GM in our food

Interesting. I think there is plenty gm food on shelves of all supermarkets...much to my chagrin.
Pineapples, tomatoes come to mind more than any other food. I have been looking into this myself and have come to understand that a good percentage of our veggies and fruit may well be directly or indirectly GM produced.
I am keen to know the inferences of your research. Care to share?

I helped spearhead an anti GM umbrella group in the mid 80s.

The foods that are most liable to be GM are soy and maize products and these can be added ingredients to many foods we buy, e.g. lecithin in chocolate. Ray of Light is correct in saying that dairy and meat produced from animals that have been fed on GM feed don’t have to be labelled. The issue is compounded because there is a danger that suppliers will no longer segregate GM and non GM soya in shipments to Britain if major retailers don't demand it (Tesco, Co-op, Asda and Morrisons are reverting back to GM feed for poultry). (genewatch.org 2014)

Feed materials (for animals) and compound feeds which contain GM or GM derived material are required to be labelled. However, labelling is not required for feed consignments containing adventitious or technically unavoidable traces of GM material, up to a threshold of 0.9% for GM varieties approved in the EU. According to the European Feed Manufacturer's Association (FEFAC) at least 85% (around 107 million tonnes) of the EU's compound feed production is now labelled to indicate that it contains GM or GM derived materials. (food.gov.uk 2013)

Re: identity preservation (segregation of GM and non GM crops after harvest and during transport, storage and subsequent use) is NOT routinely practised by commodity-exportive countries but can be achieved at a premium (cost)

GM labelling of food additives is hazy (food.gov.uk)

I am in two minds on the GM issue. On the one hand I dislike the idea that food has been tampered with. BUT and its a big but I can believe that GM crops have a role in ensuring food supplies for the world. Yes I know a lot of food gets wasted but it doesn't get wasted in areas of deprivation. GM that allows crops to grow in different climates as our climate changes may well be important. In a way we have been doing genetic modification for years.. its called cross breeding crops and animals to spread a valuable trait to larger numbers of plants and animals. I guess its a balance of risks vs benefits . It is not impossible that putting up with GM food is the lesser of two evils. But like I say....I am in two minds.

The problem with GM food is that the health risks to humans is not known; however, there are reports that say that animals fed on GM suffer from a wide variety of ailments such as inflammation. It’s not a difficult leap to think that as humans, we would also suffer from health problems brought about consumption of GM materials.

I’m happy to share what’s happened in my research so far. I have established that the supermarket I have been emailing has an ‘own’ organic range that is guaranteed to be free of GM material. Unfortunately, I can’t say what the supermarket is as I believe forum rules would see it as advertising. I would think that any supermarket own brand has a good chance of being GM free, but I would encourage people to email their supermarket of choice and ask.

Of ENORMOUS help as been an App I’ve discovered which you can download and find out whether a food has GM material in it. There are literally thousands of products, brand names, supermarket own. Again, I would imagine that Forum rules prevent me from providing a link however I think if you google free GM food App or similar, you will find it with a little bit of hunting.

What did astound me was the sheer number of products that have secondary GM in them. Fortunately, I am very much a “you are what you eat” proponent and I don’t eat any processed food but I will be making some changes.

What irritates me enormously about this is the way that this has come into our food chain unannounced. I bet the majority of the public are blissfully unaware. Secondly, it would seem that eating healthy food – which has to be organic to avoid GM – will be the domain of the wealthy. And to me that just ain’t fair!

I am in two minds on the GM issue. On the one hand I dislike the idea that food has been tampered with. BUT and its a big but I can believe that GM crops have a role in ensuring food supplies for the world. Yes I know a lot of food gets wasted but it doesn't get wasted in areas of deprivation. GM that allows crops to grow in different climates as our climate changes may well be important. In a way we have been doing genetic modification for years.. its called cross breeding crops and animals to spread a valuable trait to larger numbers of plants and animals. I guess its a balance of risks vs benefits . It is not impossible that putting up with GM food is the lesser of two evils. But like I say....I am in two minds.

Unfortunately this is a common misconception about GM i.e. that it is simply cross breeding.

It is MUCH more revolutionary and broader than that, i.e. involving splicing genes from one SPECIES into another. For example, fish genes into strawberries, chicken genes into potatoes and no, I am not making this up. Tantamount to playing God with us being the guinea pigs since there are no long term studies of the repercussive effects of such technology.

I am in two minds on the GM issue. On the one hand I dislike the idea that food has been tampered with. BUT and its a big but I can believe that GM crops have a role in ensuring food supplies for the world. Yes I know a lot of food gets wasted but it doesn't get wasted in areas of deprivation. GM that allows crops to grow in different climates as our climate changes may well be important. In a way we have been doing genetic modification for years.. its called cross breeding crops and animals to spread a valuable trait to larger numbers of plants and animals. I guess its a balance of risks vs benefits . It is not impossible that putting up with GM food is the lesser of two evils. But like I say....I am in two minds.

