Google– based translation of China Academy of Military Sciences ex-vice president´s text on the hypothetical correlation of transgenic soybeans/glyphosate and diseases in China. The translation was further reviewed and commented by GenPeace.

In the last two weeks a mess was created around an “article” published at the official “journal” of the Chinese “Military Academy of Sciences” by its vice-president. The “paper” “proved” that glyphosate was the cause of the sharp increase in the incidence of different diseases among Chinese people. However, the “paper” was just a communication, sort of personal report, by a retired military officer, containing a couple of speculative considerations on the origin of the abovementioned increase in disease rates. The image of the report is below and for those fluent in Chinese here is the link for the full text: blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bb17e9d0102edhg.html 

As not many occidentals can read Chinese, GenPeace advanced a trial translation using Google and reviewing the product on the light of previous knowledge on the subject.

It is obvious that our good Lieutnan General was completely dominated by the GMO opposition, repeating as a parrot every non-sense that circulates in the internet and citing the trash literature that usually supports their claims. To those interested in a detailed analysis of the Lieutnan´s text, here is the translation from the Chinese original using Google translate, detailed commented.

Translation

Our country is the home of soybeans until 1994; before this date, the country was a net exporter of soybeans. Since 1995 China began to import soybeans; after a sharp rise in imports, in 2010 imports exceeded 50 million tons , in 2012 China imported 58.38 million tons of soybean , soybean imports reached 63.38 million tons in 2013 , accounting for 80 percent of China 's soybean market .

Imports of genetically modified soybeans were mainly U.S. multinational Monsanto developed genetically modified Roundup Ready soybeans. Monsanto Roundup, developed in the United States in the 70s of the last century, the introduction of the patented product herbicides, and then use the U.S. military in the Vietnam War as a defoliant ( Agent Orange )¹ have a special relationship: the main ingredient is glyphosate, which toxicity is increased by some polyethoxylated tallowamine adjuvants, such as POEA. In 1997, a glyphosate-resistant enzyme gene from Agrobacterium tumefaciens was isolated by Monsanto the United States, and the gene was transferred into soybeans and other crops. In crop management, spraying glyphosate-based herbicides can effectively eliminate weeds and non transgenic common crops, but will not kill glyphosate-resistant transgenic crops expressing the enzyme, thereby facilitating large-scale GM crop cultivation, saving labor costs. But as the result of spraying glyphosate , not only due to the lack of aromatic amino acids² , GM soybeans have serious nutritional deficiencies [ 1 ]³, and glyphosate residues can be found through the roots , stems and leaves in the plant, which can´t be removed by washing, ending up into the body after eating.

In April 2013 , an independent research institute⁴ in Germany , using the" Biological test technology" searched for glyphosate residues in genetically modified soybeans in Argentina. After sampling and analysis , seven out of 11 samples were found to contain of more than 20mg/kg glyphosate, with one of the reaching 97.36 mg / kg. [ 2 ]

Glyphosate is a toxic chemical and large doses of glyphosate are lethal; China and other countries recognize cases of glyphosate suicide case. In Japan, some studies show that Roundup lethal dose for an adult male is 250 ml⁵, while a lower dose and micro- doses of glyphosate can lead to chronic toxicity.

According to the research report by the U.S⁶ , France, Canada , Egypt, Brazil , Argentina, India, Thailand, China and many other scientific bodies showed that traces of glyphosate have mutagenic toxicity, tumor -induced toxicity , reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity , neurotoxicity , genetic toxicity and immune toxicity. April 18, 2013 , Prof. Stephanie and others⁷ from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published a paper stating that glyphosate interfers with cytochrome P450 enzymes, and leads to amino acid biosynthesis inhibition among gut microbiome, in what was defines as The Road to Modern diseases; the meta analysis collected 286 papers worldwide in the scientific literature , from a statistical point of view , and biological mechanisms , elaborated glyphosate pollution and diabetes , infertility , cancer, fetal abnormalities , autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , fatty liver , there is a causal relationship between cardiovascular disease , depression , Alzheimer's disease , Parkinson's disease , cerebral thrombosis , cerebral hemorrhage dozens of diseases. ⁸ [ 3 ]

In recent years , the EPA drinking water standards have been restricted to glyphosate content that glyphosate residue concentrations should not exceed 0.7mg / L, and explain the harm is caused by kidney damage and reproductive difficulties⁹. [ 4 ]

The Ministry of Health developed national standards G52763-2005 thereby " maximum residue limits for pesticides in food " were provided: glyphosate residues in fruits shall not exceed O.1mg / kg, corn glyphosate residues shall not exceed  1mg / kg. But I do not know why the above criteria for  glyphosate residue limits do not make provisions for soybeans.

