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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0271.276 2012-2014 COUNTY CLERK COUNTY OF HAWAI I RECEIVED Time By fMJ Date-171i yj Testimony on Bill 79 by Renee Dufault, Executive Director, Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute Aloha Chair Yoshimoto and council members. Mahalo for listening to my testimony. Today I speak as a retired United States Public Health Service officer with expertise in toxicology and epigenetics. During my public health service career I worked at the United States Environmental Protection Agency,the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health. I have lived on the Big Island of Hawai'i for six years now and, as a volunteer, operate the only non-profit 501 c 3 organization in the United States focused on food ingredient safety and health research associated with toxic food ingredients. While spending many years working at the United States Food and Drug Administration before retiring, I learned a lot about the American food supply. I learned that many food ingredients entered the market without testing. I learned that the current risk assessment system does not work for pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and food ingredients now entering the market. Manufacturers pay the FDA millions of dollars in user fees and application fees to get a new drug, pesticide, or food ingredient on the market. Many consumers do not know that FDA regulates pesticides on food packaging. Consumers also do not know that manufacturers are responsible for conducting the risk assessment on the substance for which they are trying to gain FDA approval. This is equivalent to the fox guarding the hen house. I know personally of manufacturers who have been caught submitting false or incomplete risk assessment data. The FDA cannot catch all of the culprits. Consequently, many unsafe substances are in our food supply. For example,there are hundreds of unsafe sodium chemicals used as food ingredients which in 2010,the Institute of Medicine determined are responsible for high blood pressure increasing the risk of heart disease. Americans eating the Standard American Diet are exposed daily to low levels of mercury, arsenic, lead, pesticides, and other, invasive toxic substances. The end result is Americans have a higher prevalence of diseases such as Type-2 diabetes, heart disease,ADHD, and autism compared to citizens living in the European Union where the food supply is far safer. The European Union has the world's most stringent GMO regulations and severely restricts the entry of certain food ingredients into their market such as high fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in the U.S. is derived from GMO corn. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that consumption of HFCS is a contributing factor in the development of autism in the United States. Last year,my collaborators and I published an article in the Clinical Epigenetics journal explaining the role of HFCS as a modulator of gene-environment interactions that create conditions for the development of autism. Gene-environment interactions are a new field of study called epigenetics. It will take many, many years to understand how what we eat determines how our genes behave. The impact of genetically modified food crops on human health will not be known for many years. The National Institutes of Health only started an epigenetics research program in 2008. We Americans are far behind in this area of research. In Comm, No. (27/• .2 7,6 Ref. To: .L M TG Ref. Date_i— 2 . March I traveled to Germany to give a keynote speech at the Clinical Epigenetics Society meeting. I was shocked by how far behind America is in this important new field. Recently the non-profit organization in which I serve as Executive Director completed a clinical trial funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the role high fructose corn syrup plays in the development of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes in humans. In this study we found there is indeed a threat of harm to consumers of HFCS with respect to the development of insulin resistance and diabetes. A publication is pending. HFCS flooded the food supply in the mid 80's and we are only now beginning to understand its devastating effects on human health. Yet,the corn refiners,the manufacturers of this substance, said it was safe. In this day with the recent understanding of the epigenetic changes induced by invasive toxic substances, including GMOs,we cannot afford to believe the manufacturers when they say a substance is safe. There is so much we do not know and cannot possibly know about the safety of GMOs. I strongly urge you to support Bill 79 with the following amendment: To be fair to the GMO industry, you could add an amendment to the bill which sets up a risk assessment process as a requirement for the licensing of new GMO plant and seed products. The GMO industry can be required to pay a risk assessment fee of 1 to 2 million dollars to the County of Hawai'i to cover the cost of an objective risk assessment conducted by a third party research organization, such as a University or research institute with no ties to the industry. Monsanto can afford to pay this fee I assure you. By requiring an objective,third party risk assessment managed by Hawai'i County, you will serve the best interests of the people you represent. In this testimony, I am providing a link to the European Food Safety Agency risk assessment guidance document for GMO plants. You do not have to reinvent the wheel. http://v vvvvv.etsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs;doc/1879.pd I If new products are allowed onto the Big Island,the manufacturer can be required to pay a user fee to cover Hawai'i County's costs of administering the licensing, registration and assessment program. It