GMO in food is where the food supply and huge corporations intersect. Those three letters mean “Genetically Modified Organism” and it’s the way multi-nationals change the very NATURE of plants (and now animals) to have characteristics they don’t inherently have.
Gene research and therapy is perhaps the fastest growing segment of study in the laboratory these days, and it’s done a lot of good. Some gene research has helped develop new drugs and aided in medical research. But, altering genes in plants for food can be particularly dangerous for you individually and for Man as a species.
Just as I had asked, “Are chemicals on food slow poison or a necessity?”, so must I ask whether genetically modified foods help feed the hungry where there’d be no food, or just a way for corporations to take our money in exchange for poor health.
GMO in food means that plant crops have been altered on a genetic level to resist pests, fungi, diseases, grow faster, have a bright color, increase shelf life, or just grow somewhere where they wouldn’t normally.
Ironically, I was the General Manager at the corporate cafeteria of Bayer Cropscience about a decade ago when all this was being developed. It was ironic because I was trying to give the employees the healthiest food for lunch while they were creating some of the most potentially harmful foods in the rest of the building.
The most successful GMO was created by Monsanto. They invented Roundup, the stuff you spray on the weeds that grow in sidewalk cracks. They decided instead of spraying their chemical invention glycophosate on plants, they’d splice it right into the genes. These plants are now “Roundup Ready”, systemically resistant to herbicides and pests.
GMO in food is great for farmers. They can grow more crops per acre, they have less waste and more yield, and their plants deteriorate less. All this is accomplished through the miracle of modern chemistry and genetics.
The long term effects of GMOs are unknown. Currently, they are deemed safe by the US FDA and EPA. They have been banned in many European countries or faced strict labeling laws. Why have they been banned in other countries and not the US? It’s certainly not because of research on the affects, it’s the lobbying efforts and deeeeeeeeep pockets of the agrichemical companies.
I’m confident you’ll be surprised in the amount of our foods that ARE genetically modified. You might think to yourself that if you avoid processed foods and convenience foods you’ll avoid GMOs. You’d be wrong.
You’ll find the most genetic modification in:
Corn – highly modified, highly subsidized, and appears in more food than you know
Soy – Monsanto owns the soybean crop in the US. 90% are Roundup Ready
Sugar – GMO sugar beets from Monsanto are attracting the courts recently
Aspartame – the “natural” sweetener is achieved through GM bacteria
Canola – One of THE most altered foods, the oil is made by chemical reaction
Dairy – Monsanto’s rBGH growth hormone effects one-fifth of all cows, and all dairy.
Squash – modified to resist viruses
It’s almost impossible to tell which of your foods have been tinkered with in a laboratory; they’re pervasive at this point. Opponents say that it’s “Franken-foods” that will kill us eventually. Supporters say there has been no proof that GMOs are harmful and they help feed the planet.
The only way to avoid GMO in foods is to buy locally, from the farmers market. Ask the farmer how his garden grows, ask their opinion about modified foods, and purchase only those that don’t support large multi-national agri-business but your local community.
Do you grow your own food? If you do, it might be the only way to avoid genetically modified dinners.
Please share the contents of your garden with everyone reading this. What do you grow? What grows best? Why do you grow your own food? You can help many other people by sharing your insight.
Hi, thanks for publishing this article. It is an important issue. Everyone should have the right to choose non gmo products. Labelling laws will help us decide which foods we want to eat. I think the argument for gmo regarding feeding the hungry is suspect. Didn’t we have gluts of food prior to gmo crops? Also I think the problem of feeding the world’s hungry is more of a distribution issue than a supply issue. Remember all those reports back in the 80s about tons of food rotting at points of entry in several countries? Plus, if you have ever grown even a small garden, lots of food is produced – usually to the point of giving it away and donating to local food banks. Anyway, I hope the labelling laws will gain traction and become the norm here. Thanks for a great website and blog!
Hi kk!
Thank you for your informed comment, you’re exactly right.
It seems many times that “man” figures out a “better” way, it’s not often better for man.
…and what about wheat? It was modified back in the 60’s and now shorter, more heads, but now we have gluten allergies and some book authors claim obesity from this modified wheat. Do you know much about this?
Hi Dave!
There are instances where the incredible intelligence and enginuity of mankind is a detriment. The argument here is whether altering food so that millions more can be fed is a benefit or detriment considering the side-effects.
I do know a bit about this, and if you believe in evolution you’ll realize that species evolve based on their diets and climate. Modified foods are changing the digestive systems of humans over generations and the proof (to me) is the allergies, obesity, and diabetes being shown in the interim.
The scariest thing is that you don’t KNOW which foods are modified.
I for one do not want my food messed with !! I want it as natural as it can be, grown natural with all its goodness intact. Man has no business manipulating the food chain. Buy natural,,cook it healthy,,and enjoy the benefits.
Well said, Wayne!
“Buy Natural..cook healthy..enjoy the benefits”
I have really enjoyed Chef Todd’s web videos and have watched dozens of them! Thanks so much.
I think it is remarkable that Chef Todd has this blog post, with a link to another posting to ‘Avoid Foods with Additives When You Cook At Home’. Yet doesn’t have any qualms about endorsing the gov’ment overseeing food industry doing just that with gmo foods. Seriously, having some phd geneticist monkeying around with the genetic makeup of your food, under the oversight of the FDA “trust me I’m with the government; I also used to be the CEO of Monsanto”. I know some of the wild-eyed gmo people on the fring; trust me there are a huge number of reasonable rational people who just want to keep the genetic chemists from screwing around with their food, and telling people to stop asking for disclosure about what they are doing. Just three small points to make you start thinking and look stuff you for yourselves:
1) Farm animals will choose real food over gmo food (they can sense something is wrong with it!)
2) Numerous foreign countries (80+) are requiring either strict controls, or banning gmo’s altogether.
3) Monsanto is heavily lobbying to keep from labeling gmo foods in the USA; in other countries that require it now they have advertised in favor of it. Why the two-faced behavior?
http://www.naturalnews.com/041098_groceries_banned_foods_American_diet.html
Hi John!
Your “three small points” are right on target. Thank you for your informed comment.
However, I don’t see where I’m “endorsing the gov’ment overseeing food industry”.
I would look forward to discussing the topic with you, but I honestly don’t know what you mean by “two-faced behavior”.
The purpose of my blog and articles is not to editorialize but to offer a point of view for debate.
Personally, I try to eat unadulterated food. Others have a different perspective and I respect them as well.
I appreciate this information. I, so much, want to find farmers that grow naturally, as back in the day. Unwashed told by someone, who went to the Farmer’s Market, that vegetables they wanted to purchase came from the supermarket (as told by the ‘farmer’/vendor). If that is what’s happening at the Farmer’s Market, I’m skeptical about going. I live in Colorado, and I want to find a farmer that is growing vegetables the old fashioned way.
Thanks again Chef Todd!
Hi Mary Anne!
You raise a very good point. There are some vendors at larger markets who simply bring “grocery store” produce to the market. It’s up to each shopper to identify what is local and fresh. This is accomplished by asking the vendor along with your observations. If a vendor is selling items that are out of season, then they can’t possibly be local. If the vendor is selling something that doesn’t grow in your area, they’re not local.
Select the best food by looking, asking, smelling, listening.