Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute

Testimony for GMO Hearing before the Hawai’i County Council October 15, 2013 by Renee Dufault, Executive Director, D.HEd. (Candidate) Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, Hawai’i

Thank you for your kind attention as I speak before you on the nutritional implications of GMO and glyphosate exposure. My name is Renee Dufault and I am a retired United States Public Health Service (PHS) officer living here on the Big Island. During my Public Health Service career I worked at number different agencies. For example, I worked at the FDA for 9 years.  I currently serve as the Executive Director of the Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute. We have published a few articles on the mechanisms involved in the development of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from mercury exposure and/or the consumption of high fructose corn syrup (Dufault et al., 2009, 2012) which is derived from genetically modified corn.

From 2005-2010, the population in Hawai’i grew at a rate of 5.2%. During the same period of time, children in Hawai’i with autism receiving special education services increased 31.2%. Children with developmental delay receiving special education services increased 14.7%. Developmental delay is a sub-category of autism. These alarming increases in the number of children in Hawai’i receiving special education services are occurring at a time when special education services in Hawai’i have declined l1.4%. Clearly these figures suggest that nutrition related learning disorders must be addressed by policies designed to improve the food supply. The proposed GMO ordinance is such a policy.

There are many direct and indirect mechanisms that contribute to the development of these learning disabilities. In addition to the already published mechanisms involving the consumption of high fructose corn syrup, another contributor could be the use of glyphosate on genetically modified glyphosate tolerant crops such as GMO corn or soybeans. Glyphosate residues are commonly found on crops after treatment and in food products made from these crops (McQueen, Callan, & Hinwood, 2012).  Exposures to glyphosate have been documented in American fathers, mothers, and children living in both farm and non-farm households (Curwin et al., 2007).  To combat the harmful effects of glyphosate exposure, the body must have ample supplies of glutathione (Larsen, Najle, Lifschitz, & Virkel, 2012). Children with autism or ADHD will have trouble metabolizing the glyphosate residues found on glyphosate tolerant crops because they have lower glutathione levels compared to healthy children (Gu, Chauhan, & Chauhan, 2013, Ceylan, Sener, Bayraktar, & Kavutcu, 2012).  Consumption of high fructose corn syrup has been shown to increase glycation end products which results in further reductions in glutathione (Seneff, Wainwright, & Mascitelli, 2011, Bousova, Pruchova, Trnkova, & Drsata, 2011).  A negative feedback loop is thus created to create yet one more mechanism for the development of autism and ADHD.

With the continued increases in autism and ADHD in Hawai’i, it is imperative steps be taken to clean up the food supply. The proposed GMO ordinance will promote a healthier food supply on the Big Island of Hawai’i. We respectfully urge you to pass Bill 113. Thank you for listening to our plea.

Source: Hawai`i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.

Table 2: Percent learning disability growth in Hawai’i during five year period 2005-2010

Data derived from the Data Accountability Center: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Data.  http://tadnet.public.tadnet.org/pages/712 

References