is imperative in my professional opinion as an epigeneticist that in order to protect future generations we must follow the precautionary principle which states, "When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some of the cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically." I strongly urge you to pass Bill 79 with the risk assessment amendment suggested. As a former FDA public health officer, I strongly recommend you take a precautionary approach toward regulating GMOs on the Big Island. FIHRI ( .. Rc�c�r�f� fn,nlulc PO Box 6574 Renee J. Dufault Ocean View,HI 96737 Executive Director rdufault @foodingredient.info (808)345-6864 Dufault et al.Clinical Epigenetics 2012,4:6 httpl/www.clinicalepigeneticsjournal.com/content/4/1/6 CLINICAL EPIGENETICS .REVIEW Open Access A macroepigenetic approach to identify factors responsible for the autism epidemic in the United States Renee Dufault1'2*, Walter J Lukiw3, Raquel Crider'', Roseanne Schnolls, David Wallinga6 and Richard Deth7 Abstract The number of children ages 6 to 21 in the United States receiving special education services under the autism disability category increased 91% between 2005 to 2010 while the number of children receiving special education services overall declined by 5%.The demand for special education services continues to rise in disability categories associated with pervasive developmental disorders. Neurodevelopment can be adversely impacted when gene expression is altered by dietary transcription factors, such as zinc insufficiency or deficiency, or by exposure to toxic substances found in our environment, such as mercury or organophosphate pesticides. Gene expression patterns differ geographically between populations and within populations.Gene variants of paraoxonase-1 are associated with autism in North America, but not in Italy, indicating regional specificity in gene-environment interactions. In the current review,we utilize a novel macroepigenetic approach to compare variations in diet and toxic substance exposure between these two geographical populations to determine the likely factors responsible for the autism epidemic in the United States. Keywords: Autism, DNA methylation, Environmental epigenetics, Heavy metals, HFCS, PON1, SAM, Zn Introduction to macroepigenetics with autism as As part of this review, we analyze the current United a case study States (U. S.) Department of Education Special Educa- Autism is a developmental disorder defined by the tion data to estimate the increase in autism prevalence American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the Diagnos- from 2005 to 2010. tic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The cause(s) of autism also remain(s) unknown. The condition is considered a pervasive developmental D'Amelio et al. found paraoxonase-1 (PON1) gene var- disorder (PDD) that appears in the first three years of iants associated with autism in subgroups of the U. S. life and affects brain development impacting social and population but not in Italy [3].They attributed the gene communication skills. Autism is defined by a common variation to greater household use of organophosphate set of behaviors, including, but not limited to, observed (OP)pesticides in the U.S.compared to Italy.We think a deficits in nonverbal and verbal communication, lack of more plausible explanation may lie in the U. S.food sup- social reciprocity, and failure to develop and maintain ply. As part of this investigation, we also reviewed and appropriate peer relationships [1]. Recent estimates sug- analyzed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gest that 31% of children with Autism Spectrum Disor- Food Availability Spreadsheets to identify which foods der (ASD) also meet diagnostic criteria for Attention- are most frequently consumed by Americans and of Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and another those which most frequently contain OP pesticide residue 24% of children with ASD exhibit sub-threshold clinical as reported by the U.S.Pesticide Data Program. symptoms for ADHD [2]. The number of children During this investigation, we conducted a literature affected by this debilitating disorder remains unknown. review of all studies published on autism since we pub- lished our first Mercury Toxicity Model [4], which Correspondence:rdufault@foodingredientinfo explains how mercury exposure,nutritional deficiencies 'Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute,Ocean View,HI,USA and metabolic disruptions contribute to the development Full list of author information is available at the end of the article 0 2012 Dufault et al;licensee BioMed Central Ltd.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons T IVled Central Attribution License(httpl/creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0),which permits unrestricted use,distribution,and reproduction in any medium,provided the original work is properly cited. Dufault et al.Clinical Epigenetics 2012,4:6 Page 10 of 12 http://www.clinicalepigeneticsjournal.com/content/4/1/6 additional support for the "Redox/Methylation Hypoth- Abbreviations esis of Autism"while contributing important insight into ADHD:Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder,ct Ag: r;A American Psychiatric Association;ASD:Autism Sperum Disorder;Silve Bi:PA.m Bisuth;Ca: the oxidative stress feedback mechanisms that may occur Calcium;Cd:Cadmium;CDC:Center for Disease Control and Prevention;Cu: as a result of malnutrition resulting from dietary expo- Copper;DAP:Dialkyl phosphate;DSM:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of sures to toxins.The delivery of children exhibiting autis- Mental Ds, Uensity lipoprotein;isorder HFCS:E High: fructose European Union;corn syrupH:Hg Glutathione;:Mercury;HDL:M Mg: agnesium;High d tic behaviors might be associated with the prenatal diet MT:Metallothionein;NBP:National