2002 China's " genetically modified food and health management approach" has been clear stating that GM foods nutritional value and food safety shall not be less than the corresponding conventional food, and I do not know why the July 1, 2007 amendment just abolished the clause on genetically modified food nutritional value and safety requirements.

Because China's national standards for allowable residues of glyphosate soybeans have not been established so far have, and because the glyphosate content of imported genetically modified soybeans was not tested or reported by Ministry of Agriculture of China, it is difficult to accurately calculate China's soybean imports of glyphosate residues. 2013 China's imports of genetically modified soybeans from United States and other countries implied in a 6,338 tons of glyphosate; assuming the country population as 1,3 bi. people, the annual per capita imports of genetically modified soybean reaches about 50kg. Based on the detection of glyphosate residues in genetically modified soybeans in Argentina and assuming only a sample of the lowest level of glyphosate (20 mg/kg) for calculations, it is estimated for 2013 a per capita intake of glyphosate from ingestion of genetically modified soybeans of 1000 mg. It means a per person per day as high as 2.74mg¹⁰.

U.S. government to take on GM soybean production subsidies to $ 59.1 per ton in 2004 subsidy standard calculations, in 2013 the United States exported to China transgenic soybean 63.38 million tons , a total subsidy of $ 3.8 billion giant . U.S. soybean farmers through their huge subsidies , dumping of Chinese , a few years it destroyed the traditional Chinese soybean industry .

( Reprinted by Note : This paragraph contains an error , China in 2013 imports of " genetically modified soybean 63.38 million tons ," not all imports from the United States , however , the international trade of genetically modified soybean prices are directly affected by the U.S. agricultural subsidies . ) ¹¹

China's imports of genetically modified soybeans are mainly used to extract edible soybean oil ( the main brand is " Arowana ", etc.), not due to its quality , but because of its low price. GM soybeans quickly monopolized the Chinese soybean market, covering almost nationwide most of the restaurant industry and food units. Glyphosate in soybean oil form transgenic grains is uptake three meals a day in most of the country  and continues to penetrate into the human body. Consumers include children in kindergartens, schools, universities and students, the PLA (People´s Liberation Army) officers and agency personnel and other consumers in the school (except for special units ) .

The past 20 years , the health of our people deteriorated sharply , the incidence of some diseases straight up shocking. In 1996 , China's birth defects was 0.87% , in 2000 , rising to 1.09% in 2010 , rising to 1.53% ; [ 5 ]

According to the " Reference News" (June 2, 2013) , a survey reported by a site in the United States that 40% of the elderly over the age of 60  showed depression compared, significantly more than young people; [ 6 ] ¹²

November 22, 2011 "Xinmin Evening News " revealed that precocious puberty among Chinese girls was 10 times the rate of the last decade; 2010 the Beijing Municipal Government issued the first " White Paper on public health" and revealed an increase in the incidence of type 2 diabetes increased by 11.7 times ;

April 2, 2013 " Zhengzhou Daily" reported that the number of diagnosed autistic children increased a hundred -fold in 20 years, February 20, 2013 " Sichuan News Net - Chengdu Daily " revealed : "In recent years , China Children's Oncology the incidence is rising, the average per 10,000 children, children with cancer will have a child in all tumors, leukemia, brain tumors , malignant lymphoma and neuroblastoma pathogenesis number in the top four . ¹³;

2012 China Population Association released the " 2012 China White Paper survey sperm quality ," the survey data show that China's infertility patients since before reached more than 50 million , accounting for 15.6% of the population at childbearing age . 10 years ago ( 2002 ) this figure was 8 %, 20 years ago ( 1972 ) , 3 % and 40 years ago ( in the 1970s ) , no more than 1%.

