On Tuesday, November 5th, the citizens of Washington State voted againstThe People's Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, also known as I-522, which would have mandated labels on all genetically modified food sold in grocery stores.
Corporate goliath's like Monsanto, Pepsi, and Nestle spent $22 million convincing the state's constituents that they should vote against the mandatory labeling of foods with genetically modified ingredients.
Although the safety of genetically engineered (GE) foods is greatly debated, the focus of the new law was on our individual rights. It was about the right for each of us to know what is in our foods and whether we want to purchase GE products or not. If the law had passed, Washington State would have had the first voter-mandated labeling law in the United States.
Earlier this year, Connecticut and Maine introduced labeling laws, but they will not go into effect until neighboring states pass similar legislature. A coalition of 37 states have now come together with a common goal of mandatory labeling of GE foods. Last month, Mexico banned genetically modified corn from being sold or planted in the entire country. Sixty countries worldwide, including the European Union, have GE labeling laws in effect.
Are GMO's Safe?
In the absence of long-human studies, it is difficult to say with certainty if genetically engineered (GE) crops are safe or not. According the the Just Label It Campaign, 90% of American's support labeling of GE foods. Here is what they have to say about safety:
"Yet unlike the strict safety evaluations for approval of new drugs, there are no mandatory human clinical trials of genetically engineered crops, no tests for carcinogenicity or harm to fetuses, no long-term testing for human health risks, no requirement for long-term testing on animals, and limited testing for allergenicity. There have been no epidemiological studies of the possible impacts of the consumption of GE crops on health."
"Studies have confirmed that there is reason for caution. For example, scientists recently found that the insecticide in GE corn is now showing up in our bloodstream and the umbilical cord blood of pregnant women. More research needs to be done to confirm these results and determine whether consumption of GE crops is introducing new toxins into our bodies. Until we know without a doubt that GE crops are safe to eat, we should have a choice about whether we want to eat them."
Which Foods are Genetically Engineered?
There are currently 9 genetically engineered crops in the United States. Corn, soybeans, canola, cotton, sugar beets, alfalfa, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini, and yellow crookneck squash. Animals are not currently genetically engineered, however, they are raised on GE feed. The two most prevalent genetically engineered crops are corn and soy which are used in many processed foods and most animal feeds. Genetically engineered salmon is pending FDA approval.
The Latest Study
To date there have been no human studies performed on the safety of ingesting genetically modified crops. This year, a groundbreaking double blind study was conducted on 168 pigs in Iowa.
Dr. Judy Carman, lead researcher, found that pigs were harmed by the consumption of feed containing GM crops. Gastric and uterine differences were found in the pigs. GM-fed pigs had on average a 25% heavier uterus than Non-GM-fed pigs. Also, severe stomach inflammation was much higher in GM-fed pigs. Pigs digestive systems are much like humans which begs the question of what effects GM foods might be having on us.
For more information on the GMO Pig Study go to: www.gmojudycarman.org
How can I avoid genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?
Until there are mandatory GMO labeling laws in place, the only way you can avoid eating GMOs is to eat food labeled as organic and/or food that is labeled as "Non-GMO". Organic food prohibits the use of genetically modified ingredients in its production, and "non GMO" means that that product, although it may not be organic, does not include genetically modified ingredients.
Want more information on GMOs?
www.justlabelit.org
www.centerforfoodsafety.org
www.righttoknow-gmo.org
www.gmofilm.com
www.gmosummit.org
