On 23 Jul 2003 05:41:47 GMT, Brian Sandle
wrote:

David Kendra wrote:

Zearalenone is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus Fusarium. To my knowledge
this mycotoxin is not produced in red clover. The fungus is a cereal
pathogen and consequently zearalenone is found in wheat, barley and corn.

I can't see why zearalenone could not be produced by Fusarium in red
clover hay, but you are right it is most commonly found in grain,
notably corn.

It is sometimes fed to animals to increase their growth.

That's not quite right, I think, but the anabolic substance, or 'beef
hormone' you are probably thinking of, common name "Zeranol", might
exist in metabolic relationship with zearalenone in animals fed
zearalenone-contaminated feed stuffs.

Another name for the beef hormone Zeranol is alpha-zearalanol, it
differs chemically from zearalenone by the absence of a double bond
and the reduction of a ketone group to hydroxyl in the large lactonic
ring of the general bicyclic structure of the 'zeranol-group' of
compounds.

Pharmacologically zeranol differs from zearalenone by having higher
estrogenic activity, indeed in some tests it has been found to be as
potent as high potency synthetics like (infamous) diethylstilbestrol
and ethinyl estradiol.

The use of zeranol is banned in production of meat in the EU, because
the EU as a matter of principle does not license the use of meat
production aids which pose carcinogenic/mutagenic risks to consumers.
In e.g. renegade USA such risks to consumers are accepted, and zeranol
is widely used in beef production there.

The estrogenic compounds in clover include genistein, same as one
in soy. Note clover is Genista.


Dave
Have you ever had cows on red clover to any extent? Then have you noticed
any affect on them? Or the estrogenic mycotoxin zearallenone? Don't some
farmers use it as a steroid to increase growth of animals? I think I
posted how it reduces fertility.

My question is whether the extra estrogenic nature of GM-produced
animal feed causes any changes in the developing embryo, or fetus,
in a similar fashion to what other estrogenic foods do.

My first question would be if there is an extra estrogenic nature
of GM-produced animal feed. But, it would seem prudent to be open to
the possibility that some genetic engineering events in e.g. soy might
unintendedly result in elevated levels of phytoestrogens, or
phytoestrogen profile changes.