Source: Tudisco R, Calabrò S, Cutrignelli MI, Moniello G, Grossi M, Mastellone V, Lombardi P, Pero ME, and Infascelli F. 2015 Genetically modified soybean in a goat diet: influence on kid performance. Small Ruminant Research. 126 (Supplement 1), p. 67-74, 2015
Photo source: GE Soybeans Give Altered Milk and Stunted Offspring, Researchers Find
The premise is nanny goats fed GM soybean meal produce milk of inferior quality, which stunts the growth of their kids. Specifically, their colostrum and milk were lower in serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), fat, and protein concentration. Furthermore, DNA from the transgene was found in both the colostrum and the milk of nanny goats fed meal containing GM soybean.
- Citing this study, the Institute for Science in Society went as far as to blame the US neonate mortality is due to GM feeds “The US has by far the highest level of neonatal mortality in industrialised nations. Many factors likely underlie this statistic but it is clear that the integrity of the first meals of a baby’s life has far-reaching and long-term effects and must be protected against pollution with pesticides and GM foods.” [Webmaster’s Note: The rate in the US is 4 per 1000 live births. For most of Europe, it is between 1 and 3, according to the WHO. An alternate explanation, based on socio-economic factors, has been offered to explain the differences in mortality].
The experimental work is for the most part fairly well designed, but with some major flaws. Nevertheless, the results defy credulity, and go against an overwhelming body of evidence to the contrary.Note added on 10 Feb 2016: A university panel convened to investigate the charges of fraud has found 11 researchers guilty of fabricating non-existent experimental results. Said another way, the results presented here are made up.
The main reasons why this paper fails:
Category 1: Experimental design:
- No evidence that isogenic soybean lines were used, or that they analyzed the meals to verify their GM and nonGM nature
- Nanny goats were kept as a group, not independently, so the experimental unit is the pen, not the goat– data need to be reanalyzed
- By feeding the larger kids more milk, they exaggerated the growth difference
- There is no explanation as to how the soybean meal in the concetrate was determined to be/not be GM. Furthermore, the concentrate contains sugarbeet pulp and corn gluten, neither of which were tested to determine if they were GM.
Category 2: anomalies in the figures showing data alteration:
- PubPeer
- Infascelli final by BioDigital Valley
Category 3: News reports:
- Retraction Watch: Paper claiming GMO dangers retracted amid allegations of data manipulation
- Nature: Italian papers on genetically modified crops under investigation
- The Scientist: GM Paper Flagged by Politician Retracted
- Italian press:
Additional expert assessments:
- Biofortified: Retracted Infascelli study was poor in quality
- Biofortified: Italian research group subject of data fabrication probe
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand Response to a feeding study in goats by Tudisco et al
- Paul Vincelli: Study: Genetically Modified Soybean Meal Associated With Reduced Growth of Goat Kids
Additional papers from the same lab that also fail for similar reasons:
- Tudisco R, Lombardi P, Bovera F, d’Angelo D, Cutrignelli MI, Mastellone V, Terzi V, Avallone L, and Infascelli F. 2006. Genetically modified soya bean in rabbit feeding: detection of DNA fragments and evaluation of metabolic effects by enzymatic analysis. Animal Science 82(2): 193-199
- Tudisco R, Cutrignelli MI, Calabrò S, Guglielmelli A, and Infascell F, 2007. Investigation on genetically modified soybean (RoundUp Ready) in goat nutrition: DNA detection in suckling kids. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 6(SUPPL. 1) :380–382
- Tudisco R, Infascelli F, Cutrignelli MI, Bovera F, Morcia C, Faccioli P, and Terzi V. 2006. Fate of feed plant DNA monitored in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), Livestock Science, 105(1–3):12–18
- Tudisco R, Mastellone V, Cutrignelli MI, Lombardi P, Bovera F, Mirabella N, Piccolo G, Calabrò S, Avallone , and Infascelli F. 2010 Fate of transgenic DNA and evaluation of metabolic effects in goats fed genetically modified soybean and in their offspring Animal. 4(10):1662-71
- Tudisco R, Calabrò S, Bovera F, Cutrignelli MI, Nizza A, Piccolo V, and Infascelli F. 2010. Detection of plant species-specific dna (barley and soybean) in blood muscle tissue, organs and gastrointestinal contents of rabbit, World Rabbit Science, 18(2): 83–90
- Mastellone V, Tudisco R, Monastra G, Pero M. Calabrò S, Lombardi P, Grossi M, Cutrignelli M, Avallone L, and Infascelli F. 2013. Gamma-glutamyl transferase activity in kids born from goats fed genetically modified soybean. Food and Nutrition Sciences. 04(06):50-54