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Genetically Modified Foods
By Karlyn Eckman (reprinted from the Dec 1999/Jan 2000 newsletter)Worldwide, a fierce debate is occurring among consumers, scientists, corporations, and governments about the safety and sustainability of genetically modified (GM) foods. This article is the first in a series that explores the GM debate, and brings shoppers up to date on recent developments.
What are GM foods?
GM foods are those that have been genetically endowed with bacteria, viruses, hormones, or have been "otherwise spliced" with genetic characteristics that are not found in other human foods. This biotechnology allows the precise transfer of a single gene (and desirable characteristics) into a plant line. These plants are then multiplied and sold to producers as seed. The resulting harvested grains and seeds are finally processed, packaged, and sold as human and livestock food. Almost any food derived from plants can now be genetically engineered.Some examples of GM foods are:
- Milk from cows that are given growth hormones to stimulate milk production ("gene-pharming"), and hormone-treated beef.
- "Terminator" seeds - hybrid seeds that are sterile, not fertile, and cannot be saved for planting next year's crop. Farmers must buy new seed each year.
- Genetically manipulated corn and soybean crops that are immune to certain herbicides, such as Monsanto's Round-up herbicide (these GM plants are called "Round-up Ready").
- Crops that are engineered through gene splicing to achieve some particular characteristic. For example, Brazil nut genes have been spliced into soybeans for a nuttier flavor.
In the United States, eating GM foods is almost unavoidable. Worldwide, forty-four crop species are now genetically engineered in some way. By December 1998, the U.S. Government had approved the commercial sale of twenty genetically engineered varieties of the following whole foods: canola (oilseed rape), red-hearted chicory (radicchio), corn, cotton, papaya, potato, soybean, squash, and tomato (Source: Union of Concerned Scientists). No labeling or long-term safety tests were required. About 15% of the 1997 U.S. agricultural crop was "Round-up Ready," and that percentage has grown each year. One-third of the U.S. corn crop is genetically engineered, mostly to exude its own insecticide. One-half of the U.S. cotton crop and about half of the U.S. soybean crop also come from plants that produce their own insecticides. Depending upon the crop, between 25 to 45% of the major crops grown in the United States in 1999 were genetically modified.
Common U.S. brands such as General Mills, General Foods, and Pillsbury purchase GM grains that are mixed in bulk, so that consumers cannot know for certain whether their cereal, bread, or flour contains a GM product. Customer service staff at Pillsbury and General Mills note that their products probably do contain GM ingredients (such as corn syrup or corn starch, soya or wheat flour), but they maintain that their products are generally safe.
A high percentage of the following ingredients have been made from genetically engineered plants and are commonly found in processed foods: canola oil, corn flour, corn oil, corn starch, corn sweeteners and syrups, cottonseed oil, lecithin, soy flour, soy oil, soy protein isolates and concentrates.
Consumers who wish to avoid GM foods are pressing food manufacturers to clearly label their products. However, under current U.S. law labeling is voluntary; and most customers never know whether a product contains a GM ingredient unless they contact the manufacturer directly. Another alternative is to buy organic products, which do not contain GM ingredients. If you are concerned about GM foods, the Twin Cities Natural Foods Coops suggests that you do the following:
- Buy products that certify that all of the ingredients are organic. In spite of recent USDA proposals to soften organic regulations by alllowing GM crops, the idea was roundly rejected by the public.
- Express your concerns to food producers. Contact the makers of your favorite products and let them know you don't want GM foods. Most product labels offer a toll-free number.
- Inform government agencies that you expect labeling and testing of GM foods that are on the market.
- Contact the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the lawsuit to
demand labelling and testing of GM foods. Include the docket number:
U.S. District Court for D.C. Docket No. 98-CV-1300 (CKK) Jane Henney, Commissioner Food & Drug Administration 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 1471 Rockville, MD 20857
- Contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding the
lawsuit asking them to take GM crops that contain Bt (corn, cotton, and
potatoes) off the market until further testing is done to evaluate
potential environmental risks and potential threats to organic farmers.
Include the docket number.
U.S. District Court for D.C. Docket No. 99-CV-389 (LFO) Carol M. Browner, Administrator Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street SW, Room W1200 Washington, DC 20460
An article in the next newsletter (Feb/Mar 2000) will explore the international debate about the public health, environmental, and other issues relating to GM foods.
You can read part two here.
ResourcesCampaign for Food Safety/Organic Consumers Association 860 Highway 61 Little Marais, MN 55614 218/226-4164 e-mail: alliance@mr.net http://www.purefood.org The Campaign to Label Genetically Engineered Foods 6920 Roosevelt Way NE #277 Seattle, WA 98115 425/771-4049 e-mail: label@thecampaign.org http://www.thecampaign.org Consumers Choice Council 2000 P Street NW Suite 308 Washington, D.C. 20036 202/785-1950 e-mail:consumer@ibm.net http://consumercouncil.org Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 2105 1st Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404 612/870-3417 e-mail:glora@iatp.org Union of Concerned Scientists Two Brattle Square Cambridge MA 02238-9105 617/547-5552 e-mail:ucs@ucsusa.org http://ucsusa.org/agriculture/index.html |
Author's note: This article was compiled from approximately fifty sources. Due to space limitations, the references are not reproduced here. Readers who would like a copy can contact the author through Hampden Park Foods.