Genetically Modified Food is Sold Without Labels to Americans

More on GMO's

Genetically modified food did not exist until 1995. It has been over ten years and still there are no labeling requirements for GM foods in the United States, so don't bother checking the products in your pantry.

Even Sherlock Holmes would be unable to tell GM or non-GM foods apart just by looking. The reason is elementary my fellow mom; our lack of awareness is profitable.

Genetically modified food has been in American grocery stores for years without consumer knowledge or consent. This means that unless you are already buying 100% organic and unprocessed foods, you have products with GM ingredients in your home right now.

Here are some common hazards of GM crops:

• More and higher doses of chemical pesticides can be used without killing the crop which is worse for the environment and our bodies
• Doctors and scientists fear antibiotic "marker" genes will add to the diminished effectiveness of antibiotics - more below
• Possibility of harm to non-target insects birds and animals that eat from the GM fields
• Long-term changes in soil fertility
• Threat to agricultural and natural bio-diversity (contamination has already occured in comercial seed stock)
• Fear of creating herbicide-tolerant "superweeds" (has happened already with Horseweed)
• Patenting fees putting small family farmers out of business

Here are some of the potential hazards of eating genetically modified food. Since there is nothing on the label, we can't reliably know when someone has had a reaction:

• 22 out of 33 proteins incorporated into GM crops have similarities to known allergens
• Several rats who were fed GM tomatoes developed stomach lesions and seven out of forty died within two weeks (the rats refused to eat the tomatoes so they had to be force-fed. The tomato was approved.)
• FDA scientists warned that GM foods in general might create unpredicted allergies, toxins, antibiotic resistant diseases, and nutritional problems
• A UK government-funded study demonstrated that rats fed a GM potato developed potentially pre-cancerous cell growth, damaged immune systems, partial atrophy of the liver, and inhibited development of their brains, livers and testicles
• Rats fed GM corn had problems with blood cell formation. Those fed GM soy had problems with liver cell formation, and the livers of rats fed GM canola were heavier
• Pigs fed GM corn on several Midwest farms developed false pregnancies or sterility
• Cows fed GM corn in Germany died mysteriously
• Twice the number of chickens died when fed GM corn compared to those fed natural corn
• GM soy currently consumed in the US contains a gene from bacteria. The inserted gene creates a protein that was never before part of the human food supply, and might be allergenic
• The most common allergen in soy is called trypsin inhibitor. GM soy contains significantly more of this compared with natural soy
• Thirty-nine Filipinos living next to a pesticide-producing cornfield developed skin, intestinal, and respiratory reactions while the corn was pollinating
• The only human feeding study ever conducted showed that the gene inserted into soybeans spontaneously transferred out of food and into the DNA of gut bacteria, which means this foreign gene may create the novel protein inside of us

No one monitors human health impacts of genetically modified foods. Most Americans think they have never eaten a genetically modified food in their lives but the truth is we are eating them every day.

Our children are most at risk and scientists in other countries who know what we have been eating for over a decade are watching them closely.

I will not allow my children to be part of this covert human experiment any longer. As of this writing, organic foods cannot contain genetically modified ingredients.

• Monsanto
• DuPont
• Dow
• Syngenta - formerly Novartis

It is claimed that biotechnology is needed "to feed the world." No one, especially a mother, can bear the image of starving children. So this argument does tug at the heart strings. Even so, it is untrue.

"Genetic engineering is often justified as a humane technology, one that feeds more people with better food. Nothing could be further from the truth. With very few exceptions, the whole point of genetic engineering is to increase sales of chemicals and bio-engineered products to dependent farmers." David Ehrenfield: Professor of Biology, Rutgers University

There is already more than enough food produced worldwide to feed everyone. Politics, poverty and inadequate allocation of resources are the major obstacles to feeding our world's starving people.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the world can produce enough food to meet global demand in the year 2030 without the use of GM crops.

To tell if an organism has been successfully engineered, scientists are incorporating antibiotic-resistance genes as markers into nearly every GE organism.

U.S. physicians are warning that this could lead to the creation of "superbacteria", the diminished effectiveness of antibiotics, and the growth of new antibiotic-resistant strains of infectious diseases.

While scientists and others are bickering over whether GM foods are good or bad, corporations like Monsanto and Nestle are systematically buying up seed companies, and taking control of more and more of our staple food crops, via seed patents.

Even if GM foods turn out to be the best thing since sweetened chocolate, having a handful of corporations in control of our food supply is not a good idea.

The "terminator gene" prevents seeds from reproducing themselves, so farmers cannot save the seed from previous crops to replant. The tragedy of this particular gene getting out of control would make for an engrossing horror novel; ala Stephen King.

90% of Americans' food dollars are spent on processed foods, and 70% of processed foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

These are the three primary genetically modified crops grown in the U.S.:

• Soy Beans
• Corn
• Cotton

The web site for the must-read book "Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating" has a "genetically modified foods at a glance listing."

Here are just some of the items from that list:

Infant formula, salad dressing, bread, cereal, hamburgers and hot-dogs, margarine, mayonnaise, cereals, crackers, cookies, chocolate, candy, fried food, chips, veggie burgers, meat substitutes, ice cream, frozen yogurt, tofu, tamari, soy sauce, soy cheese, tomato sauce, protein powder, baking powder, alcohol, vanilla, powdered sugar, peanut butter, enriched flour and pasta. Non-food items include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo, and bubble bath.

See any familiar items in that list? The book goes into detail on exactly what is happening to our food supply regarding genetic modification, and why. Read this book to understand how the biotechnology companies are putting an entire generation at-risk for profit.

Actually more than one generation. If everyone stopped producing GM foods today, there is no way they can be completely removed from the environment. Genetic pollution could influence life on earth forever.

This is not science fiction, moms! This is happening right under our noses.

How Does Genetically Modified Food Effect Us?

So it can be said legally, if not ethically, that there is "no evidence that genetically modified foods are harmful in any way." Most of us would take that to mean that the studies that were done show no evidence, and that's just fine with the corporations who are supplying farmers with GM seed.

No studies, no evidence, no problem. Remember when your mom told you not to believe everything you read?

I'm also not expecting your to take my word for any of this. Follow the links I'm providing below and throughout this web site. Do some research of your own and come to your own conclusions. Your kids, and you, are worth it!

Seeds of Deception Book on Genetically Modified Foods
Can Organic Agriculture Feed the World?
Organic Consumers on Genetically Modified Foods
Please send a letter to Congress and let them know you want GE foods labeled