I agree with everything Amy said in reply to this, but would also like to add - much is said about feeding the world but this aim is incompatible with the likes of Monsanto gearing everything to profits. The main thing it has achieved so far is to push many more small, poor farmers into worse poverty, since GM seeds are being manipulated to produce plants that have to be treated with specific (expensive) products which are also sold by Monsanto. [url]Have a read here.[/url] And

You mention cross-breeding, which - as Amy says - is a totally different thing but which also was hailed as something that would make food production better and therefore 'feed the world'. In practice it led mainly to F1 hybrids, meaning an end to seed-saving from one year to the next. Poor, hungry farmers and their families became poorer and more hungry.

Amy said she's in two minds about this. I feel I'm in at least three...

Humanity has been performing cross-fertilisation and selective breeding from time immemorial. I feel there's nothing intrinsically wrong with genetic tinkering. But what we've had has been a slow and 'natural' process - consciously doing what Nature does anyway. But cross-species gene-splicing strikes me as something completely different... and my gut instinct is to reject it. But I'm really not sure if I'm being unreasonable in that. The idea of science mechanically (rather than organically) manipulating nature seems to be something that hits us on a visceral level. It's an anxiety that Mary Shelley captured perfectly in Frankenstein and that has been the subject of so many books since. But I'm ok with taking antibiotics when I'm ill. I 'm perfectly comfortable with vaccinations against disease. So I wonder why I feel so doubtful about GM... Is it just a perverse anxiety?

The other issue, which Crowan highlights, is another matter. The idea of having monocultures controlled by Monsanto and the like is very worrying. It's damaging to poor farmers, damaging to ecology and reliance on one variety makes for precarious agriculture - the current threat to bananas is proof of that.

GM crop is reported to have caused adverse health in humans and animals. It is also reported to cause tumors. It is all there but I cannot look for links with a tedious Internet connection. Nature doing tinkering and humans meddling are two slightly different concepts, with immense consequences.
...and it is not like cross pollination or hybrid crops....
GM crops are more than meets the eye...time will tell us more clearly, just how much.

Amy said she's in two minds about this. I feel I'm in at least three...

Correction. It is Tashanie who is in two minds on this issue. I am vehemently opposed to it.

There are so many (countless) reasons why, for example:

- do you know of their agenda for seed monopolisation?

- that Monsanto was involved in the creation of Agent Orange used in herbicidal warfare in the Vietnam war?

- here is something truly awful that you don't hear about in the news...kept from us

GM crop is reported to have caused adverse health in humans and animals. It is also reported to cause tumors. It is all there but I cannot look for links with a tedious Internet connection. Nature doing tinkering and humans meddling are two slightly different concepts, with immense consequences.
...and it is not like cross pollination or hybrid crops....
GM crops are more than meets the eye...time will tell us more clearly, just how much.

And it is this what concerns me. There is already plenty of reports searchable on Google which list the health issues for animals. Those health issues could be passed on to humans, or they could mutate. No one knows. If this is sound and above board, why hasn't there been any advertising, why is there so little awareness? Why is their no labelling on packaging? Why are Scotland and Wales choosing to be non GM? Why have the companies and supermarkets I've been emailing avoiding giving me a honest, straight-forward answer (some I've gone back to three times!)

I've had a couple of days to look at the App I've found and 80% of the foodstuffs on there have secondary GMO in these products. I doubt very much whether the general public are aware of this. This is the reason I started this thread, to raise awareness.

And it is this what concerns me. There is already plenty of reports searchable on Google which list the health issues for animals. Those health issues could be passed on to humans, or they could mutate. No one knows. If this is sound and above board, why hasn't there been any advertising, why is there so little awareness? Why is their no labelling on packaging? Why are Scotland and Wales choosing to be non GM? Why have the companies and supermarkets I've been emailing avoiding giving me a honest, straight-forward answer (some I've gone back to three times!)

I've had a couple of days to look at the App I've found and 80% of the foodstuffs on there have secondary GMO in these products. I doubt very much whether the general public are aware of this. This is the reason I started this thread, to raise awareness.

Reply to the query about Scotland and Wales - because the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly are not perfect but do tend to care about both the environment and the people in it more than Westminster do.

Reply to the other questions - follow the money!

Correction. It is Tashanie who is in two minds on this issue. I am vehemently opposed to it.

Oops! Sorry!

And it is this what concerns me. There is already plenty of reports searchable on Google which list the health issues for animals. Those health issues could be passed on to humans, or they could mutate. No one knows. If this is sound and above board, why hasn't there been any advertising, why is there so little awareness? Why is their no labelling on packaging? Why are Scotland and Wales choosing to be non GM? Why have the companies and supermarkets I've been emailing avoiding giving me a honest, straight-forward answer (some I've gone back to three times!)

