Last updated on April 1, 2019
Dear Editor:
While it’s true that genetically engineered ingredients have been present in the foods Americans have eaten for years – since the early 1990’s, in fact – to compare the process to selective breeding is incorrect, and just what the biotechnology corporations want consumers to believe. Genetic engineering is a process that cannot occur by itself in nature, it is always done in a laboratory, it is not necessarily a precise procedure and, most importantly, it does not combine the genes of the same species together. The articles’ author compares the breeding of a docile dog with the process of genetic engineering (aka GMOs), however nothing could be further off-base! A cock-a-poo, for example, is bred from a poodle and a cocker spaniel, two like species. When a plant is genetically engineered, in a lab, it is usually with the genes from another species altogether, often with the vehicle for the genetic modification being a virus or bacteria used to “infect” the plant. Clearly not the same thing at all.
There are many foods besides the usual culprits (soy, cotton, canola, corn, sugar beets) that consumers need to be aware of when it comes to GMOs. Here are some examples:
Sweet Corn: Originally most genetically engineered corn was utilized for animal feed, however since 2011 roughly 40% of the sweet corn planted in the U.S. is genetically engineered, a very quiet but marked increase. This includes the corn you might find at supermarkets, farmers’ markets and farm stands. If it isn’t organic or labeled GMO-free, be aware.
Meat. Chicken and Fish: While it’s true that there aren’t any genetically engineered meats or fish on the market, if you aren’t eating 100% grass-fed (beware of grain finished) or 100% organic meat, you’re likely eating GMOs. This is because the animals themselves eat GMO feed. And what the animals eat is passed along the food chain.
Dairy Products: rBGH, or bovine growth hormone, can still be found in many dairy products – such as ice cream, cheese, butter – unless the package is clearly marked “No rBGH.” This, too, is a genetically modified product.
Food allergies occur when the body has a reaction to a novel protein that it doesn’t recognize. Did you know that 89% of GM soy in the U.S. contains foreign genes from bacteria and petunias? With the incidence of food allergies skyrocketing – coincidentally since around the time GMOs started to appear in our food supply – one would think the FDA would step up to the plate to review their policies. At the very least, Americans deserve the long-term testing and research to know the food they eat is safe. The FDA has its own, outdated, agenda when it comes to GMOs. There is a term they use – “G.R.A.S.” or Generally Regarded As Safe – whereas they rely on the research supplied by the producing corporation verifying the safety of a product. This decision has stood since 1992 when it comes to GMOs.
There is a large and increasingly vocal portion of the country that believes genetically engineered foods need to be labeled as such. In the interim, the pro-active “Non-GMO” label has sprung up and it is thriving. With 66% growth in 2012, it is the fastest growing label in the natural food sector, with no signs of abating. While a mere two years ago GMOs were a mere whisper, now you can hear about the issue loud and clear. The challenge is getting the concise information out there to the public. In the meanwhile statewide initiatives to label foods as containing GMOs, here in New Jersey and in over half the other states in the U.S., are moving forward and they will not stop until the job is done.
Sincerely,
Michele Jacobson
Author of the Upcoming GMOs: What You Need To Know
May 21, 2014
