Last month we introduced the topic of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s), and looked at their use specifically in plants. When bits of DNA from another species is introduced into a plant, these GMO plants now have a new DNA sequence, which, by definition, actually creates a new species of plant, similar in most ways to the original; however, containing new genes that were not present in the original plant. How does this change in DNA affect us when we eat the newly modified food? Have any studies been done on the health effects of GMO’s?
Before we talk about the results of some of the tests done on GMO foods, let us see how prevalent GMO crops are, around the world, and the response of different countries to GMO products. Some countries accept GMO crops readily, other countries limit their use, and other countries ban them all together. Acceptance or the ban of GMO products throughout the world has to do with the fact that no one seems to agree on their safety. Even the scientific community has been polarized on the safety of GMO foods, with some scientists feeling that GMO crops are no different than any other crop, and other scientists feeling that GMO crops cause significant harm to humans.
As we learned last month, most soybeans, corn, cotton, sugar beets, and canola in North America are grown from GMO seeds. Alfalfa and Kentucky bluegrass, which is fed to livestock, are also GMO products. While this may seem like a very short list, the by-products of these crops result in a far longer shopping list. GMO’s are used in thousands of processed foods, ranging from infant formula to bread, tofu, and tomato sauce. Many of the GMO food products are in food eaten by those consuming a vegan diet. Meanwhile, GMO-containing feed is widely given to animals that produce milk, eggs and meat, which means GMO’s are also getting into products like ice cream, mayonnaise, cheese, and even veggie burgers in the form of whey protein. While most Reformers avoid dairy products, or products made from animal sources, those who are not vegan are consuming foods that potentially come from livestock that have eaten GMO feed. Even non-food items such as hygiene products often contain GMO ingredients. According to a 2005 estimate, 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contain at least one genetically modified ingredient. In the latest statistics from Canada, more than 80% of all processed foods contain one or more GMO. Now the list does not seem so small, does it?
Over 80% of all GMO crops are specifically engineered to tolerate one or more herbicides (weed killers). This allows farmers the ability to spread herbicides over their fields, killing only the weeds and sparing the crop. Herbicide-tolerant soybeans are the most widely grown GMO crop, going from 17% percent of US soybean acreage in 1997 to 93% in 2013.
Specifically, “GM Roundup Ready” (RR) soy is the most widely grown GMO crop. It is engineered to tolerate being sprayed with Roundup herbicide, containing the chemical glyphosate. The majority of GM RR soy goes into animal feed in livestock feedlots in North and South America, Europe and other industrialized countries. People who eat dairy and beef products thus consume higher amounts of RR soy. For those of us who use soybeans, often in the form of tofu, as a source of protein instead of using animal products, we may also be consuming large volumes of GMO foods. Soy allergies jumped 50% in the U.K. just after GM soy was introduced. The concern is that RR soy contains amino acids known to be identical to known allergens. All soybeans contain an ingredient known as trypsin inhibitor, which is also a known allergen, but Roundup Ready soybeans contain as much as seven times more than non-GMO soy.
There is no mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods in Canada despite intensive public campaigning and 20 years of polling that consistently show over 80% of Canadians want these labels. Instead, a national standard for voluntary labeling was established—but this is voluntary and no company has yet chosen to label their products as containing genetically engineered ingredients! In the United States, also, there is no mandatory labelling of foods containing GMO’s. Argentina, the world’s top third GMO manufacturer also does not require GMO labelling.