I've had a couple of days to look at the App I've found and 80% of the foodstuffs on there have secondary GMO in these products. I doubt very much whether the general public are aware of this. This is the reason I started this thread, to raise awareness.

Glad you started it. Colossal greed, manipulation, control and all that is sub human in has come into full play with how our seeds, food and food chain are being controlled by so few.

There is little information and that is on purpose. People are best kept in the dark in order to manipulate them to the maximum. System has always been self serving, becoming increasing so by the day, rendering individuals powerless...but that goes only so far...until they recognize the game and start speaking out in unity, take action such as boycotting foods imported or of dubious description, grow food themselves, support local growers, save seeds annually. People have to recognise the power of their own voice and United action and above all smallesr actions can be significant to combat global ills.
Individual must come right....society will follow. Boycott the conglomerate go small, regroup, withdraw your power from big and redistribute it locally.

Glad you started it. Colossal greed, manipulation, control and all that is sub human in has come into full play with how our seeds, food and food chain are being controlled by so few.

There is little information and that is on purpose. People are best kept in the dark in order to manipulate them to the maximum. System has always been self serving, becoming increasing so by the day, rendering individuals powerless...but that goes only so far...until they recognize the game and start speaking out in unity, take action such as boycotting foods imported or of dubious description, grow food themselves, support local growers, save seeds annually. People have to recognise the power of their own voice and United action and above all smallesr actions can be significant to combat global ills.
Individual must come right....society will follow. Boycott the conglomerate go small, regroup, withdraw your power from big and redistribute it locally.

Agree totally. I saw an article on another website where psychiatrists were saying people who only wanted to eat wholesome and untappered with food had a mental problem! Speaking of which I've found out tonight that my favourite cheese has bitten the dust! It pleases me greatly that as it stands, that's about 600 plus people and counting that now know what lurks on our supermarket shelves!

Glad you started it. Colossal greed, manipulation, control and all that is sub human in has come into full play with how our seeds, food and food chain are being controlled by so few.

There is little information and that is on purpose. People are best kept in the dark in order to manipulate them to the maximum. System has always been self serving, becoming increasing so by the day, rendering individuals powerless...but that goes only so far...until they recognize the game and start speaking out in unity, take action such as boycotting foods imported or of dubious description, grow food themselves, support local growers, save seeds annually. People have to recognise the power of their own voice and United action and above all smallesr actions can be significant to combat global ills.
Individual must come right....society will follow. Boycott the conglomerate go small, regroup, withdraw your power from big and redistribute it locally.

"System"? You mean Capitalism?

"System"? You mean Capitalism?

No. I mean system

What system?

What system?

What exactly you ask?

A system is a collection of interrelated components that work together. But you didn't say 'a system' or 'the system', you said 'system'. So - I understand what a system is without understanding the way you have used the term. I am asking what you mean by 'system' (or, possibly, 'System'), so that I can understand your post.

There is a simple solution. The companies that wish to produce GMO free products can form an association and create guidelines and some type of trade mark or label which can be applied to member companies products to advertise the fact their products are GMO free. It is then in that organization’s best interest to make sure all member companies comply.

This article from Natural News says that DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans.

Ray

This article from Natural News says that DNA from GMOs can pass directly into humans.

Ray

Wow - important development! I knew that the GM genetic material survives to pass through and into the human gut but not that it can affect the beneficial bacteria there (especially, it would seem, if having a leaky gut!)

This finding is both crucial and alarming since this now means that the antibiotic-resistant marker genes e.g. as used in Novartis' GM maize, now definitely will affect our antibiotic resistance!

The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods & Proceses (ACNFP) has already expressed concern about the safety of this food and recommended removal of the antibiotic-resistant gene before the crop was given a marketing consent. These concerns were shared by 13 of the 15 EU member states but STILL the maize was given the go ahead by the EU!!! (Backhanders? Hmmm).

I will now be looking into this situation and seeing if there has been any new development on this disturbing issue. I have now emailed the ACNFP on this and asking what they are now doing about it.

Here is another link to this finding

Like I said I am in two minds. And yes I do appreciate the difference between cross breeding and gene manipulation. But if GM can enable crops to grow in otherwise unsuitable areas /environments - Eg in salt water, or in drought conditions that increases the amount of food growing capacity. No its not all black and white, and there may be risks but there are real risks of famine in some parts of the world....GM may well be the lesser of 2 evils

Like I said I am in two minds. And yes I do appreciate the difference between cross breeding and gene manipulation. But if GM can enable crops to grow in otherwise unsuitable areas /environments - Eg in salt water, or in drought conditions that increases the amount of food growing capacity. No its not all black and white, and there may be risks but there are real risks of famine in some parts of the world....GM may well be the lesser of 2 evils

I see you have bought into the hype! The famine argument is dismissed by a coalition of organisations like Action Aid and Christian Aid. The problems of world hunger are largely due to social, economic and political issues hindering distribution - a technical fix is short sighted.

