Dangers of GMO Produce | ulcerative-colitis

Gentically Modified Food: Are We Taking Risks?

We need fresh healthy food for our living basis because food provides the necessary nutrients for energy used in daily activities. Food is necessary for growth, and repairs and replaces our body tissue. It also helps the body cells function. “We are what we eat” is what philosophers say. We believe that when we eat correctly our body will be healthy. Our body will have so many issues if we consume unhealthy products such as fast food, processed food, alcohol and soda. There are 75 percent of processed foods in the U.S. containing genetically modified organisms. GMOs are genetically modified using a laboratory method of extracting DNA from plants, bacteria, viruses, insects, animals, humans and placed into genes of other organic produce. We don’t pay attention to how GMOs affect our quality of life because we never see information printed on labels about products containing GMO. The truth is that there are many articles on the internet that prove GMOs are unhealthy for human consumption, but the government and scientists claim those articles are inaccurate. Scientists know that GMOs are unhealthy because mixing genes from totally unrelated species, genetic engineering unleashes a host of unpredictable side effects. Unfortunately GMOs are considered healthy because the government believes that GMOs are neutral, they have not done enough long term research to conclude GMOs favorable intake. Therefore there is no label of GMO products. We are taking risks on getting cancer and food allergy not knowing if we are purchasing true' quality organic produce.

Most of the health and environmental risks of GMOs are ignored by the governments' one-dimensional regulations and safety assessments. The reason for this failure is mainly political. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, doesn't require a single safety study, does not mandate labeling of GMOs, and allows companies to put their GM foods onto the market without even advising the agency. Their argument was the claim that they had no information showing that GM foods were considerably different. But this was a lie. Secret agency memos made public by a lawsuit show that the stunning verdict even among the FDA's own scientists was that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects. They urged long-term safety studies. But the White House had instructed the FDA to promote biotechnology, and the agency official in charge of policy was Michael Taylor, Monsanto's former attorney, later their vice president. He's now the US Food Safety Czar.

Newell-MaGloughin states GMO crops are more highly regulated and tested for safety than any other crops grown in the U.S. She also claimed there are regulated by three different agencies for organic crops: The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration should be required to make GMOs safe. However, The FDA’s policy for regulating GMO foods doesn’t require additional testing as long as GMO food has the equal nutrition as non-GMO food. Even though both GMO food and non-GMO foods have an equal nutrition, it doesn’t mean both are safe for human consumption. For example, we know that organic milk and regular milk is derived from cows that are injected by growth hormones. Both types of milk are considered equivalent nutrition but most people purchase more organic milk. People have become awakened by the hidden risks that the government doesn’t want the consumer to know about. Karen Wang, who is currently a senior at Lymbrook High School and interested in biotech agriculture wrote an article “Should we promote the widespread consumption of biotech foods?” She reports Monsanto which is the largest biotech food corporation, injects dairy cows with the bovine growth hormone known as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) for increasing milk production by as much as 15%. This is considered a great benefit to American farmers but this rBGH is banned in 15 European nations as well as in Canada.

Consuming GMOs are risky therefore high amounts could lead to serious illnesses. According to the article “GM food can cause cancer” by Rob Edwards, the author reports about Dr. Stanley Ewen who has 29 years’ experience as a histopathologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Ewen states a cauliflower virus used in GM foods could increase the risk of stomach and colon cancers because the virus is infectious. GMO could act as a growth factor in the stomach or colon. It could encourage the growth of polyps. The faster and bigger polyps grow, the more likely they are to be malignant. GMOs also cause us to have food allergy. In this day, many people have allergy to soy, peanut and others. From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergies increased 18% among children under age 18 years in U.S. People who have food allergies can have symptoms range from mild effects to sudden death. It happens because imported genes produce a new protein, which has never before been present. The new protein may trigger reactions (Smith). In 2000, a genetically engineered feed corn known as Starlink corn contaminated many corn-based processed foods. Starlink, which is not approved for human consumption, reportedly caused allergic reactions among many consumers and also raises concerns about the safety of producing GMOs.

It's the governments obligation to inform the American public. All Americans purchasing groceries should know if the food contains GMO. Products containing GMO are not safe. High end grocery stores such as whole foods and Andronico's offer Non GMO and gluten free products at a higher cost, but not always convenient for working class Americans. We need to build a brighter future for our children to grow strong and stay healthy. All Americans deserve convenient access to Organic grocery stores at prices that are affordable. A new policy should be put in place, "Over throw Monsanto".

The U.S. government believes that GMOs are safe because they are regulated by big corporate research. The U.S. government has not done their own research on the effects of GMOs intake in long-term effects to humans and animals. Moreover, a non-profits public health advocacy group, which coordinates The Biotechnology Project, provides on-going, detailed information on the risks and benefits of agricultural biotechnology. It reports that Americans have been consuming GE crops with no apparent ill effects for the past 16 years, and there is no evidence that currents GE foods pose any risk to humans. The government treats the consumers like experimental animals by selling unsafe products to consumers. Because of lacking in long-term government research, there is no proof weather GMOs are safe in the long run. We are taking a major risk because there is no guarantee that we will be safe from the long-term consequences of GMOs intake.

There is no GMO labeling in the U.S. although most of the world, including Australia, Japan, the European Union, and nearly 30 other counties, require GMO foods to be labeled. It seems Americans have not been fully awakened by how GMOs effect overall health. Proposition 37, which was a California vote rejected a statewide election on November 6, 2012. Proposition 37 would require labeling of genetically engineered food, with some exceptions. The purpose of this proposition is to warn consumers about the food they purchase containing GMOs. This proposition failed because it created a new government bureaucracy costing taxpayers millions. This proposition would authorize expensive shakedown lawsuits against farmers and small businesses, and increase family grocery bills by hundreds of dollars per year. Americans are not aware of how bad GMO's are, and most businesses are more concerned with making profits. Without providing GMO labeling, as consumers we are taking risks because the government doesn't want to take responsibility to regulate labeling GMO products. Since the government believes GMOs are safe, we have no idea how these products harm our bodies. When we get sick, we have to spend money for hospital visits. It’s unfair for consumers, It’s a better idea if the government regulates GMO labeling to provide information for the consumer. Gary Hirshberg, chairman of the activist coalition states an unprecedented agricultural experiment being conducted at American’s dinner tables, so just label it. Since biotech food companies have changed so many times in our food industry such as marketing GMO food, injecting GM hormone to cattle and others. It will be better to have labeling to provide information to consumers because we have the right to choose good food to stay healthy and not take risks.