What Does GMO or Genetically Modified Mean?

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO)

What is a genetically modified organism?  A GMO is an organism that has had its DNA altered in someway to improve the viability of the organism for mass production.  Genetically modified organisms are not to be confused with selective farming techniques.  Farmers have been selecting traits from the food or animals they grow to maximize the benefit of those traits.  Carrots are a good example of this.  Historically, carrots were purple, white, yellow, and orange.  The orange carrot was selected over the years for its sweetness and bright orange color which is why the majority of carrots found in grocery stores today are orange.  The other colors have become somewhat of a novelty in our day.  The same can be said for various animals.  The best of the herd is chosen to mate to ensure quality offspring. 

Altering the DNA of an organism has serious consequences. The non-profit Non GMO Project defines GMO as, “This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial, and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.” http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/

Genetically modified seeds have been altered to prevent the plant from dieing when sprayed with weed killer.  They are termed, “Round-up Ready” because they can withstand the dousing of weed killer sprayed on them to kill the weeds but not the crop.  The FDA says they have tested these foods and found them to be safe to consume.  According to the web article from Scientific American,  “for the past 20 years Americans have been eating plants in which scientists have used modern tools to insert a gene here or tweak a gene there, helping the crops tolerate drought and resist herbicides. Around 70 percent of processed foods in the U.S. contain genetically modified ingredients.” http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=labels-for-gmo-foods-are-a-bad-idea 

This article highlights the benefits of GMO plants and supports their use in the food supply.  Scientists are working hard to try and meet the needs of an ever increasing world population by altering the genetic makeup of plants to ensure they thrive in harsher environments.  Scientific study is a good thing.  However, the problem with the current data is that it doesn’t account for the rise in health problems in our society especially over the past 20 years.  In this same time period, as advances in food technology have abounded, increases in autism, auto-immune diseases, diabetes, and many other health problems have risen too.  None of the diseases or disorders rampant in America have been directly attributed to the changes in our national food supply, but the common thread that holds our society together is that we all eat food.

An alternate opinion about GMO foods comes from “The Institute for Responsible Technology”.  They list ten reasons to become educated before eating genetically modified foods.  They include, GMOs are unhealthy, GMOs contaminate―forever, GMOs increase herbicide use, genetic engineering creates dangerous side effects, government oversight is dangerously lax, The biotech industry uses "tobacco science" to claim product safety, Independent research and reporting is attacked and suppressed, GMOs harm the environment, GMOs do not increase yields, and work against feeding a hungry world, and by avoiding GMOs, you contribute to the coming tipping point of consumer rejection, forcing them out of our food supply.  http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs 

The nongmoproject.org is a non-profit that grew out of a desire to educate the public on better food choices.  They provide two important services to consumers.  First, they have developed a comprehensive product verification process to determine the GMO status of foods.  They are sought out by companies desiring to have the designation, "certified non-gmo".  Second, their website has a listing of foods they have certified as non-gmo to 0.09%.  According to their website, “Unfortunately, “GMO free” and similar claims are not legally or scientifically defensible due to limitations of testing methodology.  In addition, the risk of contamination to seeds, crops, ingredients and products is too high to reliably claim that a product is 'GMO free.' The Project’s claim offers a true statement acknowledging the reality of contamination risk, but assuring the shopper that the product in question is in compliance with the Project’s rigorous standard. The website url is included as part of the Seal to ensure that there is transparency for consumers who want to learn more about our verification. While the Non-GMO Project’s verification seal is not a “GMO free” claim, it is trustworthy, defensible, transparent, and North America’s only independent verification for products made according to best practices for GMO avoidance.” http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/understanding-our-seal/

The nongmoproject.org has compiled a list of the top GMO foods that are the highest risk. 

• Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
• Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
• Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
• Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
• Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
• Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
• Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
• Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)

You may wonder why alfalfa is something to be concerned about.  Alfalfa is fed to animals we eat.  The food chain does start at our plates it starts at the food source.  Cotton is also concerning because cottonseed oil is used in foods too.  Interestingly, these raw ingredients are also used in other products such as body soap, lotions, hair products, and cosmetics.  Our skin is the largest organ on our body.  Applying products with GMO ingredients could be damaging to our systems.  As mentioned before, more studies need to be done to determine the risk. 

Those foods being monitored as a moderate risk include those listed below.  The monitored designation means these crops are watched based on GMO crops in common and also the possibility for cross contamination with a GMO crop.  

• Beta vulgaris (e.g., chard, table beets)
• Brassica napa (e.g., rutabaga, Siberian kale)
• Brassica rapa (e.g., bok choy, mizuna, Chinese cabbage, turnip, rapini, tatsoi)
• Curcubita (acorn squash, delicata squash, patty pan)
• Flax
• Rice
• Wheat

There are ingredients derived from GMO sources that are also concerning.  “Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast Products.”

http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/

Fundamentally, more research needs to be done on the effects of GMO’s to the land and also to our bodies.  In the meantime, there are plenty of natural foods on the market that we know are healthy and we can support the companies making an effort by making informed purchases.  As consumers we need to look at the net affect of using GMO ingredients in our foods and other products.  Consuming a few GMO products here and there won’t likely cause problems for a person.  However, if the entire GMO chain is considered and its impact on our systems, there is cause to be concerned about the concentration of altered grains, meat, and produce that finds its way into our body systems.  Consider what your food is being fed, what you are putting on your body, and what you are putting in your body and then you can begin to see a clearer picture of why it is important to educate yourself on the products that may be contributing to serious health complications in the United States.  Awareness is the key to good health. 

For more information on genetically modified organisms, check out http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/about-gmos.html .  They have detailed the science behind GMO foods and included a statement from the Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) on the adverse health effects of genetically modified foods.