GM crops are designed for intensive farming systems. Most farmers in developing countries are small scale and there is the problem with giving help to small farmers in poorer areas.

The IAASTD (Institute Assessment of Agricultural knowledge, Science & Technology for Development) Director, Proff. Bob Watson (now chief scientist at DEFRA) said that GM crops were NOT the answer to world hunger. There are natural pest controls and fertilisers that push up crop yields on poor farms globally - often by 70% or more ('low tech' 'sustainable agriculture').

FoE Europe have found that genetic engineering does NOT increase yeild potential of a commercialised GM crop; moreover soy beans have LOWER yields! No GM crop is drought tolerant or has enhanced nutrition. Also they just concentrate on one crop.

International Seed Testing (who test uniformity of GMO testing) say we don't have lack of food production - just that it is needed in different places, i.e. the cause is political!

Furthermore, ISTA has a GMO committee. In their UN report of 400 scientists, involving 60 countries, it was found that GM crops won't help solve the world's food shortage. Seed control would be governed by 5-6 Biotech companies worldwide, creating monocultural environment, destroying biodiversity and there's no consistent evidence that GM crop yields will lower it (requires more frequent herbicide use). Solution offered would be to rotate different herbicides.

Like I said I am in two minds. And yes I do appreciate the difference between cross breeding and gene manipulation. But if GM can enable crops to grow in otherwise unsuitable areas /environments - Eg in salt water, or in drought conditions that increases the amount of food growing capacity. No its not all black and white, and there may be risks but there are real risks of famine in some parts of the world....GM may well be the lesser of 2 evils

I was going to say what Amy said... most famine in the world isn't because of lack of food availability (there's plenty to go around), but down to political and other social blocks. Let's face it, how many political leaders of those 'famine torn' countries do you see who look like they themselves are starving? And how many stories do we hear of Aid sent to such countries not getting to where it is destined, due to being intercepted by government agencies.

There's enough food in this world to feed everyone, if people allowed the food to be distributed and looked past their own selfishness.

I’ve always thought that GM food just cannot be for any good. Now the evidence is slowly coming out in reports such as these.

On the link Amy provided in her post, is another link (re-posted at end of this post) which states:

“Australian researchers have recently revealed serious issues over a new kind of [url]genetically engineered wheat that could induce major health threats[/url] for people that consume it. "If this silences the same gene in us that it silences in the wheat - well, children who are born with this enzyme not working tend to die by the age of about five," stated Professor Carman.”

<a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href=" http://preventdisease.com/news/13/110413_New-GMO-Wheat-Silences-DNA-Sequences-Can-Cause-Fatalities-Children.shtml "> http://preventdisease.com/news/13/110413_New-GMO-Wheat-Silences-DNA-Sequences-Can-Cause-Fatalities-Children.shtml

This is seriously worrying and you have to ask , in the face of evidence such as this – and these reports will continue to grow – why. I know what I think!

Ray

Yes GM food is seriously worrying since there are no long term trials on humans e.g. the GM maize that is the cause of so much concern by our own government officials, as mentioned in my post above # 22. Antibiotic resistance is already a problem without giving GM maize the green light with its antibiotic resistance marker genes! Maize comes in many forms, e.g. flour (cornflour), in glucose syrup (made with maize starch) etc.

Although we have fairly stringent labelling practises governing GM foods here in UK (since we - at least currently - come under its EU members status), this does not apply with US exports.

We are effectively , and dangerously the guinea pig experiments of this irresponsible and immoral technology.

Like I said I am in two minds. And yes I do appreciate the difference between cross breeding and gene manipulation. But if GM can enable crops to grow in otherwise unsuitable areas /environments - Eg in salt water, or in drought conditions that increases the amount of food growing capacity. No its not all black and white, and there may be risks but there are real risks of famine in some parts of the world....GM may well be the lesser of 2 evils

Adding to what Amy, Giles and Ray have said (all of which I agree with) the only effect so far that GM foods have had on world poverty / famine is to make it worse - food plants have been developed that can only be grown with specific fertilizers so that poor farmers have to pay out yet more.
Of course, GMO companies like Monsanto are not alone in improving profits in this way - the whole idea of F1 hybrid seeds was to ensure that farmers were not able to save seed from year to year and therefore had to buy new.

Appraising Monsanto via its victims + (quelle surprise) Monsanto has now been bought by Bayer