bioconcerns

"We have such a miserably poor understanding of how the organism develops from its DNA that I would be surprised if we don't get one rude shock after another." ~Richard Lewontin, Professor of Genetics at Harvard University

Claims and Realities surrounding Genfood crops

There are many issues regarding genfood and these claims listed below are perhaps the most commonly heard. There are links to sites at the bottom of the page that offer further study into the myths and concerns of Bioengineered food.

Genetic engineering (GE) is not new. It is just the same as sped-up selective breeding. Genetic Engineering (GE) is NOT the same as plant breeding. Plant breeding and hybridization crosses two parent plants of the same or closely related species. In genetic engineering two species that are sexually incompatible (like a fish and tomato,) are brought together as they never would in nature. Genetic engineering skips the natural process and eliminates the checks and balances that are found in nature. Compared to the slow, safe method of conventional breeding, GE is a radical technology. The process causes unnatural mutation and combination of the DNA in our food. This means that we are guinea pigs in this experiment; an experiment that affects us, our kids and the planetary food chain.
Genetic engineering is precise. The function of only a small proportion of the DNA in an organism is known. Modern genetics has shown that genes do not operate in isolation. Rather they interact in a complicated way, changing their behavior in response to influences from other genes. Although a gene can be cut out precisely from the DNA of an organism, its insertion into the DNA of another organism is entirely random. This results in the disruption of the order of the genes on the chromosome and may result in random and unexpected changes in the functioning of the cells. There is no data documenting the stability of any transgenic line in gene expression, or in structure and location of the insert in the genome. Such data must include the level of gene expression, as well as a genetic map and DNA base sequence of the insert and its site of insertion in the host genome in each successive generation. No such information has been provided by industry, nor requested by regulatory authorities.
GE crops will stave off world hunger. Hunger is a social and poverty problem due to the unequal global distribution of food. In the western world food is regularly dumped. Genetic engineering could actually lead to an increase in hunger and starvation. Biotech companies are still eagerly pursuing a genetic engineering technique named "terminator technology that would render a crop's seed sterile, making it impossible for farmers to save seed for replanting. Half the world's farmers rely on saved seed to produce food that 1.4 billion people rely on for daily nutrition.
GE food is extensively tested and the GE food at present on our supermarket shelves is perfectly safe to eat. The FDA makes a point to exclude the processes in which transgenic foods are made and regulates only the end product. If you read this website's page relating to the process of Recombinant DNA then you already know the risks involved with the CaMV. In addition to that risk is that GE food is not extensively tested. In fact there is generally one field test performed before the product is taken to market. This is insufficient since problems can surface several generations down the line. Furthermore, there are no long term studies done regarding health or environmental impacts. Since there is no current system in place separating GE from non-GE foodstuffs, we may never know the long-term ramifications. ~Doctors and scientists around the world have warned that GMO foods may cause unexpected health consequences that may take years to develop.
Genetically engineered food has improved nutritional value, appearance and flavor. If this were so, then the transgenic food products would have to be labeled as a Genetically Engineered product according to the FDA labeling guidelines as these "improvements" would make these foods significantly different from naturally derived food. The truth is that the design of transgenic food has more to do with short term profitability for the corporations that own them. Nearly all of the GE corn, soy, potatoes and cotton grown in the United States have been genetically altered so that they can withstand more chemicals or produce their own insecticides, and/or to have an increased shelf life.
GE crops will reduce pesticide use. Instead of reducing chemical use, one study of more than 8,000 university based field trials found that farmers who plant Monsanto's Roundup-Ready® soy use two to five times more herbicide than non-GMO farmers who use integrated weed control methods. GE crops may be the greatest threat to sustainable agriculture on the planet. Many organic farmers rely on Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) (a naturally occurring soil bacteria,) to control certain crop pests. When sprayed on the plants, Bt kills the offending pests and quickly breaks down. However, genetically engineered plants that are programmed to produce their own Bt are likely to lead to insects that are immune to this natural insect control. When this biological pesticide is rendered ineffective, other farmers will turn to increasingly toxic chemicals to deal with the "superbugs" created by GE. Meanwhile, organic farmers will be out of options. Furthermore, it has been found that Bt crops do not have an "off" switch, so that Bt residue is found in the plants long after harvest.
There is no evidence that GE crops are harmful to the environment. Laboratory and field evidence shows that GE crops can harm beneficial insects, damage soil and transfer modified genes in the environment, contaminating neighboring crops and potentially creating uncontrollable weeds. Already GE canola in Canada has become resistant to three different herbicides becoming a problem weed in other fields.

Ag Biotech InfoNet
Biotechnology Myths ~ Miguel A. Altieri, Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley ESPM-Division of Insect Biology
ETC Group
Food First Institute for Food and Development Policy
The Genetic Engineering Debate
Monocultures, Monopolies, Myths and the Masculinisation of Agriculture
Genetically Altered Food: Myths and Realities ~EarthSave
Genetically engineered food Safety Problems ~Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology
Horizontal Gene Transfer and Implications for the Risk Assessment of Plasmids
Institute of Science in Society
The Professor Who Can Read Your Mind