In the United States, GMO foods do not need to be identified as containing GMO because the claim is that GMO and non-GMO foods are identical, therefore labelling to identify GMO foods is unnecessary. 233 million acres of GMO crops are grown in the USA. Many processed foods contain GMO crops and the amount of GMO food grown in the USA keeps growing. In surveys done amongst Americans, many are not happy with GMO foods. Nine out of ten Americans would like foods labelled as GMO or non-GMO, to provide them with a choice as to whether to eat GMO foods or not. However, as the percentage of processed foods which contain GMO products is so high, this would create a marketing nightmare for the manufacturers of processed foods. Although, labelling would force the food manufacturers to consider returning to foods not made with GMO products if the people avoid GMO-containing products.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a mandatory GMO food safety assessment process and has never approved as safe or unsafe, any GMO food that is currently on the market. It does not carry out or commission safety tests on GM foods. Instead, the FDA operates a voluntary pre-market review programme, in which it looks at whatever data the manufacturer chooses to provide. This is yet another reason why GMO foods are not trusted. Testing is only required to be done by the companies who produce the GMO product. And, often these tests contradict the results of tests done by independent labs, which have no financial stake in the product. But, the government does not take into account this independent testing when approving a food product. Government agencies in the USA argue against any labeling of GMO foods on the grounds that this “…would imply that GMO’s are different”. Big agricultural companies like Monsanto have raised millions of dollars to fight against labeling because they know it would negatively affect sales.
Let us look at how some of the other countries address GMO foods. Brazil is the second-largest GMO producing country in the world. However, in food sold in their country, a “transgenic” labeling (easily identified as a large “T” inside a yellow triangle), is required for foods containing GMO’s.
Next let us consider the stand that the European Union (EU) has taken on GMO foods. Since the time that GMO crops began to be manufactured, GMO-containing foods had to be labelled as such. As a result, consumers stopped buying GMO foods once they were identified as GMO. GMO-manufacturing companies did not want to sell in Europe, as they were now not making money. As of October 3, 2015, 19 of 28 EU nations banned GMO products from being grown in their countries or being imported from other countries. However, all 28 nations agree that all food (including processed food) or feed which contains greater than 0.9% of approved GMO’s must be labelled, so the consumer knows exactly what they are getting and consuming. As of 2010, the EU treats all genetically modified crops (GMO crops), along with irradiated food as “new food”. Therefore, they are subject to extensive, case-by-case, science-based food evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
While marketing and importing GMO’s, and food and feed produced with GMO’s, are regulated at the EU level, the cultivation of GMO’s is an area left to the EU Members. Many livestock in Europe are eating GMO feed, mostly soybeans. EU Members have the right to prohibit or restrict the sale or cultivation of approved GMO’s based on adverse effects on health and the environment. When placing on the market a product for food and feed produced from GMOs, operators must forward to those who will receive them, the following: Each food ingredient produced from GMOs, each of the feed materials or additives produced from GMO’s, and if there is no list of ingredients, there muse be an indication that the product is produced from GMOs.
The European Union has a concern with the lack of testing that is done in the USA on GMO foods. It is often claimed that “trillions of GMO meals” have been eaten in the USA with no ill effects. However, no epidemiological studies (comparisons between those who ingest GMO’s and those who do not) in human populations have been carried out to establish whether there are any health effects associated with GMO food consumption. Because GMO foods are not labelled in North America, it is scientifically impossible to trace, let alone study, patterns of GMO consumption and their impact. Therefore, the EU’s stance is that claims that GM foods are safe for human health based on the experience of North American populations have no scientific basis.
The European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility released a statement regarding their stance on GMO foods. “As scientists, physicians, academics, and experts from disciplines relevant to the scientific, legal, social and safety assessment aspects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), we strongly reject claims by GM seed developers and some scientists, commentators, and journalists that there is a ‘scientific consensus’ on GMO safety and that the debate on this topic is ‘over.’
“. . . . the claimed consensus on GMO safety does not exist.
The claim that it does exist is misleading and misrepresents the currently available scientific evidence and the broad diversity of opinion among scientists on this issue. Moreover, the claim encourages a climate of complacency that could lead to a lack of regulatory and scientific rigour and appropriate caution, potentially endangering the health of humans, animals, and the environment. . . . We endorse the need for further independent scientific inquiry and informed public discussion on GM product safety and urge GM proponents to do the same. . . . Claims that there is a consensus among scientific and governmental bodies that GM foods are safe, or that they are no more risky than non-GM foods, are false.”
