organic a natural home
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nutrition STORY
mutant foodMarch 21, 2001 OK, I'm freaked out now. Flavr Savr® tomatoes?!? RoundUp Ready® soybeans!?! Why do these foods have registered names? A few months ago while looking around for some information about canola oil I ripped the lid off a hideous Pandora's box of evil. Not only did I symbolically let the cat out of the bag, I let out a freak, mutant cat with abnormal claws and fangs and an extremely ugly disposition. That cat goes by the name Genetically Altered Frankenfoods and he's as scary as his name sounds. I found that a disturbingly large and ever-growing percentage of our foods (including canola oil) are genetically modified. I knew peripherally that genetic-engineering was a growth industry but I really had not paid that much attention to it. Not a good idea. The more I've read about genetically-engineered (GE) foods and genetically-modified (GM) foods the more freaked out I've become. They are essentially being created by scientists (primarily in the employment of large chemical companies) for the sole purpose of making money. Oh the marketing doesn't say that of course. They talk about pest-resistance, higher yields, resistance to spoilage etc. but the bottom line is cash. And the problem is that the science behind it is so new that a lot of shooting in the dark is going on and the scientists themselves really don't seem to know what the ramifications of these 'experiments' will be. The industry has it's supporters of course, one of the oddest being the Guest Choice Network run by Rick Berman, 57, a lawyer who runs a research and communications firm. Mr. Berman also acts as the general counsel for the American Beverage Institute, a trade organization that represents restaurants that serve alcohol. They advocate on behalf of genetically-modified foods so you have a "full choice on your menu" when you go shopping or dining without being told by "nannies" and other busy bodies what's good for you. Very disturbed. At any rate I've put together a few links to some of the reading I've found. I must warn you though, these articles are not for the faint of heart or those of weak constitution. And the foods discussed shouldn't be for anyone at all. The Risks on the Table Cultivating Hopes and Fears Ecology of Transgenic Crops Allergic Reactions Trigger a Sober Look at Biotech Foods Salvation or scourge: the genome debate – dave © Copyright iriguchi 2001 |
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