Figuring Out What's In Your Food

Consumers Are Left To Wonder Which Genetically-Modified Foods They Might Be Eating

(CBS)  According to a recent CBS News/New York Times poll, 53 percent of Americans say they won't buy food that has been genetically modified. But CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports that it's not that easy to avoid. While most packaged and processed foods do contain genetically modified ingredients, the labels don't have to say so.

Robyn O'Brien teaches her kids to keep a close eye on the labels of the foods they eat.

"In terms of labeling," she says, "they're not always comprehensive and thorough."

What concerns parents like O'Brien is not what's listed, but what is not. Particularly foods made with genetically modified organisms - or GMOs.

"My concern as a mother is, are these kids part of a human trial that I didn't know that I had signed them up for," O'Brien says.

Today, more than 90 percent of the U.S. soybean crop is genetically modified - had its DNA altered to increase production and withstand chemical weed killers like roundup. Nearly three-quarters of all corn planted in the U.S. genetically modified.

Experts say that means if it comes in a can or a box and the label lists soybean oil or corn syrup as ingredients, odds are that it contains GMOs. Overall, 65 percent of all products in your local grocery store have DNA-altered ingredients...not that you'd know it by looking.

"The industry that makes genetically modified foods fought so hard to make sure that it wasn't labeled," nutritionist Marion Nestle tells Keteyian.

Nestle, a former FDA advisor, says this was a fight that boiled down to one basic fear.

"They didn't want it labeled because they were terrified that if it were labeled, nobody would buy it."

Robert Brackett is spokesman for the Grocery Manufacturers of America.

"I think that consumers have that information available to them if they want to look for it," says Brackett, "You can find it on websites. You can go directly to the manufacturer."

When pressed by Keteyian to explain his organization's role in providing information to the consumer, Brackett said, "Well, it's our responsibility to make sure that the foods that are put in the grocery store shelves are safe."

The FDA and bio-tech giants like Monsanto say there's no evidence that GMOs are anything but safe, but food safety advocates ask: how would we know, if the food is not labeled?

"Labeling is the only way that health professionals are going to be able to trace if there is a problem," says Andy Kimbrell from the Center for Food Safety. "For example, if you're a mother and you're giving your child soy formula and that child has a toxic or allergic reaction, the only way you'll know if that's a genetically-engineered soy formula is if it's labeled."

The FDA does not require "disclosure of genetic engineering techniques...on the label," calling GMOs the "substantial equivalent" of conventional crops.

Baloney, says Kimbrell.

"There is nothing - nothing, substantially equivalent from a conventional crop to a GMO crop," he says. "And in every cell of these new GMO foods are bacterias we've never seen in food before: viruses, genetic constructs, antibiotic bugs that they put in there, laboratory contructs that they've put into every cell of these foods."

A new CBS News poll found that 87% of consumers would like GMO ingredients to be labeled, just as they are in Europe, Japan and Australia. Yet the U.S. Congress has never even held a vote on the issue, to give shoppers the opportunity to exercise their most basic right - to make a choice.

[fleabag75]

As I have said countless times, the average American male is more concerned about the quality of motor oil that goes into his car than the quality of food that goes into his body. And just think, the car is only temporary.

[AlwaysSmiling]

For brianbwb: "Sharing many of these concerns, Monsanto made a commitment in 1999 not to commercialize sterile seed technology in food crops. We stand firmly by this commitment. We have no plans or research that would violate this commitment in any way."

http://monsanto.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=59&item=136

Of the four that I checked (Monsanto, DuPont, Dow, and Bayer) only Monsanto has specified their position on the subject.

My question is this. Did you read the websites that I provided as references? Or did you just discount them without bothering?

Have a nice day:-)
Patrick.

[rf35]

Companies like DuPont and Monsanto are developing GM foods that produce sterile fruit, so the farmer cannot save a portion for replanting, once your land is infected with Monsanto''''s "terminator" foods, the farmers around the world will be forced to buy seed from Monsanto and DuPont.

They have developed GM corn, which any farmer knows is wind pollinated, then they sue farmers whose crops were infected by their product.

Posted by brianbwb at 02:12 AM : May 13, 2008

Well, which is it? Are they sterile or not? If they are suing farmers for having their corn pollinated by the GM corn, then it must be producing offspring, therefore it is not sterile. If it is sterile, the pollination is not causing more corn plants to be produced, no profit being made, and there%u2019s nothing to sue over.

For those of you worried that your food is making you allergic to something, go find a knows %u201Cpure%u201D source of seed and start subsistence farming! Weirdoes. The only thing you%u2019re allergic to is reason.

[pameladrew]

This is a watershed moment in American media who have carefully omitted any discussion of Monsanto and GMO foods since the first President Bush Administration.

For nearly a decade I have tracked the legislation, politics, science and spin surrounding these crops, the privatizing of the food supply and the connection to skyrocketing food allergies and illnesses.

In 2007 I released a documentary film to challenge the issues banned in America. The site has a wealth of information and trusted sources to use for those looking for accurate follow up. The web is filled with front groups by industry so look carefully for trusted sources.

There are many like Consumers Union who have established a record of truthfulness in their Consumer Reports that are good sites to begin with; no need to accept my view but do take my words of caution and know the source.

My links only make it a little faster and are in no way all inclusive. www.roundupreadynation.com

Knowledge is power, know what you are swallowing!

[pameladrew]

This is a watershed moment in American media who have carefully omitted any discussion of Monsanto and GMO foods since the first President Bush Administration.