Biomonitoring Program;NHANES: of their mothers. The severity of these behaviors can be National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey;OHI:Other Health further exacerbated by toxic dietary exposures of the chil- Impaired;DP.organophosphate pesticide;P:phosphorus;Pb:lead;PDD: Pervasive Developmental Delay;PDP:Pesticide Data Program;PON1: dren,which can improve with dietary changes aimed at paraoxonase-1;RBC:red blood cell;SAH:S-adenosylhomocysteine;SAM:'- eliminating these exposures. Children with autism could adenosylmethionine;tHcy:total plasma homocysteine;USDA:United States well be exhibiting an epigenetic response to several neu Department of Agriculture;WBC.White blood cell;Zn:Zinc. rotoxic substances at once,including,but not limited to, Acknowledgements inorganic Hg, Pb,OP pesticides and/or HFCS.The com- The authors would like to thank Drs.Robert Lustig,Blaise LeBlanc and bined effect of these substances acting together is likely feedback each the Steven concepts Gilbert therein.for the Funding for this research provided on pro this ject manuscript was provided and/or greater than the sum of the effects of the substances act- primarily by donations to the Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute. ing by themselves. This effect likely reduces neuronal Research in the Lukiw laboratory is supported through Grant Number plasticity and impairs learning capacity in autistic P20RR016456 from the National Center for Research Resources,a Translational Research Initiative Grant from LSU Health Sciences Center New children. Orleans,an Alzheimer Association Investigator-Initiated Research Grant IIRG- 09-131729,and NIH NIA Grants AG18031 and AG038834. Conclusion Author details The number of children ages 6 to 21 in the U.S. receiv- 'Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute,Ocean View,HI,USA. ing special education services under the autism disability 'United Tribes Technical College,Bismarck,ND,USA.'Department of category increased 91% between 2005 to 2010 despite cd Op , oroscience Center,Louisiana Neurosciene an State hthalmologyH University ealth L Sciences uisiana State Center,New University Neu Orleans,LA, fewer children receiving special education services over- USA."'Shepherd University,Shepherdstown,WV,USA.'Department of Health all during the same time period. A comparison of aut- and Nutrition Sciences,Brooklyn College of City,University of New York, ism prevalence between the U.S. and Italy using the Brooklyn,NY,USA. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy,Minneapolis, MN,USA. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences,Northeastern University, Mercury Toxicity Model suggests the increase in autism Boston,MA,USA. in the U.S. is not related to mercury exposure from fish, coal-fired power plants, thimerosal, or dental amalgam Authors'contributions RDufault spearheaded the review and recruited interdisciplinary collaborators but instead to the consumption of HFCS. Consumption to contribute to the development of the manuscript RDufault was the lead of HFCS may lead to mineral imbalances, including Zn, investigator and literature reviewer for the expansion of the mercury toxicity Ca and P loss and Cu gain and is a potential source of model. data RS and RDufault R Deth helped acquired,revise the analyzed manuscript and critically interpreted the for important sets.WJL, inorganic mercury exposure. These mineral imbalances intellectual content.RDeth provided Figure 4 and was the primary author of create multiple pathways for oxidative stress in the brain the methionine synthase section.All authors read and approved the final from exposure to OP pesticides and heavy metals, such manuscript.RS validated all of the references.RC validated the data in Table 1 to ensure it was correctly gathered from existing data bases.RC also as Pb or Hg. Inorganic mercury and fructose exposure double checked the calculations in Table 1 to ensure they were error free. from HFCS consumption may both modulate PON1 DW helped draft and edit the manuscript. gene expression. With a reduction in PON1 activity, Competing interests there is a potential for increasing homocysteine levels RDeth has in the past received compensation as an expert witness on the which are associated with genome-wide DNA hypo- topic of autism.All of the other authors declare that they have no methylation that may carry over from one generation to competing interests. the next, affecting both neurodevelopment and autism Received:9 December 2011 Accepted:10 April 2012 prevalence. Published:10 April 2012 Lead author's information References 1. American Psychiatric Association:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental After retiring with honors from her position as an envir- Disorders.4 edition.Washington,DC:Text Revision(DSM-IV-TR);2000. onmental health officer with the U.S. Public Health Ser- 2. Yerys BE,Wallace GL,Sokoloff IL,Shook DA,James JD,Kenworthy L: vice, R. Dufault obtained her teaching license and taught Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms moderate cognition and behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders.Autism Res elementary special education for 3.5 years at which time 2009,2322-333. she gained an understanding of how children with aut- 3. D'Amelio M,Ricci I,Sacco R,Liu X,D'Agruma L,Muscarella LA,Guarnieri V, ism and ADHD in the U.S. receive special education Militerni R,Bravaccio C,Elia M,Schneider C,Melmed R,Trillo 5,Pascucci T, Puglisi-Allegra S.Reichelt KL,Macciardi F,Holden JJA,Persico AM: services. As a volunteer, she currently teaches an epige- Paraoxonase gene variants are associated with autism in north America, netics course on-line through the Food Ingredient and but not in italy:possible regional specificity in gene-environment Health Research Institute. interactions.Mol Psychiatry 2005,10:1006-1016.