Do you know whats in your food?

[Paladin]

Just came across this on the web and it looks pretty scary:
Nanotech Exposed in Grocery Store Aisles

I'm not one to leap up and grab my tinfoil hat, but this stuff just isn't right

[lunamoth]

Even after reading the article I have no idea what a nanotech food or additive might be. To be changed at the atom level could mean lots of things, including the use of synthetic additives, hardly a new technology.

I have a feeling that if nanotechnology is really all that new and innovative, it'd be rather too expensive to bother using on Cadbury eggs.

Sounds like trumped up paranoia to me.

[wil]

It could be anything. A lot of stuff gets characterized as nano this or that that has been going on forever just because it is a buzz word.

However that does not negate potential dangers.

I've heard of nano cutting tables with nano prickers that will pop the cells of bacteria to kill them, even though the surface feels smooth to us.

They were particular in the article to mention packaging and contact surfaces as well as product so who knows what it is.

I got to speak out at a hearing on food labeling when the USDA was busy watering down the organic label, allowing Genetically Engineered foods, foods fertilized with the remainder from sewage treatment plants and irradiated (sorry cold pasteurization) to be allowed as organic.

Our gov'ts concern is the economy, bottom line, that producers can produce food which can feed us so we can work to pay taxes. Health concerns are not the top of the list.

[Ahanu]

Hey Wil, speaking of GM food, do you think it is safe to eat? Would you purchase a genetically engineered product at the grocery store if it was labeled? Currently, I am researching this for my online biology class.

Well, we have all unknowingly eaten them. Nobody knows the negative effects that these foods could produce in humans. Flounder genes are mixed with strawberries, moth genes are mixed with potatoes, and firefly genes are being mixed with corn. A flounder gene, for example, will be put into a tomato to allow it to survive in cold temperatures. Rats and other animals have already been tested which showed no negative or positive effects, unless I am missing some information that I have not come across. From what I understand thus far, genetically modified foods have nutritional benefits. Here is another example: what if I wanted to increase the Vitamin A in rice? Children who are not getting enough of it will ultimately benefit from this, because a deficiency in Vitamin A can cause problems. My conclusion is that I think they are safe to eat. I realize some of the problems that GM technology has the potential to create, but have not heard of them all. I believe that people who have a radical view that is too against it will hurt the benefits of this new technology. Also, those radical views for it which say that it can cure world poverty are mistaken, for it is mainly due to food distribution and not food shortages in the world. This could lead to overlooking the potential disasters that GM technology could produce in society.

Also, are all genetically engineered foods fertilized with sewage? I can not help from asking, because it sounds disgusting.

Sources:

http://www.agbios.com/docroot/articles/2000192-A.pdf (for GM foods)

http://www.truefoodnow.org/home_whatis.html (against GM foods)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q9SywTI3jsI (video giving negative information on GM corporations)

[wil]

Originally Posted by Ahanu

Hey Wil, speaking of GM food, do you think it is safe to eat? Would you purchase a genetically engineered product at the grocery store if it was labeled? Currently, I am researching this for my online biology class.

Namaste Ahanu,

No, I would steer clear of it. Tis why they won't label it, people may not buy it.

My main problem is one of pandora's box, once you let it into the world you can't put it back in the box.

Even if you grow your own the GM stuff can end up in your diet.

Scary stuff...we've done so well by bringing animals and insects into new ecosystems and failed miserably I doubt we could do any better playing G!d modifying genes. Tomatoes with halibut genes, glow in the dark tobacco...

[Ahanu]

Tis why they won't label it, people may not buy it.

Yeah, that is one con. GM products have had no human health problems to be identified. But as some researchers have correctly pointed out, GM products do not contain labels in our grocery stores. Therefore, harmful effects from these foods--if there are any--would potentially go undetected. I think that they should most definitely label the product as soon as possible.

Wil, peep this interesting information from an article in the April 2008 Popular Science magazine. According to this article:
1. In January the FDA ruled that the meat and milk from cloned cows, pigs, and goats is safe to eat. While it will be some time for the livestock to produce enough offspring to make it cheap enough to produce commercially, it is coming.
2. Scientists at the University of California at Davis have also engineered wheat that has twelve percent more protein.
3. Scientists in the Netherlands have grown minced pork in a dish and expect commercially available ground pork by 2012 and bacon within the decade.
4. Food engineers are producing better cheddar by adding a bacterial gene that eliminates the bitter taste.
5. Several companies are cloning the most prized cattle to produce leaner, tastier meat. They will start breeding these clones this spring and commercially available meat in five years.
6. Heinz is breeding a tomato that is ten percent sweeter to use in ketchup to make it sweet in place of corn syrup.
7. Virginia Tech researchers have discovered how to turn on the latent vitamin C producing gene in lettuce to produce more nutritious lettuce.