According to Xinhua reports , China 's incidence of Parkinson's disease in the past 20 years showed a growth of at least 20 times ; [ 7 ]

China's current incidence of cardiovascular disease more than 13% [ 8 ] ; chronic kidney disease population reached 10%. [ 9 ]

As low and micro- doses of glyphosate have progressive , stealth and long-term characteristics, the risks of genetically modified soybean oil , unlike other poisons, can´t get immediate direct proof. In recent years, China National health condition deteriorated sharply and despite the weather , pollution and other factors, the dangers of genetically modified soybeans can´t be ruled out. Ensure the absolute safety of food  is an unswerving policy of the country . On this issue of vital importance , we have no room for trial and error . According to the March 3 "Yangcheng Evening News" report, the U.S. Environmental Medicine Academy officially announced : genetically modified foods cause serious harm to human health¹⁴. Back in May 2009 , the hospital¹⁵ issued a research report saying : "Some animal studies suggest that eating GM foods have serious damage to health risks, including infertility, immune problems , accelerated aging , insulin regulation , and changes in major organs and stomach changes in the intestinal system, " Xinhua March 15 , Paris : French Ministry of Agriculture on March 15 announced the decision to ban the cultivation, use and sale of the U.S. Monsanto developed GM maize MON810 in France.

Now it is time to remove the artificial setting of genetically modified foods " information barrier". My recommendation is that the relevant departments should seriously carry out epidemiological surveys, face reality, control risk , and implement prevention as a priority, to take effective preventive measures to ensure the safety of people's lives and the health and safety of the bottom line.

(The author is a former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences)

Expert Profile

Mi Zhenyu, former vice president of Academy of Military Sciences, doctoral tutor, the generals Street

Eighth National People's Congress, the Ninth CPPCC National Committee,

The second, third and fourth degree Committee of the State Council Convenor military discipline, Convenor of the military council doctoral disciplines, Fifth National Postdoctoral Professional Personnel Committee.

References:

[1] T. Bøhn et al, Compositional differences in soybeans on the market:. Glyphosate accumulates in Roundup Ready GM soybeans, Food Chemistry, online 18 December 2013

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814613019201

In translation : http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bb17e9d0102ebkd.html

[2] TestBiotech, High levels of residues from spraying with glyphosate found in soybeans in Argentina, 2013-10-22 http://www.testbiotech.de/en/node/926

In translation : http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4bb17e9d0102edgj.html

(direct link: http://www.testbiotech.org/sites/default/files/TBT_Background_Glyphosate_Argentina_0.pdf)

[3] Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff, Glyphosate's Suppression of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes and Amino Acid Biosynthesis by the Gut Microbiome: Pathways to Modern Diseases, Entropy 2013, 15 (4), 1416-1463

http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416/pdf

In translation : http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6e9914110101ec4d.html

[4] EPA, Technical Factsheet on: GLYPHOSATE

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pdfs/factsheets/soc/tech/glyphosa.pdf

[ 5 ] Information Times , one hundred births 5.6 flawed , March 7, 2013

http://news.ifeng.com/gundong/detail_2013_03/07/22826084_0.shtml

[ 6 ] Reference News , Foreign media: Chinese elderly plagued by depression ,2013 -06-02

http://china.cankaoxiaoxi.com/2013/0602/218581.shtml

[ 7 ] Xinhua , the incidence of Parkinson's disease for at least the past 20 years, an increase of 20 times , 12 April 2007

http://news.xinhuanet.com/health/2007-04/12/content_5965118.htm

[ 8 ] Health News , " China Cardiovascular Disease Report 2012 " published every 10 seconds one person dies effort ,2013 -08-12

http://www.bj.xinhuanet.com/hbpd/health/yw/2013-08/12/c_116900727.htm

[ 9 ] Guangzhou Daily , Guangdong incidence of chronic kidney disease in the country ,2013 -11-04

http://news.southcn.com/d/2013-11/04/content_83567059.htm

Appendix: " Technology Digest News " April 25, 2014 Mi Zhenyu "face import of genetically modified soybeans for 1.3 billion Chinese people 's health and safety hazard" to scan items

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Comments by GenPeace

¹ The “Agent Orange” was a mixture of 2,4.D, 2,5-T and some other toxic residues, but no glyphosate at all. The very serious health problems caused by the “agent” were due to the presence of a contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), a very toxic component from the dioxin group.