Drought, inadequate water resources and poor soils, along with other economic and social pressures, have made food shortages a problem in many parts of Africa. From 2002, GMO crops have been offered as food aid. Apart from South Africa, genetically modified food is viewed with a lot of suspicion all across Africa with vicious debate across the continent on its benefits and pitfalls. Faced by rising food prices and drought a number of African countries have over the recent years allowed growing and importation of GMO food under strict regulation. South Africa was the continent’s sole cultivator of GMO maize, cotton and soybeans until 2008, when Egypt began growing GMO maize, and Burkina Faso started growing GM cotton. Other countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mali, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana have since allowed the importation of GMO’s.
Up until 2010, India’s government opposed GMO crops but is now opening its doors to Monsanto and other international agriculture giants, despite widespread suffering and even suicide among farmers that feel pressured into buying their products. Many farmers in India do not have the means to afford GMO seeds.
With vast funding and a big team, China was ready to bring to market an insect-resistant GMO rice it developed on its own a decade ago. But the government has chosen so far not to commercialise its GMO expertise as the technology remains controversial around the world and has triggered fierce debate at home. Public opinion remains unfavourable for the technology, and even now, the prospect for commercialisation is unclear.
Why do governments say that GMO crops are necessary? More crops are needed to feed the world. The world will not have enough food if we do not use GMO’s. GMO’s produce higher crop yields, reduce farm costs, and increase farm profit. There is also an expected improvement in health and the environment. However, studies show none of these benefits have taken place with GMO foods.
The only benefit so far is that the producers of GMO seeds and crops have grown very rich. Forty percent of the world’s GMO crops are grown in the USA, where Monsanto controls 80 percent of the GM corn market, and 93 percent of the GM soy market. Forty percent of USA cropland, or 151.4 million acres, are planted in Monsanto’s crops. Monsanto owns 1,676 seed, plant and other similar patents. Worldwide, 282 million acres are planted in Monsanto’s GM crops.
Many of the GMO’s are created to be resistant to herbicides. However, if we look at corn, scientists genetically modified sweet corn so that it produces its own poison (Bt) which kills harmful insects. Developed in 1996, the genetically modified corn is called Bt-corn, because the insect-killing gene in the plant comes from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. This product is also owned by Monsanto.
The benefit of Bt-corn is that the farmer no longer has to use insecticide to kill insects. The risks are that Bt-corn will poison the insects over a longer period than the farmer who would spray the crops once or twice in a growing season. Insects are becoming resistant to the poison. A variety of insects are at risk of being killed, not just the ones that harm the crop. It might be predatory insects that eat the harmful ones or, perhaps beneficial insects such as honey bees and butterflies. There has been a significant reduction in the bee and butterfly population in North America, needed to pollinate our vegetables and fruits. 80% of the world’s food supply is directly or indirectly affected by the honey bee population. Glyphosate has been shown to damage the health of bees. Some countries such as Mexico ban GMO crops to protect their honey industry.
Can Bt-corn be harmful to humans? Bt proteins only naturally occur in soil bacteria. By introducing the modified toxin gene into the plants, the structure of the toxin is modified. Independent experiments now show that genetically modified corn containing the genes for Bt is toxic to humans. They impact the ability of human cells to survive. Many genetically engineered plants contain up to six Bt toxins at the same time. No investigation by governments of the combination effects of these toxins and residues from spraying, or their potential risks for human health have been done.
With every new emerging technology, there are potential risks. There is the danger of unintentionally introducing allergens and other anti-nutrition factors into foods when introducing DNA from other sources. There is the likelihood of transgenes escaping from cultivated crops into wild relatives, and thus changing their DNA also. The potential for pests to evolve resistance to the toxins produced by GMO crops has already been shown to happen. There is a risk that the newly-introduced DNA that has been used to modify foods can also affect non-targeted organisms, including humans. MANY OF THESE RISKS ARE STILL UNKNOWN.
