What are GMOs?
All organisms have some sort of impurities or flaws that
could be improved to make the organism more useful or stronger. Genetically
modified organisms are organisms that have had their DNA genetic makeup
modified. According to the World Health Organization genetically
modified organisms are also known as “modern biotechnology” or “gene
technology”.
GMO Facts:
·
In the United States, GMOs are estimated to make
up about 70-80% of food.
·
Many
foods that we eat today have been modified.
This allows plants to grow faster, develop more crops, or resist certain
insect resistance. Modifications allow
the farmers to produce more crops and produce them for less money.
·
Weeds become resistant to GMOs, which causes
farmers to use more chemicals- a detriment to our health.
·
When seeds with GMOs from one farm naturally
migrate to other farms, farmlands of other areas not using GMOs eventually become contaminated as well.
·
There is no research pointing to GMOs as a
direct cause of disease, but there is research showing it may contribute to
some health problems such as infertility or weak immunity.
·
GMO’s aren’t all bad; they offer better tasting
food that lasts longer, void off insects, and can even withstand drought, frostand heat. This benefits people because it results in more crops and less use of
natural resources.
Concerns:
Gene
technology has two main issues associated with it, gene
transfer and outcrossing. Gene transfer is
not very common. The term overcrossing
refers to mixing the natural and GM plant genes.
Having the native crop disappear is a big
issue that must be addressed. In many
cases strategies have been set in place in order to try to avoid such affects.
Companies using GMOs:
While researching the companies that contain or may contain
GMO foods it was discovered that companies weren’t only the “super companies”
that may come to mind (like Nabisco, Campbell and Kellogg’s), but the list also
included “health food” companies, such as Kashi, Silk and Horizon Organic. “Reader
Supported News” has current and relevant information concerning labeling
GMO food. Maine
was the second state to pass laws where companies must have on the label
whether or not the food contains GMOs.
For a full and comprehensive list of food companies that hide GMOs, click
here.
The “Non-GMO
Project” website contains tons of information, like which companies are GMO
free, myths
and truths, etc. The website also
states that the companies that sell and produce GMOs also performed the studies
that were conducted on how GMO affects people.
This begs the question, how objective were the studies? “Why Don’t You Try This?”
is another site that lists GMO-free
food companies.
To further your knowledge and understanding of GMOs, the
“Non-GMO Project” website has an e-book/pdf
file that is free to download.
Thank you for reading!
-The Monstars
What I find the most surprising is that the "health food" companies you mention are among those pushing back on GMO labeling legislation. I would assume they profit off of using labels like "organic" and "non-GMO," and that if such labels are accurate they should expect to benefit from increased truth in labeling. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteI know, right? But I'm also not surprised. Kashi is such a big company that I've always been curious as to how they are able to stock so much 'healthy' food in stores, but never really thought of them using GMOs. I don't buy Kashi, but do you know if they say organic on the labels?
DeleteGreat Post! Jackie, Kashi is actually owned by Kellogg's and typically uses the wording "natural" on their boxing and labels. Given the nature of the topic, its controversy, and lack of research behind it, it seems to be getting more and more difficult to know what is truly "healthy" food to consume. Perhaps in the future there will be more clear evidence one way or the other on the effects of GMO's.
ReplyDeleteVery informative presentation guys. I was not aware of the genetically modified wheat outbreak in Oregon. The Colbert report, although not apart of the presentation was entertaining. I really hope there is a push towards labeling GMO products, so the customer has a choice. Although there are no major findings on whether it's harmful to your health, I would stay away on the basis that many highly developed nations have banned them.
ReplyDeleteYou're blog turned out great! I like that you point out that all gene modification is not bad. Even though I knew all of the countries that have banned GMO's the FOOD FACT map is still shocking to see. I especially appreciate the Non-GMO project link. It's a very informative site. Great job you guys!
ReplyDeleteOn a side note: for those who are really into GMO avoidance, there's an app for that! http://www.buycott.com/ lets you choose campaigns such as "Demand GMO Labeling" and scan bar codes on products to see if they're connected with an organization that supports GM products. The app is not specifically for GM campaigns, there are many others e.g fracking, No Nestle, No Monsanto, etc. It's a free app.
It's interesting that Trader Joes has decided to go completely non-GMO with their private label products. Since Trader Joes seems to be very popular, I wonder if other grocery stores will start doing the same. I found this interesting article about the push for GMO Salmon (crazy huh?):
ReplyDeletehttp://www.foodsafetynews.com/2013/03/whole-foods-trader-joes-say-no-to-gmo-salmon/#.UenOHoVHx_8
Whole Foods and Trader Joes (along with around 2,000 other stores) came out publicly to promise not to sell it in their stores.
Also, I know of another app called Fooducate which allows you to scan barcodes and search for products. It tells you the nutritional value and how the food was processed. I find it really helpful when looking for more organic food products, although it can be a bit opinionated sometimes when it comes to telling you what you should and should not eat!