1982 was an important year in the history of GMOs because this is the year that the Food and Drug Administration in the United States approved the use of a medicine that was a product of genetic modification. This was a huge step for GMOs because the approval gave the green light to pharmaceutical companies that may have been apprehensive about getting involved with GMOs for consumer products.
Before GMO food crops were widely introduced to consumers, they had to undergo rigorous testing to find out if the resulting crops were actually safe for consumption. The 1980's were full of these types of tests in both the United States and in Europe. It wasn't until the 90's that the United States Department of Agriculture approved a GMO crop for commercial use; the crop was a tomato that was genetically altered to be firmer longer than an average tomato.
In the early 1990's, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement that advised consumers there is no danger associated with consuming foods containing GMOs. Despite this assurance from the FDA, many activist groups and individual consumers are extremely wary of GMOs. Adding to the frustration of activists is that the FDA does not require food companies to label foods with warnings that the foods come from GMOs. It was in the year 2000 that the FDA made the ruling that labeling GMO foods was not mandatory. This ruling was quite a blow to the anti-GMO groups.
Other countries have already passed legislation to require food labels that state if GMOs are present. Here is a timeline of GMOs label legislation in other countries:
- 1998: The European Union declares that GMO foods must be labeled as such.
- 2000: The following countries passed laws requiring labels for GMO foods:
- Czech Republic
- Hong Kong
- 2001: The following countries started to require special labeling for GMO foods:
- South Korea
Did you know... since 1996 Americans have been eating genetically modified (GM) ingredients in most processed foods.
Did you know... GM plants, such as soybean, corn, cottonseed, and canola have had foreign genes forced into their DNA. And the inserted genes come from species, such as bacteria and viruses, that have never been in the human food supply.
Did you know... genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not safe. They have been linked to thousands of toxic and allergenic reactions, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ and system studied in lab animals.
In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration claimed that they had no information showing that GM foods were substantially different from conventionally grown foods and therefore were safe to eat. But internal memos made public by a lawsuit reveal that their position was staged by political appointees under orders from the White House to promote GMOs. FDA scientists, on the other hand, warned that GMOs can create unpredictable, hard-to-detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged long term safety studies, but were ignored. The FDA does not require any safety evaluations for GMOs. Instead, biotech companies, who have been found guilty of hiding toxic effects of their chemical products, are now in charge of determining whether their GM foods are safe.
Rats fed GM potatoes had smaller, partially atrophied livers.
The livers of rats fed GM canola were 12-16% heavier.
GM soy altered mouse liver cells in ways that suggest a toxic insult.The changes reversed after their diet switched to non-GM soy.
GM soy, reproductive problems, and infant mortality
More than half the offspring of mother rats fed GM soy died within three weeks. Male rats[and mice fed GM soy showed changes in their testicles; the mice had altered young sperm cells.
The DNA of mouse embryos whose parents ate GM soy functioned differently than those whose parents ate non-GM soy.
Many offspring of female rats fed GM soy were considerably smaller,and more than half died within three weeks (compared to 10% of the non-GM soy controls)
Bt crops linked to sterility, disease, and death
When sheep grazed on Bt cotton plants after harvest, within a week 1 in 4 died. Shepherds estimate 10,000 sheep deaths in one region of India. Farmers in Europe and Asia say that cows, water buffaloes, chickens, and horses died from eating Bt corn varieties.
About two dozen US farmers report that Bt corn varieties caused widespread sterility in pigs or cows.
Filipinos in at least five villages fell sick when a nearby Bt corn variety was pollinating.
The stomach lining of rats fed GM potatoes showed excessive cell growth, a condition that may be a precursor to cancer. Rats also had damaged organs and immune systems.
In the 1980s, a contaminated brand of a food supplement called L-tryptophan killed about 100 Americans and caused sickness and disability in another 5,000-10,000 people. The source of contaminants was almost certainly the genetic engineering process used in its production. The disease took years to find and was almost overlooked.
WAYS TO AVOID GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS
Become familiar with the most common applications of genetic modification such as:
Soybeans,Corn,Rapeseed/Canola,Sugar beets ,Cotton ,
Dairy - Cows injected with GE hormone rBGH/rBST; possibly fed GM grains and hay,
Sugar,Papayas, Zuchini, Corn sold directly to the consumer at Roadside stands / markets. Buy organic corn, popcorn, corn chips only.
Recognize fruit and vegetable label numbers.
- If it is a 4-digit number, the food is conventionally produced.
- If it is a 5-digit number beginning with an 8, it is GM. However, do not trust that GE foods will have a PLU identifying it as such, because PLU labeling is optional.
- If it is a 5-digit number beginning with a 9, it is
- Seek products that are specifically labeled as non-GM or GMO-free.
- Shop locally
- Buy whole foods.
- ALSO HERE IS A LINK TO SIGN A PETITON ON GMO LABELING http://justlabelit.org/
"We have the Right to Know What is in Our Food"