According to some studies, individuals who consumed GMO’s have experienced the following side effects: Increase in allergies, increase in antibiotic resistance, problems with endocrine system (thyroid problems, diabetes), disorders of the reproductive system, increase in aging symptoms, and cancerous tumor growths.
There are very few studies on how GMO’s may impact our bodies down the road. It is too early to test their long-term safety as most GMO foods have only been ingested for the last 5–15 years. People have not been eating GMO foods for long enough yet to determine health risks with long-term use of these products.
In another study, pigs fed a GMO diet developed an inflamed gut. Pigs have a similar digestive system to humans. Inflammation in the GMO-fed pigs was more than two times as much as the pigs who were fed an organic diet.
A 10-year study in Norway has found GMO’s may cause obesity, digestive problems, and damage to major organs including liver, kidneys, pancreas and genitals. Glyphosate is linked to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The increased rates of autism have occurred since the introduction of GMO foods, have people questioning whether GMO’s could be implicated in the rise.
There has been a large increase in many human diseases related to the gut in the last 20 years: Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, acid reflex, gluten intolerance, celiac disease, leaky gut, and irritable bowel syndrome. No research is available to determine the cause of the increase; however, GMO foods could be a factor: The questions that need to be asked and answered: Could GMO foods be preventing healing of the intestinal tract, leading to disease? Could GMO foods be altering our gut microflora/bacteria to cause increased problems?
New evidence also points to Glyphosate, the widely used herbicide on GMO crops, as the culprit in the rise of gluten intolerance, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. The increase in gastro-intestinal tract disorders coincided with the increase in GMO foods and glyphosate use. Is it cause and effect or coincidence?
Studies suggest that Bt-toxin, glyphosate, and other components of GMO’s are linked to five conditions that may either initiate or exacerbate gluten-related disorders: Intestinal permeability, imbalanced gut bacteria, immune activation and allergies, impaired digestion, and damage to the intestinal wall.
The condition known as Leaky Gut occurs when gaps form between intestinal cells and large particles from the digestive tract enter the bloodstream, potentially triggering immune or allergic reactions. The Bt-toxin produced by genetically modified corn kills insects by punching holes in their digestive tracts. Human studies confirmed that it punctures holes in human cells as well.
Gluten-sensitive individuals, and especially those with celiac disease, also commonly have an imbalance in their gut flora. Many people do not develop reactivity to gluten until later in life, which supports the notion that it can be triggered by environmental factors. Eating GMO’s soaked with glyphosate may play a role in the onset of gluten-related disorders. Decreased digestive enzymes can create undigested food particles, contribute to the overgrowth of harmful bacteria, and promote symptoms of gluten-related disorders. A common result of gluten sensitivity is damage to the lining of the intestinal tract. Both Bt-toxin and glyphosate have produced structural damage to microvilli in animal studies. Whether GMOs are indeed a causative factor in the escalating trend of gluten sensitivity or merely an obstacle to a cure is yet to be determined.
Those who maintain that GMO’s are harmless to the human body, claim that any residues of GMO foods, including the modified DNA, pass through the human body, and do not stay in the body for any length of time. To date, no American scientist has investigated the potential levels of toxic residues in the human body of GMO foods. A study in Norway proved that GMO genes are indeed transferred through the intestinal wall into the blood. During their study they found “pieces of genetically modified DNA in large enough segments to be identified in blood, muscle tissue and liver.” A study done in Europe indicates that a large percentage of the population have GMO residues in their body. What could be the effects of these DNA residues on the human body?
Genetically modified (GM) or transgenic crops have been grown for human and animal consumption since the 1990s. There are currently over 200 different GM crops with various traits approved for human and animal consumption in many countries. Despite this, studies examining the effects of GMO crops on animal and human health are relatively scarce, and among the studies that have been done, many conflict each other.
NEXT MONTH: GMO’S IN THE FUTURE AND HOW TO AVOID GMO FOODS