转基因食品不需要标识。

    However, an examination of the scientific data, along with discussions on this topic in other countries, show that both claims are blatantly false. What is the evidence that some GM foods are hazardous to human health and that consumers should be able to make a choice based upon this information? 【注：英文粗体蓝字有链接，下同。】

    然而，对科学数据的审查，以及其他国家对这个问题的讨论，表明这两种说法皆公然虚假。某些转基因食品对人类健康有危险性因而消费者应当依据这样的信息做出选择的证据是什么？

David Schubert

大卫·舒伯特教授

    When GMOs were introduced nearly 20 years ago, there was the promise of crops with increased yields and resistant to flooding and salt. Since then, traditional breeding methods have created commercial varieties with these traits, while genetic engineering has created none. For example, recently published data show that conventional breeding of corn and soy increases yields to a greater extent than GM technologies.

    转基因生物近20年推出时，他们保证增加产量的作物与抗洪涝、抗盐碱的作物。但是后来，传统育种方法创造了具有这些性状的商业作物品种，但是转基因育种毫无进展。例如，最近出版的数据表明，传统育种的玉米与大豆比转基因作物更加增产。

    With the promise of reducing the use of agricultural chemicals, most of the current GM crops are supposedly either insect or herbicide resistant. In reality, GM crops have fostered an epidemic of herbicide resistant weeds and insects that are no longer killed by the built-in toxins.

    至于减少农业化学品的保证，目前大部分转基因作物或者抗虫或者容忍草甘膦。实际上，转基因作物反而培育了抗除草剂野草与转基因Bt毒素再也杀不死的害虫生物灾难。

    The result is a massive increase in herbicide use -- an additional 527 million pounds over the past 16 years. The major herbicide, glyphosate, is found inside the GM plants we eat, leading to its detection in people. Future GM crops will likely trigger a greater use of more toxic herbicides such as 2,4-D, a component of the Agent Orange defoliant deployed in Vietnam. In addition to these problems, there is increasing evidence that GM crops and the chemicals required for their production are harmful to humans.

    结果是除草剂使用量巨量增加 – 过去16年增加使用了5.27亿磅除草剂。主要的除草剂，草甘膦，在我们吃的转基因食物中发现，导致人类中也检测到。即将推出的未来转基因作物看来将触发2,4-D这样更加毒性除草剂更大量使用，它是越战期间在越南喷洒的橙剂的成分之一。除了这些问题外，还有越来越多证据表明转基因作物及其种植中使用的化学品危害人类健康。

    An Associated Press story in October documented the large increase in cancer and birth defects in commercial farming areas of Argentina since the introduction of GM crops. These data confirm recent animal studies showing that GM corn and the herbicides sprayed on it caused a dramatic increase in cancer in the same strain of rats used in FDA drug safety tests. Another large study showed an increase in severe stomach inflammation in pigs caused by GM feed containing insecticidal toxins, a condition that would likely lead to cancer in humans.

    美联社2013年10月的一篇报道，表明阿根廷商业化农场区域自引入转基因作物以来癌症与生育畸形剧增。这些数据确认了不久前的动物试验研究中显示转基因玉米及其喷洒的除草剂在试验鼠中造成癌症急剧增加，该项试验使用的老鼠品种与FDA药物安全性试验使用的老鼠品种相同。另外一项更大的研究表明，喂养含转基因Bt玉米饲料造成猪胃中严重发炎增加，这样的状态在人类中极为可能导致癌症。

    Since it takes many years for diseases such as cancer to appear, we could be reaching that point in time after the introduction of GM crops. What has been the reaction in the rest of the world to this and similar information?

    因为需要花费许多年像癌症这样的疾病出现，推出转基因作物后现在将达到这样的阶段。世界其他地方对此发生什么样的反应，是否有类似的信息？

    The European Union has tightened its GM food safety testing requirements as consumers continue to reject GM foods, resulting in the withdrawal of investment from two large GM seed producers, Monsanto and BASF. India, Peru, Bolivia, the Philippines and Mexico have issued moratoria on GM food crops to go along with Japan, South Korea and a large number of other countries.

    随着消费者继续拒绝转基因食品，欧盟加强了他们对转基因食品安全性试验的要求，导致投资者撤回对于孟山都与德国巴斯夫两家转基因种子生产商的部分投资。印度、秘鲁、玻利维亚、菲律宾与墨西哥对转基因食用作物发布禁令，加入日本、韩国以及很大数量其他国家的行列。

    Scientists in Russia have proposed a total ban on all GM products. And China, which initially embraced the technology, is having an extended debate about GM crops. The world's food authority, Codex Alimentarius, agreed in 2011 that GM food labels are justified to trace back any adverse health effects of GMOs.

    俄罗斯的科学家提出禁止所有转基因产品的提议。中国，原先拥抱转基因技术，对转基因作物的辩论正在扩展。世界食品权威机构食品法典委员会，2011年同意，为了跟踪转基因生物的任何负面健康影响，转基因食品标识合理。

    As a result of these new revelations about GM technology, the industry is making a major public relations effort to promote itself, often falsely claiming that there is a "consensus" among scientists that the technology is safe.

    作为对于转基因技术这些新的揭露的结果，转基因产业正在做出重大公共关系努力来推销自己，他们往往虚假声称科学家对于转基因技术安全取得了“共识”。

    In reality, there is no evidence that GM food is safe for human consumption, nor is there any consensus on this topic within the scientific community.

    事实上，没有任何证据表明转基因食品对人类食用安全，科学界内在这个问题上也根本没有任何共识。

    It is critical for the public to educate itself about the realities of GMOs and not be fooled by the rhetoric from companies that sell it.

    至关重要是公众对转基因生物的现实教育开展自我教育，不再受到推销转基因产品公司谎言的糊弄。

    Most of the world has studied this issue and concluded that GMOs are not worth the risk. Passing GM labeling initiatives in states will be the initial demonstration that the public understands what is at stake.

    世界大部分地方人士对这个问题进行了研究，结论对转基因不值得冒险。通过州转基因标识公民倡议成为初步示范，让公众理解存在这样的风险。

    At the very least, labeling may help reverse the unsustainable trend in this country towards ever increasing industrial GMO farming.

    至少，转基因标签有助扭转这个国家工业化转基因农业不断增加的不可持续趋势。