Genetically modified (GM) soybeans are prepared to be sold as Roundup Ready (RR) products.  The Roundup herbicide can be used to kill weeds, but will not kill RR soybeans.  Large amounts of these soy products are sold as food for people and as feed for animals destined for human consumption.

Diet changes can alter the condition and structure of internal organs of animals and humans.  This study was done to determine the effect of feeding broiler chickens with protein from GM soy for 42 days.  From birth, the chicks were fed protein from soy, fish flour, sunflower seeds, wheat or PC starter with a part of the protein replaced with GM soy.  The percentage of protein remained the same.

After 42 days the animals were sacrificed and their internal organs were examined.  There were no significant differences in the animal’s overall weight gains.  Specimens were taken of the chickens’ hearts, intestines, livers and kidneys for study.

Abnormalities were only seen in the organs of animals fed GM protein.  Livers showed necrosis, fibrotic scarring and fatty infiltration.  The intestines revealed polyps and white cell inflammatory infiltration while the muscles showed cell enlargement and fiber fragmentation.  Histologic examination of the organs of the animals fed GM soy showed “inflammatory and degenerative liver lesions, muscle hypertrophy, hemorrhagic necrosis of bursa, kidney focal tubular necrosis, superficial ulceration of bowel and pancreatic dystrophies.”  Significantly, the animals which were switched from GM products to non-GM protein returned to normal within 30 days.

CONCLUSION:  Newborn chickens were fed genetically modified soy protein for 42 days.  They developed signs of degeneration and inflammation in internal organs, which were not seen with non-GM diets.  The chicks returned to normal when returned to a non-GM diet.

NOTE: Read about the importance of labeling GMOs. Read about organ pathology in chickens fed GMOs.

To read the author’s abstract of the article, click on the title of the article. Then, to read the full text article, click on the RJME icon.

PMID: 21424096.

Summary #527.