Aflatoxin is a well-known global health threat. This poison, produced by the Aspergillus fungus, is common in corn, wheat, rice and many other crops. Hot climates and inadequate storage practices augment the spread of the fungus and its accompanying toxin. It has also proved extremely difficult to eliminate or even reduce. A new gene-based approach could change that.
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[U]p to a quarter of all liver cancer cases worldwide could be due to aflatoxin exposure.
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“This approach has a lot of potential,” says [Nancy] Keller [who studies fungal pathogens at the University of Wisconsin-Madison]. But she questions whether it will gain widespread acceptance due to the skepticism surrounding genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. The government bureaucracy and public opinion are significant hurdles for the experimental corn to overcome. Keller wonders if the severity of the health hazards could be enough to overcome the reluctance. “Can people accept something like this because it’s genetically engineered?” asks Keller. “Maybe it’s better to have this new strain and not get cancer.”
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: A genetically modified corn could stop a deadly fungal poison — if we let it
For more background on the Genetic Literacy Project, read GLP on Wikipedia
