GMO's hit the market in the early 1990's. And since they were initially nothing more than the combining of one potentially edible organism with another, there didn't seem to be any risk of harm with the creation of them. I mentioned the issue of possible unintended allergic responses, when, for example, the genes of a fish are combined with those of a tomato, or the Brazil nut finding its way into soybeans. But there is no proof that genetically modified foods have any negative impact on those who consume the products beyond a potential allergic reaction. The problem is, however, that there is no proof that they do no harm either because there was no testing done on them before they were marketed. Nor have any epidemiological studies been done to determine whether such crops have caused any harm to the public since they were introduced. They are an unknown quantity. So you have to be the judge. With that said, here are some GM facts:
Even though there have been no more GM animals on the market since July 2010, in 2006, a pig was engineered to produce Omega-3 fatty acids through the introduction of roundworm and spinach genes. There was also a GM pig that could absorb plant phosphorus more efficiently so that the phosphorus content of its manure was reduced by up to 60%. My favorite, however, was the pig that was given human genes for growth but ended up morbidly obese. And then there was the salmon that were given bovine (or cow) genes for super growth.
In the plant kingdom, GM wheat, potatoes, and tomatoes are given genes from other (often unrelated species - such as the example of fish and Brazil nuts above, and my favorite, worms) to help them become more resistant to pests as well as making them immune to herbicides that control weeds. How nice to know that some of the food we eat, by attrition, makes us immune to weeds!
To me, the most disturbing Frankenfood, as some of these creations have been called by their critics, is GM Round-Up Ready (RR) Seed. Round-Up, if you recall, is a spray that, when applied to weeds and other plants, destroys them on contact. America's 3 largest crops are Canola, Corn, and Soybeans and all of them are now being farmed using RR seed. RR seed has been altered in such a way that while Round Up kills surrounding weeds, it leaves the host plants intact. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? The problem, however, is that, again, we do not know the long-term affects these crops will have on the animals and people who consume them. Moreover, there is the danger of cross-pollination. Pollen from these RR crops float away and settle into other farmer's fields, contaminating their crops. And if those farmers should happen to be certified organic, they lose their certification because their crops are no longer "natural". Unfortunately, these seeds have gone a long way - in terms of their use. In fact, the Grocery Manufacturers of America estimate that 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contain a GM product, mainly because of the prevalence of RR corn or soy by-products in such foods.
So, with that said, the stage has been set - the actors introduced, and the plot developed. Tomorrow I will complete this story so that you, my health-conscious friends and consumers, can decide if GMO's are something to applaud or avoid...
Until then, happy and healthy eating!
(Outside sources : Eating Well Magazine, Spring 2003 and "Say No to GMOs.org")
No comments:
Post a Comment