Get Your Tail on the Trail

GMOs: Sorting Truth from Fiction 

Written by Emily Wargo, MS, RD, LDN 

When it comes to genetically-engineered (GE) or genetically-modified (GMO) foods, the message brought across by media and agri-business is hazy. Industry tells us GMO foods are completely harmless and even necessary to meet the greater yields demanded by an increasing population. As a consumer, it is important to consider what is missing from this message.  

The majority of GMO crops have been genetically engineered to endure the spraying of herbicides, specifically Monsanto’s Round-Up Ready, or to contain their own pesticides such as “Bt” (Bacillus thuringiensis). Because of the increased weed resistance to Round-Up Ready, scientists have created new GE crops designed to withstand spraying of chemicals with an even greater threat to consumer health, including Dicamba herbicide and 2,4-D (one of the major ingredients used to produce Agent Orange).  

Consumers have a right to know whether GMOs are safe, and the answer is: we don’t know. Little research has been conducted on the long-term effects of GMO food consumption. Most studies funded by the biotechnology industry last a mere 90 days- not long enough to fully grasp the potential harmful side effects. Round-Up Ready’s active chemical ingredient is glyphosate, which has been determined to disrupt the endocrine system. A two-year long study conducted by the European Union discovered that rats being fed GMO corn and drinking water containing traces of Round-Up Ready herbicide experienced negative health conditions, including mammary tumors and incapacitated pituitary function in females, and liver and kidney damage in males. Unlike the majority of all other developed countries, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not require safety testing for GE or GMO crops. The FDA also do not demand GMO labeling. The labeling of GMO foods would, at least, serve as a risk management tool to allow consumers and physicians alike to track health problems related to eating GE foods.  

Until nationwide GMO labeling occurs, consumers can take steps to decrease the amount of GMO foods in their diet. Begin with checking ingredient labels for the following ingredients that are most-likely sourced from GMO crops: corn (including dextrose), soy (including soy-based lecithin), canola oil, sugar (sourced from sugar beets, not cane) and cottonseed oil. Consumers can also assume that non-organic meats, poultry and dairy products come from animals fed with GMO grains. Growing your own food can seem like a daunting task, however the benefits of home-grown food outweigh the risks of conventional produce ten-fold. If growing isn’t for you, buying organic, local produce is a simple and effective tactic against the battle of GMO foods. By law, organic foods cannot contain ingredients from GE crops, produce cannot be grown with GE seeds or synthetic fertilizers, and animals cannot be fed with GMO feed. Try to shop for produce that is in season at local farmer’s markets for healthy, budget-friendly options. 

For more information: 

Sources: 

“Thinking Critically about GMOs” Melinda Hemmelgarn, MS, RD. The HEN Post: Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietary Practice Group Newsletter, 2013.  

“Is Organic More Nutritious than Non-Organic? Let’s Think Beyond the Plate” Melinda Hemmelgarn, MS, RD. The HEN Post: Hunger and Environmental Nutrition Dietary Practice Group Newsletter, 2015.