By: Dana Donkle
Twenty-first century consumers are becoming more aware and interested in having natural lifestyles—so why would an apple with pesticides woven into its genes be appealing?
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) were first introduced in 1996, primarily to protect crops from weeds, insects, viruses, frost and drought. These “super crops” are able to withstand ailments that target produce because engineers tinker with the food’s DNA by mixing it with DNA from other plants, animals, bacteria and viruses. Regulatory agencies in 59 countries have given out 2,497 approvals of different GMO traits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency have declared GMOs to be harmless. Monsanto, a main corporation of GMOs, claims their food has “no evidence of harm to humans or animals” and that their crops have been the most tested in the history of agriculture. However, some studies show a different truth.
A review conducted by scientist Alessandro Nicolia and his colleagues stated 1,700 studies were done that suggested GMO foods were safe for animal and human consumption. After an analysis Nicolia’s claim, it was found that he only used studies published after 2002. He was missing the first six years after GMOs were first used. Nicolia came up with irrational explanations for why they chose to leave out those years.
Chelsea Snell, researcher, also directed an experiment evaluating the long term health effects of GMOs. After further analysis of Snell’s experiment, it was determined that her findings were inaccurate. Snell’s experiment involved cows who were fed GMO foods, but instead of assessing effects on the health of the animal, Snell’s experiment examined only on the feed conversion and food production (milk, eggs, etc.) of the animal. Because it focused exclusively on the interest of food producers, Snell’s research was insufficient as a measure of the effects on health. In addition to a lack of focus on health, Snell’s experiment was not long-term. A cow lives for 17-20 years, while Snell’s study lasted only 25 months. One cannot pull sufficient conclusions for a long-term study from only 10 percent of an animal’s life.
No one knows what will happen after long-term consumption of GMO foods. Shoppers at the grocery store they should be be aware that they are picking up may have been mutated for their enjoyment. Unless consumers are comfortable with these inconclusive studies, they should think before buying.
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