HEALTH hen was the last time you W had a Ritz cracker? How about some Doritos chips? It may surprise you to learn that both of these popular brands contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In fact, over 80% of the foods sold in North America contain GMOs. As the name implies, GMOs are plants and animals that scientists have modified to contain some gene which they normally wouldn t have. In order to do this, scientists cut out a gene normally produced by bacteria or some other species and insert it into the DNA of a plant. If this process takes, the once normal plant becomes genetically modified and now has a trait that will give it advantages over naturally occurring plants, such as the ability to produce insecticides or vitamins. While GMOs may seem great in theory as they potentially provide a way to improve the quality and yields of crops, in reality they pose a serious risk to both public health and the environment. 1 05-2014
Which Foods Contain GMOs There are currently no government regulations monitoring the production of genetically modified organisms, so it is hard to compile an exact list of foods that have been genetically modified. However, some of the most common GMOs include corn, tomatoes, and sugar. A list of GMOs and the traits they were engineered to have can be found below. GMO Food Corn Tomatoes Soybean Cotton Rice Sugar Cane Sweet Corn Papaya Tobacco Peas Traits Food is Engineered to Possess Resistance to Pesticides; Production of Vitamin C Longer shelf life Resistance to herbicides, production of vitamin E Resistance to pesticides Production of Vitamin A. Recent pushes have also been made to engineer rice that contains human genes to make proteins which would treat infant diarrhea in third world countries Resistance to pesticides Production of insecticides Resistance to viruses Production of little to no nicotine Production of pesticides Effect of GMOs on Health Most GMOs carry with them a host of potential heath risks. The largest risk that GMOs pose to humans is the potential to cause unwanted allergic reactions due to the source of the gene introduced to the organism. For instance, organic soybeans tend to be deficient in methionine, an essential amino acid required for the synthesis of proteins in humans. In an attempt to remedy this deficiency, a gene originally found in Brazil nuts was inserted into the DNA of soybeans. However, a recent study was conducted which demonstrated that this GMO now contains a protein that causes allergic reactions in people with nut allergies. On top of causing potential allergic reactions, GMOs could be harmful to humans in many other ways. For instance, studies performed on rats that were fed genetically modified potatoes showed that these rats exhibited signs of repressed development of the brain, liver, and testicles as well as damage to their immune system. Mice were also fed genetically modified corn that later caused them to develop tumors, experience fertility problems, and give birth to smaller than normal offspring. Similarly, hamsters that were fed foods with genetically modified soy products in them suffered both a high mortality rate and infertility. Effect of GMOs on the Environment In addition to their numerous health risks, GMOs are also putting an enormous strain on our environment. 05-2014 2
GMOs can kill organisms that are not their original targets. While GMO crops may be effective at killing off harmful insects, they may also have unwanted effects on non-targeted organisms. One study indicated that the pollen produced by genetically modified corn, which now contains toxins intended to harm insects, also kills Monarch butterflies. GMOs pose a threat to the natural biodiversity of organisms present in the environment. Out-crossing, a process in which genetically modified plants exchange their new traits with other wild, naturally occurring species, could potentially change the role these species have in their ecosystem. These new traits could possibly enable these species to outcompete other organisms present in their ecosystem, which would decrease the overall biodiversity. This loss of biodiversity tends to lead to other problems such as a higher vulnerability to outbreaks in disease. Similarly, if these genes are transferred to plants commonly thought of as weeds, an increase in weed resistance to herbicides is a very real possibility. GMOs could transfer their modified genes to harmful microorganisms. Scientists have shown that under laboratory conditions, GMOs can transfer their genes to bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. This is a process by which genetic material is transferred between unrelated species, normally through direct incorporation of free DNA into bacterial DNA. This is a major concern in that antibiotic resistance genes are normally used as a marker when developing GMOs to see if the gene was successfully inserted into the organism. If these genes were to be transferred to bacteria that commonly cause disease, there could be considerable consequences for the present treatment of disease. However, while this process has occurred under the optimum conditions provided in a laboratory environment, there have been no reported cases of horizontal gene transfer between GMOs and bacteria in the wild. Regulation of GMOs Although there is much scientific evidence that suggests GMOs are serious health concerns, the US has very little legislation in place on the use of GMOs. The FDA, instead of testing and monitoring the safety of new GMOs, places this responsibility on the manufacturer. This policy has produced much skepticism, as the only people in charge of the safety of a product are the same people who are benefiting from its sales. Therefore, there is no regulatory structure in place that requires GMOs to be subjected to testing to determine whether or not they are safe for human consumption. Furthermore, not only is there no legislation in place demanding the safety certification of GMOs, but there is also 3 05-2014
no law mandating that companies disclose whether or not their products contain GMOs. To date, only two states have passed legislation requiring food to be labeled if they contain GMOs (Maine and Connecticut). However, a recent poll taken by the New York Times suggests that as many as 93% of Americans feel that genetically engineered foods should be labeled. How to Avoid GMOs With the government doing so little to protect American s against GMOs, there are several steps that you can take to guard yourself and your family against these harmful products. Buy certified 100% organic foods as organic foods are grown from non-genetically modified seeds Buy foods with Non-GMO Seal. Although companies are not required to label their products if they contain GMOs, those that do not have started to add a non-gmo seal to their label. Avoid foods whose main ingredients are some of the most abundant GMO crops. This most notably includes cereals that are not organic or non-gmo certified. For an extensive list of products which have been verified as GMO free, visit the Non-GMO Project s website. (www.nongmoproject.org) 05-2014 4
References: 65 Health Risks of GM Foods Institute for Responsible Technology Web. Accessed April 8, 2014 Bashshur, Ramona (2013) FDA and Regulation of GMOs. ABA Health esource. February 2013 Web. Accessed April 8, 2014 Geib, Aurora. GMO alert: top 10 genetically modified foods to avoid eating Natural News May 01, 2012 Web. Accessed April 8, 2014 Genetically modified plants and the environment GMO Compass December 8, 2006 Web. Accessed April 9, 2014 Kopicki, Allison Strong Support for Labeling Modified Foods. The New York Times July 27, 2013 Web. Accessed April 9, 2014 Losey JE, Rayor LS, Carter ME. Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae Nature 399.1 (1999) 214. Print Nordlee JA, Taylor SL, Townsend JA, Thomas LA, Bush RK Identification of a Brazil-Nut Allergen In Transgenic Soybeans The New England Journal of Medicine 334.1 (1996): 688-692. Print Verified Products Non GMO Project. March 19, 2014. Web. Accessed April 8, 2014