Aspartame made with genetically modified bacteria (1999 article)
World’s top sweetener is made with GM bacteria
By Marie Woolf, www.independent.co.uk | June 20, 1999
‘… As the G8 summit of rich country leaders decided last night to launch an inquiry into the safety of genetically modified (GM) food, an investigation by the Independent on Sunday revealed that Monsanto, the pioneering GM food giant which makes aspartame, often uses genetically engineered bacteria to produce the sweetener at its US production plants.
“We have two strains of bacteria – one is traditionally modified and one is genetically modified,” said one Monsanto source. “It’s got a modified enzyme. It has one amino acid different.” …
‘… “Whether such a contaminating compound will be toxic, or not is completely unknowable until empirical studies are done to test toxicity,” said Dr John Fagan, a former genetic engineer who now heads Genetic ID, the world’s leading GM test centre. “No such studies have been done, or at least they have not been placed in the public domain.’ [this was said in 1999]