Facts of LifeGenitically engineered food [Archives:2005/831/Health]

By John Robbins,
Earth Island Institute
Imagine this: an orange that contains all the nutrients in a multivitamin, a tomato with more flavor as well as cancer fighting substances, sweeter strawberries, a potato that produces healthier french fries as well as allergen-free peanuts! Is it science fiction or could it be true?

An issue that has entered the mainstream media in a lot of countries is Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM) of food. A lot of food that we eat today contains genetically modified ingredients and usually without our knowledge.

Supporters of this technology maintain that it ensures and sustains food security around the world as the population increases.

As time goes on, the science behind genetic engineering is no doubt improving. Biotechnology could be the wave of the future and genetically modified foods could really provide alternatives to help increase food production. However, there is a growing wave of concern from citizens, farmers and scientists who question the way the research is currently being handled.

“Genetically engineered crops were created not because they're productive but because they're patentable. Their economic value is oriented not toward helping subsistence farmers to feed themselves but toward feeding more livestock for the already overfed rich.”

So, what are the expected benefits of GE food?

There is a problem of food shortage especially in growing countries, and through GE foods this will not be a problem any more. Food shortages and hunger will be ) and already are ) experienced by the poorer nations, and this will also vanish. Plants can also be engineered to require less irrigation, reducing the demand for water. Longer shelf-life and better flavor and appearance of GE food might take place. Temperature and disease resistant crops could occur, as could a reduction in the use of pesticides and herbicides.

Still, are GE foods safe? The truth is that none of the GE foods on the market are of any significant value. And it is only a hypothesis, scientifically unverified, that genetic engineering will be able to yield really valuable and safe foods. Problems and difficulties with food biotechnology are numerous and serious. The issue is covered from many different aspects that must be taken into consideration:

Long Term Effects are Unknown. There is very incomplete knowledge about health and environmental effects of GE organisms. GE Food is an expensive technology that the farmers of the developing nations would not be able to afford easily. This is a very young and untested technology and may not be the answer just yet. Crop uniformity will reduce genetic diversity making them more vulnerable to disease and pests. New genetic structure of foods might result in new allergens. Toxicity levels of naturally occurring food toxins might result in new allergens.

Many countries had already forbidden importation of GE food products. In Thailand, for example, Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi said that Thailand will ban the imports of GE seeds until there is clear scientific proof that they are safe. On Feb. 23, 1999 India's Supreme Court decided that all field trials of Monsanto's genetically engineered Bt Cotton must be halted. In addition, the agriculture ministers of all 27 Brazilian states – unanimously – sent a statement to their federal counterpart, Mr. Franciso Turra, asking him to not allow transgenics in Brazil. In July 1999, the National Consumer Protection Council called for the ban on imports and sale of all genetically- engineered food products until it has been proven safe for consumption by an independent body in Malaysia.

In the U.S concerned people and some health food stores (namely WHOLE FOODS MARKET) has been informing others since 1992. You can do so by making your favorite manufacturers know how you feel about genetic engineering of our food supply. Tell them you would like to make an informed choice of whether or not to purchase foods that have been genetically modified.

Good luck with your healthy food!!

For more details about this issue I strongly advise you to go to the following link: http://www.psrast.org/infomail.htm

John Robbins, Earth Island Institute, Winter 2001-2002, Vol. 16, No. 4
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