GM BERMUDA GRASS-GENERATING CYANIDE GAS?

In the midst of the controversy surrounding the safety of GM crops comes the news about the death of a few cattle after ingesting a GM version of Bermuda grass in Texas, USA'. No doubt this is going to vitiate further the debate about the safety of GM crops in, giving some ammunition to the antagonists of genetically modified foods. According to bare details available on this episode a herd of 15 cattle died within a short while after being allowed to graze on a land planted with GM Bermuda grass and it was revealed that the death occurred due to cyanide poisoning. Whether cyanide release is due to genetic modification or other factors is still not clear. According to rangers 2% loss of their cattle is common during grazing due to many reasons and this isolated case should not be viewed as some thing unique. Here is a report about this incidence which will possibly ignite the passion surrounding  the issue of GM technology and its safety. 

"A form of genetically modified grass is being cited as the likely culprit in the sudden death of a herd of cattle in Central Texas, according to CBS News. Preliminary tests revealed that the grass, an altered form of Bermuda grass known as Tifton 85, had mysteriously begun producing cyanide gas. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are conducting further tests to determine if some sort of mutation caused the grass to suddenly begin giving off the deadly gas. The cattle died roughly three weeks ago while grazing on a ranch in Elgin, Texas, about 20 miles east of Austin. According to the ranch's owner, Jerry Abel, the cattle began howling shortly after being let out to graze one day. Fifteen of his eighteen cattle died, all of them in a matter of hours. Abel told CBS that he'd been using the modified grass for about fifteen years with no problems, until now. And he's not the only one with a suddenly toxic pasture. Other farmers in the area who use the same modified grass have also found cyanide on their properties, though as yet no other cattle have died. Genetically modified crops have long been used to feed both humans and farm-raised animals. In recent years, however, activists concerned about potentially detrimental health impacts from GMOs have begun pushing for increased regulation and labeling of food products that contain modified crops. In California, voters will decide in November on a ballot measure that would require companies to label all foods containing GMOs. Such a law would be the first of its kind in the nation".

Before coming to the conclusion that the genetic modification was responsible for the release of cyanide by the grass, it should be borne in mind that there are over 1500 plants in nature containing cyanide compounds in combination with sugar and lipids. These include Johnson grass, cassava roots, apricots, apple seeds, peach seeds, bamboo shoots etc and as long as the food is cooked they do not pose any danger to life. Besides cyanides at low concentrations pass through the body without any harm. Cyanide gas at 270 ppm in the air or 200 mg in food ingested can be fatal. Among the grass Sorghum grass is considered poisonous and hence avoided by rangers. Generation of cyanide gas during early vegetative growth is known to occur while during drought times cyanide levels can build up over the grass. Against such a background it may be premature to indict the GM grass for the death of cattle in the above episode.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com