What are they? Genetically modified foods, otherwise known as genetically engineered foods, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), are the new buzzwords in the health world. Know what it all means? Through genetic engineering, the genes of a plant, animal, virus or bacteria are removed and then inserted into another organism – usually a plant – in order to give it different characteristics. For manufacturers, genetically altered foods are a dream come true. Through this technology, scientists can create fruits and veggies with built-in pesticides and herbicides (making them more resistant to insects and weeds), foods with longer shelf life, and produce that’s resilient to disease, heat, or drought, for instance. Supporters of GMOs are excited about the possibilities this brings. Yet, for many others, altering foods genetically is raising a red flag.
Why is this raising an alarm? While the U.S. government and FDA consider genetically modified foods safe to eat now, no research has been done on their potential long-term side effects and health risks; something many health professionals and scientists are concerned about. To date, there have been no documented ill effects of consuming GMOs, but like any other relatively new product of technology, there are no guarantees on something that, quite simply, has not had enough long-term research done on it. And because most people don’t know if, or when, they’re eating genetically engineered foods, at present there’s no concrete way of telling if they’re truly the root cause of any adverse reactions or not.
Of the studies that have been done on the effects of consuming GMOs, most of these have been animal studies, typically performed on mice. Many of these showed no adverse effects, yet others showed just the opposite, with side effects ranging from trouble with the reproductive system, immune system, and gastrointestinal system of mice, including organ and liver damage.
Further, while there has been a significant amount of short-term research in support of the safety of GMOs, much of this research may be somewhat biased. Case-in-point; a 2011 review of 94 articles on GMOs, published in the Journal Food Policy, found that many of the researchers who provided positive feedback in favor of genetically engineered foods, often had either financial or professional conflicts of interest or ties to the manufacturers producing the GMOs.
Are you eating them? Without a doubt. Actually, it may surprise you just how much food you eat that contains GMOs. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average American eats approximately 196 pounds of the stuff each year! And experts estimate that approximately 60% to 70% of the processed foods you find in grocery stores contains genetically modified ingredients. In the United States today, about 90% of soy is genetically modified, as is over 85% of both corn and cottonseed. Canola and sugar beets are also commonly genetically modified. Most of these crops are processed into ingredients like corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, soy lecithin, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and sweeteners – all of which can be found in everyday products like breakfast cereals, canola oil, soda, soups, packaged soy foods, snack foods, processed foods, spreads and sauces, and even some baby formulas. They’ve become so commonplace, in fact, that unless you’re specifically buying organic foods, or those labeled as “GMO-free”, you’re likely purchasing genetically engineered food products every time to go to the grocery store. And because the United States law does not currently require foods containing genetically modified ingredients to be labeled, you’ll probably never even know it.
It seems quite reasonable that more long-term research be performed on genetically engineered foods before we determine, without a doubt, the safety of consuming them. And it seems even more reasonable that manufacturers at least label foods with genetically modified ingredients as such. For now, at least, that’s not going to happen. At present, GMOs are considered safe by the US government. Whether they remain that way, only time will tell. Until then, it appears we’ll all have to play a part in the giant ongoing experiment of genetically modified foods – despite whether we want to or not.