I would wait before the science develops more. However, I would not stop the testing, because when it is used with skill, it has beautiful potential. So educating the people about GM foods may change minds. . .

[wil]

Namaste Ahanu,

and when it goes south??

have we learned nothing from silk worms

or chestnut blight?

or gm tryptophan?

or

or

times when many played G!d and new better abound...and so many massive failures.

[Ahanu]

and when it goes south??

Well, it is important that everybody knows it is already out on the market.

Currently, up to 45 percent of U.S. corn is genetically engineered as is 85 percent of soybeans.

At the same time, you do have a good point. One student sum'd this subject up well.

The problem with these foods is that scientists really don't know what long term effects if any they will have on the environment or on the health and well being of the human population. Many times in the past, attempts at engineering different varieties of food for increased production yields, pest resistance, or health benefits, have fallen way short of the intended goals. In fact, in most instances the attempts have ended in utter failure. If a certain crop has been genetically altered to provide some sort of benefit and then turns out to be hazardous to humans or animals due to some unforseen side effect such as toxicity or causing allergic reactions with consumption, then obviously that product has to be destroyed. However, in the rush to market these new and improved crops, many of the problems are not seen until after they have been introduced into the agricultural arena. This was the case with the Starlink corn. Once a product is introduced on a large scale into the environment it becomes almost impossible to eradicate it because nature takes over and it begins to spread through natural means. Just look at the kudzu along certain areas in North Carolina. It was introduced in the southeast to combat soil erosion and then they soon discovered that they could not get rid of it. The so-called "killer bees" are another well known example of scientist messing around with nature. When these extremely aggressive bees were inadvertently released into the environment, they quickly began to mix with indigenous bees and soon were spreading out of control. The point of all this is too say that scientist may be brilliant and capable of doing amazing things with genetics and engineering in the natural world, but they don't always consider the potential consequences of their actions. While it is obvious if the statistics for the amount of genetically engineered food currently in our food supply are accurate that overall these foods are safe. I do think that the FDA needs to have more stringent testing required before new engineered or modified plants are allowed to be used as a food source for man or animals. Also, if the FDA does deem a product safe enough to be used, any and all products that contain that particular product should be clearly labeled and identified so every consumer knows exactly what they are feeding their families.

Well, this is my stance. As long as it can be tested and proven safe, then it is alright with me. If you are interested, check out GMmyths.

Wil:

times when many played G!d and new better abound...

Thinking in the conservative spirit, eh? Still, I think you will throw away the benefits once the technology is mastered. The link above further elaborates on more benefits of GM foods.

In conclusion, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá said:

"Man through scientific knowledge and power rules nature and utilizes her laws to do his bidding. . .The truth is that God has endowed man with virtues, powers and ideal faculties of which nature is entirely bereft and by which man is elevated, distinguished and superior. We must thank God for these bestowals, for these powers He has given us, for this crown He has placed upon our heads."

[wil]

Do you know how many drugs have been tested and proven safe only to be taken off the market?? You can't take gm corn or soybeans off the market, the pollen blows in the wind and is infecting regular crops.

When the benefit is bottom line dollars, profit to stock holders, gov't testing is bought and paid for.

I've read the pros and cons. We know what progress is and what congress is.

Is it true the Japanese have refused to buy our soybeans? Yes I know it is on our shelves and we are all now denied free choice of what we eat.

Why do I say we are denied, because it is not labeled. How can I make my choice if you don't provide a label. How can frankenfoods have a organic label, our gov't is watching out for us...right.

[Ahanu]

Is it true the Japanese have refused to buy our soybeans?

I do not know. Is it?

Interesting ().

[wil]

Originally Posted by Ahanu

I do not know. Is it?

Interesting ().

searching around it appears so. Japan is requiring labeling of GM foods and while we've steadily increased sales of soybeans to Japan over the years to almost a billion dollars a year now. Looks like they'll be getting the natural stuff and we'll be eating the roundup ready monsanto version here in the states. Yippee, I'm so glad our country watches out for us.