² The text is not related to the context. It may be a mistranslation.

³The paper of Bohm and colleagues was produced by a group of activists dedicated to prove that GMOs are dangerous and that the associated technology also increases risks. The methodology is very flawed and it is astonishing how such a bad paper could be accepted by a traditional scientific, peer reviewd journal. It is, by no means, the first trash that is accepted by a good journal, the paradigmatic example being that of Séralini (http://genpeace.blogspot.com.br/2013/09/is-seralinis-paper-dead-horse-should-be.html )

⁴The “independent” NGO TestBiotech is not a research institute and the text cited is not a paper. It lacks controls and a clear methodology and is in sharp contrast to other real papers, like the one published by Arreguí et al. (2003): the authors found no soybean samples with residues above the internationally agreed limit. Soil and water samples were also either negative or at very low level. Samples were taken from crop areas during consecutive crop years (http://www.ask-force.org/web/HerbizideTol/Arregui-Monitoring-Glyphosate-Residues-in-Soybean-2004.pdf )

⁵If the reader swallows 250ml of pure alcohol, acetic acid, fuel, mustard or hot chili, he or she will almost certainly die or face serious health consequences. Lower doses, however, may have no direct impact on his/her health...

⁶No references...

⁷The paper mentioned here has a few claims that may be true, but the whole of it is very bad. See a full comment on http://skeptoid.com/blog/2013/05/04/roundup-and-gut-bacteria/.What GenPeace really appreciates is the incisive approach Skeptoid has to unravel the truth: just have a look in the graph below, a Skeptoid contribution to the problem of “modern diseases”:

Useless to say, you can found a similar correlation to whatever food, drug or device whose adoption has seen a steady increase in the last 12 years...

⁸The translation is difficult here, but the main idea is clear: glyphosate leads to the increased incidence of all diseases listed in the paragraph.

⁹The numbers are false: a quick inspection of the EPA texts leads to the following information: Drinking water levels which are considered "safe" for short-term exposures: For a 10-kg (22 lb.) child consuming 1 liter of water per day, upto a ten-day exposure to 20 mg/L or up to a 7-year exposure to 1 mg/L. Moreover, the author mixes up acute and chronic effects: the latter could be renal and reproductive problems, but these remain as potential effects, not at all demonstrated or taken for granted.

¹⁰Our esteemed Lieutnan General Mi Zhen wrongly assumes in his calculations that all soybeans will be fed as grains to humans. Not at all! The vast majority of imported grains will be fed to pigs, chickens and other animals. The small fraction used for human consumption will be mostly transformed to oil, that has no glyphosate residues or only very small amounts of it. The final results will lower per capita intake to more than an order of magnitude!!

¹¹The two paragraphs are irrelevant for the discussion on glyphosate and GM soybean impacts on health.

¹²The increase in depression rates was reported by Bloomberg website (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-31/china-s-growing-ranks-of-elderly-beset-by-depression-study-says.html ) and has absolutely no correlation to glyphosate.

¹³The translation is confusing, but the message is clear: cancer cases of very different types and ehiologies are rapidly increasing in numbers among Chinese children.

¹⁴This Academy is indeed an assemblage of activists and has absolutely no relation to the true Academy of Medicine nor with any other serious academic or class agency in USA. The name is misleading, but anyone can easily check its origin and ideology: : just see what is in Wikipedia: Quackwatch lists the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) as a questionable organization, and its certifying board, the American Board of Environmental Medicine as a dubious certifying board.^[4] They are not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

¹⁵It is unclear what “hospital” could mean in the original text. As there are no references cited in this paragraph, it is not possible to track down the origin of this queer info.