For nearly a decade I have tracked the legislation, politics, science and spin surrounding these crops, the privatizing of the food supply and the connection to skyrocketing food allergies and illnesses.

In 2007 I released a documentary film to challenge the issues banned in America. The site has a wealth of information and trusted sources to use for those looking for accurate follow up. The web is filled with front groups by industry so look carefully for trusted sources.

There are many like Consumers Union who have established a record of truthfulness in their Consumer Reports that are good sites to begin with; no need to accept my view but do take my words of caution and know the source.

My links only make it a little faster and are in no way all inclusive. www.roundupreadynation.com

Knowledge is power, know what you are swallowing!

[nsf-ralph]

The issue is food labels that are (in FTC parlance) "truthful and not misleading." FDA has taken the unlawful position that since we all "know" (without any risk analysis testing) that GMO products are the "same" as natural products the Govt must not only refuse to mandate truthful GMO status labeling, but must also forbid "GMO Free" labeling, so we sheeple don''t make the "bad" decision of preferring what the CBS/Times poll shows we prefer....

Not logical. Not lawful either. Sandra Day O''Connor, writing for the majority in Thompson v Western States (2002) stated the law:

"We have previously rejected the notion that the Government has an interest in preventing the dissemination of truthful commercial information in order to prevent members of the public from making bad decisions with the information."

What to do? Join the Natural Solutions Foundation eAlert list, the largest Health Freedom list in the world, at http://www.globalhealthfreedom.org

Also check out two Yahoo!Group forums:

Just Say No to GMO

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/no-genetically-modified-foods/

and

Morgellons-GMO

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Morgellons-GMO/

Ralph ******** JD
NSF Trustee

Th

[brianbwb-2009]

Posted by patdickey43

There is an important point that you''re missing, pat.

Companies like DuPont and Monsanto are developing GM foods that produce sterile fruit, so the farmer cannot save a portion for replanting, once your land is infected with Monsanto''s "terminator" foods, the farmers around the world will be forced to buy seed from Monsanto and DuPont.

They have developed GM corn, which any farmer knows is wind pollinated, then they sue farmers whose crops were infected by their product.

Think for a minute about the consequences of a staple food monopoly on world food prices, and how healthy you will be when you cannot afford to buy the food at their price, and have no alternatives, because their infections wiped out other strains.

[AlwaysSmiling]

Thank God the media is starting to pay attention to this issue. It is VITAL!that Americans start to pay attention to what is being done to our food. It is making us all sick. We are all getting cancer and unnatural allergies... we are all lacking in nutrition. We are all suffering from depression, anxiety and lack of vitality because of the lack of nutrition in our food........

Posted by mhamilton60 at 05:57 PM : May 12, 2008

---

mhamilton, I eat processed and boxed food (along with fast food) on a daily or bi-daily basis. However, I also eat fresh food. The last physical that I got, I was in great health. My point?

I eat GMO food (whether I know it or not). Your quote says We are ALL.... We are ALL.... We are ALL... My point is, I don''t have cancer that I know of. I''m allergic to BS and hospitals, but NOTHING food-related. And my nutrition is fine... So, we are ALL doesn''t include me. Since I live in Iowa, I think I''m an American...

Unless you''ve got a statistic that shows something my doctor doesn''t, be careful about saying "We are ALL"...

Here''s a thought for everyone to consider.... If it is proven that GMO foods are indeed bad, do you think people will sue companies like Monsanto? And, as for those same companies, how long do you think they''ll stay in business?

Do you really think they''re betting their farm so to speak, without researching the health hazards?

Have a nice day:-)
Patrick.

[mhamilton60]

Thank God the media is starting to pay attention to this issue. It is VITAL!that Americans start to pay attention to what is being done to our food. It is making us all sick. We are all getting cancer and unnatural allergies... we are all lacking in nutrition. We are all suffering from depression, anxiety and lack of vitality because of the lack of nutrition in our food. Genetically modified food should not even be allowed to be produced! I don''t want it on the label.. I want it out of my food altogether! Other countries are rejecting American food because of the deadly ingredients and side effects our food has on people. WAKE UP AMERICA! TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!

[AlwaysSmiling]

Also, since I was limited to 1500 characters, I didn''t point out that the two comments that I quoted contradict each other. One says "We don''t know the effect becuase no testing is being done." where the other one says "Research shows that it doesn''t break down the same way..."

And the CORN that isn''t digested by humans that made it into the food supply, was that GMO corn, or "Field Corn" which anyone from the Midwest knows is meant for animals? If I had to guess, I''d say "Field Corn".

So, buy fresh sweet corn from the guy in his pickup at the corner. Oh wait, he doesn''t label that it''s "Pioneer" or "Dekalb" or any specific brand. So you don''t realize that the fresh sweet corn that you bought is "GMO" corn... And if you buy it from his pickup, did you honestly even give a thought to whether it''s "GMO" or not? I''m guessing "NO" since there wasn''t a label to read. Same thing with your "Farmer''s Market".

And, a lot of the genetic research is being done by Universities and colleges. Not by Monsanto, DowAgroSciences (the second link), Bayer, Syngenta, or Cargill.

A couple of comments mentioned Bt Cotton. Last time I checked, no one intentionally eats cotton. Also, my understanding is that the organic community has actually embraced the Bt Cotton seed, since it means less pesticides that they have to use. I could be wrong about this though.

Have a nice day:-)
Patrick.