Say OMG to GMOs!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

“If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.”

- Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto, quoted in the Kansas City Star, March 7, 1994

By: Jasmine M.

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Most Common GMOs

Soybeans

As of 2010, data shows that upwards of 93% of the soybeans cultivated in the United States are genetically modified to be herbicide-tolerant. This means that they are immune to the chemicals sprayed to kill the weeds around them that interrupt the amount of crop that any soy plant yields. Up to 70% of food manufactured in the United States contains at least traces of soy.

Corn

The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 63% of corn crops have been modified to be herbicide intolerant and 70% have been modified to be insect resistant. Corn is used not only in processed foods as High Fructose Corn Syrup, but it is also they most common feed for animals slaughtered for meat. Because these animals are ingesting GMO corn, and we are ingesting them, we are in turn ingesting those GMOs.

Canola Oil

While Canola oil has many benefits, including being a heart-healthy option with low saturated fat and being high in monounsaturated fat, it is also very highly genetically modified in the United States as well as Canada.

-by Hannah

FAQ About Genetically Modified Foods

Q: What is a GMO?

A: GMO stands Genetically Modified Organism, which is an organism whose

genetic material had been altered using biotechnology.

Q: When did genetic modification research begin?

A: Research for GMOs began in the 1960 with the development of a new type of potato after genetically modifying an existing potato.

Q: When were GMOs first introduced commercially?

A: GMOs were first introduced into the market in May of 1994 with Calgene’s Flavr

Savr tomatoes.

Q: What are potential negative effects of consuming GMOs?

A: There are many potential negative side effects of consuming GMOs, which include....

-Dramatic increase in allergic reaction to types of food people are already allergic too

-Dramatic increase in the development of new allergies.

-Body toxicity of individuals who ingest GMOs is significantly higher than those

who don’t. This can lead to serious health problems such as Obesity and Cancer.

-In lab tests done on animals that were fed GMOs, the animals became sterile.

Currently there is research being done to prove this effect on the human

reproductive system as well.

-When humans eat GMOs and our body cannot digest the material properly, it

becomes and breeding ground for bacteria and virus’s to build up in the digestive

system.

-There are still many unknown side effects of the consumption of genetically

modified foods.

- Aside from health concerns, apprehensions exist over GMO contamination

of the environment. GMOs have the ability to escape containment systems and

introduce their engineered genes into neighboring non-GMO crop populations.

There is also concern regarding engineered pesticidal effects on non-target

insects and animals. For example, SmartStax contains the chemical Clothianidin

used to reduce damage to the corn caused by secondary pests. In 2008, the

US Environmental Protection Agency reported that exposure to Clothiandin-

treated seeds is highly toxic to honeybees and may result in developmental

effects in small mammals. Moreover, according to the EPA, "Clothianidin in the

environment introduces a compound that has potential to leach to ground water,

as well as runoff to surface waters." In Germany, Clothianidin is banned; in fact,

GMO foods have been banned in Germany, Hungary, France, Austria and Greece.

Q: What is the difference between genetic modification and natural breeding?

A: Selective breeding uses natural biological means to alter genetics--example is

using a pollen from one strain to fertilize another strain and so "cross" the gene

pools.  Genetic engineering artificially goes into the chromosomes to edit them--

an unnatural process. Example--a cold water fish gene is put into a crop so that it

won't freeze in the winter. This would not naturally occur.

-Hannah Lee Pomerans.