Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs):

A Foretaste of Bad Things to Come?

 

What are GMOs?

GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. Does that sound scary to you? You’ve been eating them for the past 20 (almost) years. Surprised? Were you not aware? Or perhaps somebody forgot to tell you. Suspense and surprise aside, GMO’s have been around for a long time now. Some people aren’t aware that they really do exist and that they’re everywhere.


GMO’s are basically organisms in which the DNA (genetic material) has been manipulated or altered. Scientists do this in a way which doesn’t occur naturally. In other words, it’s not found in nature. The technology used to make GMO’s are referred to in various ways including genetic engineering, recombinant DNA technology, modern biotechnology and gene technology. The organism in the term GMO can be bacteria, plant or animal. This type of technology permits scientists to choose which individual genes are needed to show a certain quality they’re looking for. These genes are then transferred to another organism which can belong to the same or a different species. Amazing, huh?


For our purposes (food!), genetic engineering is used to create genetically modified plants and produce genetically modified crops.

 

Natural or Artificial?

Now that you know the definition of GMO, do you think they’re all natural or artificial (synthetic)? Having a hard time deciding? You’re not the only one. In legal terms, the term “all natural” doesn’t really have any basis. With respect to people’s perception, all natural means no chemicals, no added preservatives and no flavourings or colours mixed in. Hold on. How would you define all natural in your own terms?


It’s only in recent times that people (approximately 90%) want to know if what they eat is all natural or if something has been altered, added or modified. In June 2013, Connecticut and Maine (US) were the first states to pass laws requiring the strict labeling of GMO’s. Unfortunately, the implementation was delayed. Of course, manufacturers of GMO’s are against this move. They say that it’s biased or unfair. They also claim that their scientists have found no basis for such actions. Above all, they further added that such labels give consumers a false alarm with regards to what’s inside their food. Do you agree with them?


One thing that’s certainly against the statement made by the manufacturers is the recent fact, that people are wanting to know what’s inside their food. If they’re not doing anything illegal or bad, then why are they hiding behind their huge factories? Why don’t they show and tell people what is GMO or how their GMO’s are made?


People have the right to know what they are giving their bodies. If the manufacturing companies have no transparency as to what they do with the food they provide us, it’s human nature to fear the unknown, and doubt what we don’t understand. In reality, most of us have difficulties moving out of our comfort zone, trying out something new or accepting change.


Yes, the aim of these manufacturing companies is to increase the food supply (or provide more food). Most of us are familiar with the story of Robin Hood, right? The moral of the story is that the end can’t justify the means. If they do bad things to the food (when they’re altered), the increase in products isn’t enough to justify this. So for the GMO’s to be generally accepted, they have to educate the public on what’s going on inside their factories. It’s only then that we can wholeheartedly accept (that is, if they’re acceptable to our standards) their GMO’s. Ultimately, we can decide for ourselves if we consider them natural or artificial. In addition, we can also choose whether we want GMO’s banned or whether it’s enough just to have them labeled?


The first GMO was a tomato with delayed ripening (1994). Right now, there are ONLY 9 genetically modified crops available on our store shelves. They are as follows:

• corn

• soybeans

• sugar beets

• Hawaiian papaya

• yellow crookneck squash

• zucchini

• alfalfa

• cotton

• canola

On the other hand, there are literally thousands of processed foods (of course, too many to include here), which use these GMO’s as ingredients. So far science has done little for us when it comes to GMO’s. There are no convincing and conclusive studies to date which tell us about the safety of GMO’s for human consumption. I ask you this, does the absence of negative effects guarantee our safety and health? Does science still have to prove they’re safe for our consumption? That’s an absolute YES.

 

Why are GMO’s still produced?

Currently, GMO’s (or GM plants to be specific) are produced so that we can have insect and virus resistant crops. Viruses and insects sabotage a good crop yield. The greater the ability of plants to fight insects and viruses, the higher the crop yield. Another thing growers are worried about, is the presence of weeds. They use a herbicide to get rid of weeds. Genetic engineering allows the plants to tolerate herbicides (so the weeds die and the plant survives). Although it’s out of the scope of this newsletter (GMO’s with reference to food), it’s worthwhile mentioning that some GMO’s are used to produce vaccines.

 

GMO’s and Your Health

To discuss each genetically modified organism and its effect on your health is impractical. There are so many issues to address and clarify. Generally speaking, there are three main concerns when it comes to your health and GMO’s: their inherent ability to elicit an allergic reaction, transfer of genes and outcrossing.


1. Elicit an allergic reaction (also called allergenicity). Authorities have to make sure that the gene that they transfer to the GMO will not produce a protein that can elicit an allergic reaction in you. Are you allergic to certain types of foods? Do you think they are GMO foods?


2. Transfer of genes. Examine this scenario closely, the gene incorporated into the GMO you ate was for resistance to antibiotics. It then passes through your digestive system and transfers that genetic material to the bad bacteria which resides there. Bam! Just like that, you have antibiotic resistant bad bacteria. Although the process I explained here is overly simplified compared to the real mechanism for how it happens, the point is to show the possibility of gene transfer.


3. Outcrossing. Do you have cross training shoes? You know what they’re used for, right? You can use them in different types of sports. This can also mean that you go from one physical activity to another without needing to change shoes. Outcrossing is similar to that. Outcrossing is when genes are transferred from genetically modified crops into conventional (or traditional) crops or vice versa. These genes can go from one crop to another without being recognized. The same gene can make its way to two different types of crops just as your cross training shoes (the genes) can be used for different types of physical activities (types of crops). Clear? As you can see, this type of gene transfer is dangerous (unfortunately, I can’t say the same for your feet). Imagine if a genetically modified crop, intended as feed for farm animals, made its way to conventional crops intended for human consumption.  Alas, don’t imagine, this has happened before.

 

GMO’s and the Environment

Did you forget about the environment? GMO’s also have an effect on the environment. The GMO’s are coming out – I’m sorry, I don’t mean they’re announcing that they have a different sexual orientation. This means that the GMO’s can find their way into the wild population of NON-GMO’s. The consequences of this situation can be alarming and tortuous. Just imagine, allowing a gene responsible for making a plant resistant to certain insects. The difference is that only this time, no harvest will take place, and the plant is allowed to do whatever it pleases with that special power so to speak. On the other side of the coin, the insects that are exposed continuously to that plant and may develop a mechanism to counteract such special power. What if the insect resistant genes of that genetically modified plant were transferred to another plant species which isn’t meant to be resistant to insects? It’s like giving them superpowers. Other concerns about GMO’s and their effects on the environment include the use of more chemicals and loss of biodiversity (degree of variation of life, e.g. different plants).

Are GMO’s safe then?

Different genes are inserted into different GMO’s. Each type of GMO must be evaluated on a case by case basis. This is where the manufacturers and their scientists can help us. It’s simple, tell us what you did and how you did it. The safety of each GMO depends on their response to this preceding statement. Of course, they will tell us, it’s never that simple. What do you think?
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