Frontiers in Science and Engineering International Journal
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Frontiers in Science and Engineering International Journal Edited by The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology of Morocco Life Sciences (Medicine, Health, Agriculture, Biology, Genetics) Contents i Foreword 1 Genetically modified crops (GM crops) and derived foods: Brief review of their impact on health and environment, and of their social acceptance Albert SASSON 53 Genetically modified organisms: implications within the microbial and plant kingdoms Bouchra BELKADI 61 Genetically modified fish in aquaculture Ana GÓMEZ 69 Genetically modified organisms in Africa Jean Claude AUTREY and Asha DOOKUN-SAUMTALLY 73 GM crops situation in Latin America Elizabeth HODSON DE JARAMILLO Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. Layout by : AGRI-BYS S.A.R.L Printed by : Imprimerie LAWNE 11, rue Dakar, 10040 - Rabat WELCOME TO FSE Frontiers in Science and Engineering, an International Journal edited by The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology uses author-supplied PDFs for all online and print publication. The objective of this electronic journal is to provide a platform of exchange of high quality research papers in science and engineering. Though it is rather of wide and broad spectrum, it is organized in a transparent and simple interactive manner so that readers can focus on their direct interest. All papers are submitted to the normal peer-review process. Publication criteria are based on : i) Novelty of the problem or methodology and problem solving, ii) Salience of the approach and solution technique, iii) Technical correctness and outputs, iv) Clarity and organization. Papers are first reviewed by the Executive Board Director who receives the paper and, if relevant in terms of the overall requirements, it is then proposed to one of the most appropriate associate editor on the field who will select 2 to 3 expert reviewers. Electronic printing will allow considerable time savings for submission delays which will be reduced drastically to less than three to six months. Prospective authors are therefore invited to submit their contribution for assessment while subjected to similar quality criteria review used in paper journals. Authors are notified of acceptance, need for revision or rejection of the paper. It may be noted that papers once rejected cannot be resubmitted. All the details concerning the submission process are described in another section. This electronic journal is intended to provide : • the announcement of significant new results, • the state of the art or review articles for the development of science and technology, • the publication of proceedings of the Academy or scientific events sponsored by the Academy, • the publication of special thematic issues. So that the scientific community can : • promptly report their work to the scientific community, • contribute to knowledge sharing and dissemination of new results. The journal covers the established disciplines, interdisciplinary and emerging ones. Articles should be a contribution to fundamental and applied aspects, or original notes indicating a significant discovery or a significant result. The topics of this multidisciplinary journal covers amongst others : Materials Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer sciences, Energy, Earth Science, Biology, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Medical Science, Agriculture, Geosciences, Environment, Water, Engineering and Complex Systems, Science education, Strategic and economic studies, and all related modeling, simulation and optimization issues, etc. ... Once, a certain number of papers in a specific thematic, is reached, the Academy might edit a special paper issue in parallel to the electronic version. I Frontiers in Science and Engineering - Vol. 8 - Supplement 1 - 2018 An International Journal Edited by The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology FOREWORD The Frontiers in Science and Engineering International Journal is devoting the present issue to life sciences, and especially to genetically modified organisms (mainly crop species and a few mammal species). The articles included in this issue have the merit of deciphering the history of the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and of describing the growth rate and expansion of these organisms in agriculture, food industry and animal breeding. These reviewed articles correspond to presentations made by the authors during a seminar, which was organized in 2016 by the College of Life Sciences of The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology and the Mohammed V University of Rabat. Driss OUAZAR Executive Director and Associate Editor-in-Chief Frontiers in Science and Engineering - Vol. 8 - Supplement 1 - 2018 II An International Journal Edited by The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology Albert SASSON Genetically modified crops (GM crops) and derived foods Genetically modified crops (GM crops) and derived foods: Brief review of their impact on health and environment, and of their social acceptance * Albert SASSON Director of the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Section** Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 A new report from the American National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine .................................................................................................................................................. 4 An open letter addressed by more than 100 scientists to Greenpeace ....................................................... 6 Labeling of GM food in the United States ................................................................................................................. 8 The controversy about glyphosate ..................................................................................................................................11 • Dispute about the link of glyphosate to cancer in the United States ........................................................14 • What is at stake? ...............................................................................................................................................................16 • The response of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ....................................................................17 How close are the relations between scientists and experts with agrochemical companies? .......18 The potential role of Monsanto in the retraction of Eric Séralini’s study from the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology ...................................................................................................19 Europe divided about the cultivation of present GM crops and of new ones .......................................20 New battles and polemics about new categories of GMOs ..............................................................................24 • Pioneer’s outstanding contribution ..........................................................................................................................26 • Another contribution of Calyxt, a startup from Minneapolis (Minnesota) ............................................29 Consolidation of the seed business .................................................................................................................................29 • Monsanto’s bid on Syngenta ........................................................................................................................................30 • Bayer-Monsanto merger ................................................................................................................................................31 Scrutiny by politicians and regulators ..................................................................................................................33 A question of image ......................................................................................................................................................34 (*) Rabat, Morocco, revised December 2017. (**) Until February 2017. Frontiers in Science and Engineering - Vol. 8 - Supplement 1 - 2018 1 An International Journal Edited by The Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology Albert SASSON Genetically modified crops (GM crops) and derived foods Selected snapshots in a few developing countries ..................................................................................................35 • Overall benefits of GM crops ......................................................................................................................................35 • Some benefits for animal and human health ........................................................................................................35 • Country review (selected examples) ........................................................................................................................36 • Tanzania ....................................................................................................................................................................36 • China ..........................................................................................................................................................................37 • Brazil ..........................................................................................................................................................................38