GENETICALLY MODIFIED VEGETABLES AND FOODS

[Denise]

My husband and I are reading, THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE MICROWAVED, by Sandor Katz, which is a ***** book.

I've learned that as of 2005, the following food crops were approved for genetic modification for commercial production in the US: soy, corn, cotton, canola, Hawaiian papaya, ZUCCHINI, AND CROOKNECK SQUASH.

I don't want genetically modified fruit and veggies (I don't eat starch). As of now, 2011, what other fruit and veggies are approved to be genetically modified?

For a list of GM Foods as of 2009, scroll down 7 posts.

[Tim Hall]

Denise I don't know what all is on the list, but I know there was/is some contention over "genetic pollution" with sugar beets and alfalfa. Besides sprouts, humans of course don't really eat alfalfa, but for ranchers and dairy farmers it may mean organic beef and milk could be extremely difficult to produce in the future. It also means more honeybees foraging on GMO and pesticide-laden nectar sources.

Tell your representatives you want GMO's labeled as such, then everyone might know.

[Christopher Weeks]

What counts as genetic modification?

[Tim Hall]

Christopher, I suspect you have your own answer(s), and certainly terms have to be defined. But my interpretation of GMO is an organism whose DNA has been "engineered" by more or less direct alteration, and especially in the case of transgenics. In other words, selective breeding and hybridization don't count as GMO's to me, although I sometimes question the wisdom of these practices too.

[Christopher Weeks]

That seems like a sound definition. I guess what I really wonder is if some generally agreed upon set of criteria exist among the people of the anti-GMO movement.

I'm pretty friendly to genetic modification given how "granola" I am in lots of other ways. It isn't something I've kept up on very thoroughly, however.

[Tim Hall]

I have to add this - I'm really not too concerned about what the immediate or direct health effects of "frankenfoods," although I have little doubt we'll eventually see solid research that tells us some GMO's cause illness as a result of their engineering.

My concern with GMO's is this: A few large, powerful corporations legally own/control these organisms. These organisms dominate our food industry, limiting the choices of consumers and farmers. If these genetics drift and contaminate non-GMO crops, it further limits food diversity. And finally, one of the most common traits these organism are designed for is the acceptance of specific pesticides, which are simply not sustainable in any way.

GMO's are the pinnacle of industrial-model food production. This model can't continue.

[Denise]

That seems like a sound definition. I guess what I really wonder is if some generally agreed upon set of criteria exist among the people of the anti-GMO movement.

I'm pretty friendly to genetic modification given how "granola" I am in lots of other ways. It isn't something I've kept up on very thoroughly, however.

Christopher, I think it would be helpful if you read Sandor's book, The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved, which doesn't discuss much about microwaves. One of the chapters discusses Genetic Engineering, and you would learn of my concern.

[Denise]

I found this info at the following site, and copied some parts to show the extent of GM foods and how they have been modified. Info is from 2009, and I have highlighted it in red:

http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/gm-foods.php

If you go to this link, there will be more info than here.


"It’s virtually impossible to provide a complete list of genetically modified food (GM food) in the United States because there aren’t any laws for genetically modified crops!

Some estimates say as many as 30,000 different products on grocery store shelves are "modified." That's largely because many processed foods contain soy. Half of North America's soy crop is genetically engineered!

Rapeseed - Resistance to certain pesticides and improved rapeseed cultivars …

Honey -

Cotton - Resistant to certain pesticides.

Rice -

Soybean - Genetically modified to be resistant to herbicides

Sugar cane - Made resistant to certain pesticides.

Tomatoes - Made for a longer shelf life and to prevent a substance that causes tomatoes to rot and degrade.

Corn - Resistant to certain pesticides -.

Sweet corn - genetically modified to produces its own insecticide.

Canola - Canola oil.

Potatoes - (Atlantic, Russett Burbank, Russet Norkatah, and Shepody)

Papaya - The first virus resistant papayas were commercially grown in Hawaii in 1999.

Squash - (yellow crookneck) - Some zucchini and yellow crookneck squash are also GM but they are not popular with farmers.

Tobacco -The company Vector has a GMO tobacco being sold under the brand of Quest® cigarettes in the U.S. It is engineered to produce low or no nicotine.

Meat - Meat and dairy products usually come from animals that have eaten GM feed.

Peas -The peas had been inserted with a gene from kidney beans, which creates a protein that acts as a pesticide.

Vegetable Oil - Most generic vegetable oils and margarines used in restaurants and in processed foods in North America are made from soy, corn, canola, or cottonseed. Unless these oils specifically say "Non-GMO" or "Organic," it is probably genetically modified.
Sugarbeets - May include any processed foods containing sugar.

Dairy Products - About 22 percent of cows in the U.S. are injected with recombinant (genetically modified) bovine growth hormone (rbGH).

Vitamins - Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is often made from corn, vitamin E is usually made from soy. Vitamins A, B2, B6, and B12 may be derived from GMOs as well as vitamin D and vitamin K may have "carriers" derived from GM corn sources, such as starch, glucose, and maltodextrin"

[Denise]

Thank you, Tim, for the idea to contact our US Representatives/Senators. I tried contacting the FDA, and got lost in a bunch of "red tape". I have heard that a large percentage of the FDA was or is part of Monsanto, one of the GM companies.

Sandor's book is a must read and apply,
if we are to keep our food supply!

Wow, that rhymes!

[Denise]

WOW!!!!!! My daughter just sent me the info that there is a bill in Congress right now about GE Foods!!! Please read the separate post in Miscellaneous and contact your congressmen. We are the "Revolution" in Sandor's book! Let's do it!!!