Genetically Engineered Foods - Dave Hawkins Health Report

My last article on organic foods mentioned genetic engineered foods not being able to be called organic. Many of you might not know about genetic engineering, so today I will shed some light on this important issue. I find it interesting that the USDA has funded numerous projects dealing with genetics and food production for huge multi-national companies like Monsanto, the leader in genetic research.
 

The questions to ask are: Is genetic engineering safe for you and your family? 

Is it safe for the environment?

Is it safe for the future of mankind? 

No long-term studies have been done.

No one can answer these questions.

Genetic engineering is the largest food experiment in the history of the world.  There are about 40 varieties of genetically engineered crop approved for marketing in the U.S.

As a result, 60-70% of the foods on your grocery shelves contain genetically engineered (GE) components.

So just what is genetic engineering? Genetic engineering is a laboratory technique used by scientist to change the DNA of living organisms. DNA is the blueprint for the individuality of an organism. The organism relies upon the information stored in its DNA for the management of every biochemical process. The life, growth and unique features of the organism depend on its DNA. The segments of DNA that have been associated with specific features or functions of an organism are called genes.

Molecular biologists have discovered many enzymes that change the structure of DNA in living organisms. Some of these enzymes can cut and join strands of DNA. Using such enzymes, scientists learned to cut specific genes from DNA and to build customized DNA using these genes. With this knowledge, genetic engineers believe they can improve the foods we eat by doing this.

For example, tomatoes are sensitive to frost. This shortens their growing season. Fish, on the other hand, survive in very cold water. Scientists identified a particular gene that enables a flounder to resist cold and used the technology of genetic engineering to insert this 'anti-freeze' gene into a tomato. This makes it possible to extend the growing season of the tomato.

So what is so wrong with this thinking?

Let’s look at some of the dangers involved by looking as some of the fundamental weaknesses of this concept:

• Imprecise Technology – A genetic engineer moves genes from one organism to another. A gene can be cut precisely from the DNA of an organism, but the genetic engineer has no idea where (or even if) the gene will be inserted in the DNA of another organism.

• Side Effects—Genetic engineering is like performing heart surgery with a shovel. They are experimenting with very delicate, yet powerful forces of nature, without full knowledge of the repercussions.

• Widespread Crop Failure – Genetic engineers intend to make money by patenting genetically engineered seeds. This means that, when a farmer plants genetically engineered seeds, all the seeds have identical genetic structure. As a result, if a fungus, a virus, or a pest develops which can attack this particular crop, there could be widespread crop failure.

• A Threat To Our Entire Food Supply – Insects, birds, and wind can carry genetically altered seeds into neighboring fields and beyond. Once transgenic plants produce pollen, they can cross-pollinate with genetically natural crops and wild relatives. All crops, organic and non-organic, are vulnerable to contamination from cross-pollination.

Let’s address some of the health hazards with genetic engineered foods:

• No Long-Term Safety Testing – Genetic engineering changes the fundamental nature of the food we eat. It uses material from organisms that have never been part of the human food supply. Without long-term testing no one knows if these foods are safe.

• Toxins – Genetic engineering can cause unexpected mutations in an organism, which can create new and higher levels of toxins in foods.

• Allergic Reactions – Genetic engineering can also produce unforeseen and unknown allergens in foods.

• Decreased Nutritional Value – Transgenic foods may mislead consumers with counterfeit freshness. A luscious-looking, bright red tomato could be several weeks old and of little nutritional worth.

• Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria – Genetic engineers use antibiotic-resistance genes to mark genetically engineered crops. This means that the crops contain genes that confer resistance to antibiotics.

• Problems Cannot Be Traced – Without labels, our public health agencies are powerless to trace problems of any kind back to their source. The potential for tragedy is staggering.

Environmental hazards also become an issue when looking at genetic engineering.

• Increased use of Herbicides – Scientists estimate that plants genetically engineered to be herbicide-resistant will actually triple the amount of herbicide use.

• More Pesticides – GE crops often manufacture their own pesticides and may be classified as pesticides by the EPA. This strategy will put more pesticides into our food and fields than ever before.

• Ecology may be damaged – The influence of a genetically engineered organism on the food chain may damage the local ecology. The new organism may compete successfully with wild relatives, causing unforeseen changes in the environment.

• Gene Pollution Cannot Be Cleaned Up – Once genetically engineered organisms, bacteria and viruses are released into the environment it is impossible to contain or recall them.

DNA is actually not well understood. Approximately 97% of human DNA is called “junk” because no one has any idea of its function. The workings of a single cell are so complex, no one knows the whole of it. Yet the biotech companies have already planted millions of acres with genetically engineered crops, and they intend to engineer every crop in the world.

The concerns above arise from an appreciation of the fundamental role DNA plays in life, the gaps in our understanding of it, and the vast scale of application of the little we do know. Even the scientists in the Food and Drug Administration have expressed their concerns.

If you really want to avoid the influence of genetic engineering, buy fresh organic produce. If you want to buy processed foods and avoid genetically engineered ingredients, you will have to read product labels. If the label mentions any of the ingredients listed below without explicitly qualifying it as organic, then the product probably contains genetically engineered ingredients.

The Primary Suspects to look for would include the following ingredients and products:

• Soybeans: Soy flour, soy oil, lecithin, soy protein isolates and concentrates.

• Corn: Corn flour, cornstarch, corn oil, corn sweeteners, syrups.                     

• Canola Oil. Products that may contain genetically engineered canola derivatives: chips, salad dressings, cookies, margarine, soaps, detergents, soy cheeses, fried foods.

• Cotton: Oil, fabric. Products that may contain genetically engineered cotton or its derivatives: Clothes, linens, chips, peanut butter, crackers, and cookies.

• Potatoes: Right now the only potato that has been genetically engineered is the Burbank Russet, but you still have to look out for potato starch and flour.

• Tomatoes: No genetically engineered plum or Roma tomatoes have been approved for sale. But one cherry tomato has, as have regular tomatoes.

• Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, butter, buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt, whey. Have the cows been treated with rBGH? What kind of feed have they been given? If they are not being fed organic grains, chances are quite likely that they will be eating genetically engineered animal feed.

• Animal Products: Because animal feed often contains genetically engineered organisms, all animal products, or by-products may be affected.

• Papaya and Radicchio.

Because there are no labeling laws that require genetic modified foods to be labeled, no one knows if they are consuming genetic modified foods.

I also find it interesting that the European block countries have banned all genetic engineered foods until further research can provide some answers to the above concerns.

Material for this article supplied from Mother’s For Natural Law.

Article by herbalist Dave Hawkins, MH, CNC