The Evil Seed: The Truth About GMO

GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms are living organisms either plant or animal whose’ genetic material has been altered through genetic engineering. To create GMOs scientists use techniques such as recombinant DNA technology, a process where DNA molecules from different sources are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism giving it modified genes. The GMO industry is a very large one, in that it comprises a multitude of worldwide facets such as pharmaceuticals, experimental medicine (gene therapy), and perhaps its largest and most dangerous application, agriculture. GMOs represent modifications made to both plant and animal kingdoms, an example of this would be the first genetically modified organism sold commercially as pets, the Glofish (example 1), once a regular zebrafish until genetic engineers decided to add some genes from a coral, jelly fish and its fluorescent cousin creating a new species of zebra fish. On a more extreme note, scientists in Japan have reportedly successfully created another version of this fish, the difference being it shares genes with rice…why…I have no Idea. Agriculturally however GMOs rear their ugly face. Approximately 75% of all the food we consume contains GMO products or by products. Lets take a closer look at the average ear of corn such as Monsanto’s triple-stack corn which has been genetically engineered to resist disease and what not, doesn’t sound that bad? Well let’s look closer: Are you familiar with “Round Up” a commercial weed killer? What would you say if I told you that this triple-stack corn which comprises 17 million acres of corn in the US alone was genetically engineered with Round-up, Root-worm insect control, and Yield Guard into its genes…yep were eating pesticide! Now I know that’s not new “news”, accept that GMO foods are being linked to:

Increased risk of severe allergies: In the case of a few varieties of nuts that have been modified, particularly brazil nuts that had been slightly modified with soy, were sold to consumers without warning, people allergic to soy, ate the nuts causing anaphylactic shock (luckily these nuts were removed from the market before any fatalities occurred)