?After long researches and observations, Austrian scientists have discovered that test mice show lower fertility with lighter and weaker offspring after long-term consumption of transgenic maize.[File Photo]

After long researches and observations, Austrian scientists have discovered that test mice show lower fertility with lighter and weaker offspring after long-term consumption of transgenic maize.

The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) released on Tuesday the findings of the research which is entrusted by Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Family and Youth (BMGFJ) and carried out by Veterinary University Vienna.

The research was led by Professor Juergen Zentek of Veterinary University Vienna, aiming at discovering whether long-term consumption of transgenic maize would have harmful effect on mice. The scientists divided the test mice into two groups, one of which were fed with American "NK603xMON810" transgenic maize and the other with common Austrian local maize.

After twenty weeks, the offspring of the two groups of mice began to differ. The transgenic maize fed mice gave birth to less and lighter offspring. After several generations, the reproductive organs of female mice, eating transgenic maize for ever, began to change.

However, Professor Juergen Zentek noted in the press release about the research findings that we can not assert it is the same with human-beings simply by the result derived from test mice. He emphasized that the harmful effect of transgenic maize on other animals' fertility needs further researches.

(Xinhua News Agency November 12, 2008)