how GMos Came to Market
And there are ethical issues, espe-
GMOs were developed by large agro-
cially for people with health-based or
chemical multinational corporations
religious dietary restrictions. Everyone
like Monsanto, Dow, DuPont, Sygenta
needs to know what’s in their food. But
and Bayer. These companies are not
GMOs are unlike anything the world
known for their commitment to public
has seen before. They combine genes
health and environmental safety. They
from different species. For example,
continue to lobby against government
genetic engineers have inserted genes
regulations and work to undermine
from an arctic fish into strawberries,
the public research system. As a result,
to make them frost tolerant, but not
they have been able to put GMOs on
something a vegan would want to eat.
the market without appropriate health
Genetic engineering is also
and environmental testing and safety
known as recombinant DNA technol-
measures.
ogy, because it takes DNA from one or-
As part of their marketing strategy,
ganism and combines it with DNA from
the GMO industry also has kept labels
another organism. It does what nature
reactions or recombine
off their products in the United States,
avoids, crossing the natural boundar-
with other bacteria and
even though the Center for Food Safety
ies between species. GMOs are new,
viruses to create new
reports that polls repeatedly show that
living organisms, capable of spreading,
pathogens or toxins.
up to 94 percent of Americans want
reproducing and recombining. Their
The antibiotic resistant
labels on GMO foods. Most other indus-
presence is invisible and irreversible.
marker gene used in
trial countries label GMOs, and many the process could
tightly restrict their testing and use.
What We Don’t Know
render the antibiot-
The industry, made up of corpora-
Can hurt us
ics we use to control
tions, their paid lobbyists and academic The processes used to create GMOs disease less effective.
allies, claim that GMOs are safe. The are not precise or predictable. What is Reports based on
industry says they don’t know of any precise is the first step, selecting and animal studies indicate that
health harm proven to be caused by engineering the DNA to be used. After both the process and products
their products. But their position is not that, genes are engineered and recom- of genetic engineering are causing
backed by reliable research from inde- bined with bacteria, viruses, and other problems. Animals fed GMOs exclu-
pendent scientists. There is no govern- designer molecules, then often put into sively had more false pregnancies and
ment testing; whatever information the a ‘gene gun’ and shot into living cells. a greater mortality rate than control
government gets from industry is on a The result can create new proteins groups. Researchers also have evidence
voluntary basis. that might trigger serious allergic of impaired blood cell formation, liver
Also Watch Out For…
FooD irrADiAtioN
Rotten meat, toxic tomatoes and now what, irradiated
acids occurs in irradiated foods, and there may be forma-
spinach?
tion of dangerous chemicals such as benzene. The process
Irradiation is used by the food industry to kill harmful
also creates additional hazardous waste, and environmen-
pathogens like E. coli, increase shelf life, kill insects and
tal and worker safety problems.
stop spoilage. Today, ground meat, spices, fresh fruit and
Because the existing food safety inspection system is
vegetables may be irradiated. The process is considered
already weak, layering on another complex technology
safe and effective by government regulators. Currently,
might not result in better protection. The Center for Food
irradiated foods are labeled, except for food sold in
Safety notes that using irradiation does nothing to
institutions and restaurants.
stop the practices in the field and factories that
But now, the Food and Drug Administration
contaminate food. Worse, its use may result in
is considering allowing food treated with irra-
less incentive to clean up the widespread un-
diation to be renamed and sold without labels.
sanitary conditions that are the primary cause
Consumer groups question the safety of
of food contamination.
food irradiation. Natural food markets like
Whole Foods have decided not to sell it. Critics
For related information visit: FoodAndWater-
say that irradiation can affect the nutritional value
Watch.org/food/foodirradiation and
of food by destroying antioxidents, or that it could
OrganicConsumers.org/irrad/alternatives.cfm;
deform bacteria instead of killing it off.
This ‘radura’ symbol search ‘supermarkets’ at Citizen.org, for a
Some loss of vitamins and essential fatty
signals irradiated food. list of groceries that carry irradiated foods.
November 2008 7
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