Rethinking GM foods
Forest McKenzie
Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinions & Editorials
When I was in middle and high
school, the biotechnology industry
was booming. Companies like
Monsanto were patenting and profiting
from genetically modified
crops such as soybeans resistant
to the common herbicide Round-
Up, and corn that could produce
its own insecticide using a protein
manufactured by an assimilated
gene of the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis.
During this time period, our
classes often discussed the scientific,
economic, political and ethical
nature of GM foods. The excitement
of my science teachers was
counter-balanced by films such as
"The Future of Food" and articles
published in Sierra magazine. I
was presented with both sides and
soon felt informed to make my
own decision on the subject.
As it turns out, this wasn't
possible. And it still isn't. This is
due to the fact that the U.S. does
not require the labeling of GM
foods. Furthermore, the Economic
Research Service of the USDA
reported that in 2009 a majority
of corn and soybeans grown in the
U.S. were genetically modified.
Thus, we have all eaten genetically
modified foods. They have
become a part of our lives, whether
we like it or not.
The most recent issue of the
International Journal of Biological
Sciences includes a study that
assessed the effects of three genetically
modified corn varieties on
mammalian health. This study is
the first ever to perform a comparative
analysis of blood and organ
data collected from rats fed commercially
used GM corn.
The most striking results show
a significant detrimental effect on
liver and kidney function in rats
that were fed GM corn. The authors
of this article were also given access
to studies done by Monsanto that
supposedly assessed toxicity of
GM corn on animals.
The authors point out that previous
studies by Monsanto were
"clearly inadequate" in refuting
toxic effects. This is especially disturbing
school, the biotechnology industry
was booming. Companies like
Monsanto were patenting and profiting
from genetically modified
crops such as soybeans resistant
to the common herbicide Round-
Up, and corn that could produce
its own insecticide using a protein
manufactured by an assimilated
gene of the bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis.
During this time period, our
classes often discussed the scientific,
economic, political and ethical
nature of GM foods. The excitement
of my science teachers was
counter-balanced by films such as
"The Future of Food" and articles
published in Sierra magazine. I
was presented with both sides and
soon felt informed to make my
own decision on the subject.
As it turns out, this wasn't
possible. And it still isn't. This is
due to the fact that the U.S. does
not require the labeling of GM
foods. Furthermore, the Economic
Research Service of the USDA
reported that in 2009 a majority
of corn and soybeans grown in the
U.S. were genetically modified.
Thus, we have all eaten genetically
modified foods. They have
become a part of our lives, whether
we like it or not.
The most recent issue of the
International Journal of Biological
Sciences includes a study that
assessed the effects of three genetically
modified corn varieties on
mammalian health. This study is
the first ever to perform a comparative
analysis of blood and organ
data collected from rats fed commercially
used GM corn.
The most striking results show
a significant detrimental effect on
liver and kidney function in rats
that were fed GM corn. The authors
of this article were also given access
to studies done by Monsanto that
supposedly assessed toxicity of
GM corn on animals.
The authors point out that previous
studies by Monsanto were
"clearly inadequate" in refuting
toxic effects. This is especially disturbing
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