Genetically modified corn, soy and salmon – what’s next?
There is a great experiment taking place right now, probably the largest experiment ever conducted. The products being tested in this experiment are genetically engineered foods, especially soy and corn and rape(source of canola oil), but perhaps soon also salmon, wheat and others. The experimenters are Monsanto and other large agribusiness and biotech companies aided by the FDA and USDA in the United States and their Canadian government equivalents. The lab rats are us. The only way for anyone to opt out of this experiment is to eat only organic products because our government refuses to require labeling of genetically modified food products. Without labels there is no way to choose not to eat genetically modified foods except to totally avoid ingredients that might possibly be modified. Doing so is both difficult and inconvenient.
Without required labeling, how can we know what is genetically modified?
Genetically modified food products have been allowed into our food supply based on a few short-term studies, mostly paid for by the same companies that produce the genetically modified products, that supposedly show them to be safe for consumption. There really are no long-term studies of these products to determine possible affects on health. It does not help that companies are not required to disclose to the government all of their safety research results but only the results they want to disclose. These companies have a large financial incentive to find genetically modified foods safe. If a biotech company pays for four research trials using rats and three show a negative health impact while the fourth is inconclusive, the results of the fourth trial will be sent to the FDA. The United States is one of very few countries to take this approach to public safety and health. Many countries require the results of all safety trials be disclosed and the governments fund independent trials to avoid company bias.
Recent studies at a university showed four times the intestinal tract inflammation in pigs fed a diet of genetically modified corn and soy compared to a control group of pigs fed an unmodified grain diet. Other studies have shown gene transfer from genetically modified crops to lab animals’ intestines. The overall lack of independent safety studies on genetically modified food products means that no one really knows what the long term health effects on humans will be.
Real food does not need to be fixed!
We are the lab rats. And our government is alright with that fact. Because Monsanto and the other large agribusiness and biotech companies make money from genetically modified food products and pass some of their profit along to the re-election campaigns of politicians that maintain the status quo.
The only two current viable solutions to this problem are: buy organic and/or grow your own.