Another ecological worry about GE crops seemed to have come true with a vengeance in 2000. American scientists reported that maize from the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico — the birthplace of corn and home to several, revered traditional varieties — contained bits of DNA from GE corn.
The study raised a furor and was later disavowed by the journal that published it. One follow-up survey found no evidence of transgenic contamination, but another reported traces in 1 percent of more than 100 fields sampled.
If GE genes aren’t already in Mexican maize, it’s probably just a matter of time, said Steve Strauss, professor and biotechnology outreach coordinator at Oregon State University. He just doesn’t see it as much to worry about.
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Genes jump all the time between conventionally bred crops and other species, he said.
Read the full, original story here: “Jumping of genes didn’t start with GM crops, scientists say”
