The effect of feeding diets with genetically modified cucumbers on the growth and health status of rats

Abstract

The composition of the fruits of non-transgenic or transgenic (GM) cucumbers with genes coding the synthesis of a sweet protein, thaumatin, were compared and effects of feeding the fruits in balanced diets to rats were determined. The transgenic cucumbers contained more protein (20.3 vs 17.9% DM) and less fibre (9.4 vs 11.4% DM) and also had lower Na, K, Ca and Mg contents and higher levels of Fe and Cu in ash than normal cucumbers. Feeding male rats of initial body weight 150 g for 5 weeks on isoprotein diets containing 0 or 15% lyophilized transgenic or non-transgenic cucumbers did not affect weight gain, apparent health status, or relative organ weights of animals. Protein digestibility was slightly but significantly lower (89.2 vs 90.0%), that of crude fibre was higher (28.2 vs 15.0%) in diets containing transgenic than non-transgenic cucumbers, while digestibility of fat and N-free extractives did not differ.

Evaluation of the possibility of horizontal gene transfer and accumulation of transgenic DNA from the diet in the bodies of rats

“…When interpreting these results, however, it should be taken into consideration that the sensitivity of the diagnostic method used may be too low for detection of a small concentration of transgenic DNA in the examined material. Such a result of the experiment supports the possibility of safe utilization of cucumbers with taumatin in the diet, found in previous experiments showing no influence of GMO on growth and selected health parameters of model animals (Kosieradzka et al, 2001(Kosieradzka et al, , 2004. KOSIERADZKA I.…”

The effect of transgenic cucumbers expressing thaumatin on selected immunity parameters in rats

“…The fruits of transgenic and non-transgenic plants were collected in similar growth and maturity phases, cut frozen (-30°C) and freeze dried. The transgenic cucumbers contained more crude protein and less crude fibrę and somewhat less minerał compounds as compared with the non-transgenic fruits (Kosieradzka et al, 2001). The nutritional experiment lasted 5 weeks.…”

Toxicity Studies of Genetically Modified Plants: A Review of the Published Literature

“…Cucumber Kosieradzka et al (2001) examined in rats the effects of feeding diets with a considerable proportion of transgenic cucumber on growth parameters, relative organ weights, and nutrient digestibility. These effects were compared with those of feeding the fruits in balanced diets.…”