IS IT GENETIC MODIFIED FOODS ARE HARMFUL?

Genetically Modified Foods Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health?

Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise than mutagenesis (mutation breeding) where an organism is exposed to radiation or chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. Other techniques by which humans modify food organisms include selective breeding (plant breeding and animal breeding), and somaclonal variation.

GM foods were first put on the market in the early 1990s. Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.

Harmful effect of GMOs are following only some of the effects are discussed

 1 Direct Cancer and Degenerative Disease Links
 2 Superviruses
 3 Antibiotic Threat via Milk
 4 Antibiotic Threat via Plants
 5 Birth Defects and Shorter Life Spans
 6 Disturbance of Nature
 7 Destruction of Forest Life’s Boundaries
 8 Plant Invasions 9 Killing Beneficial Insects
10 Poisonous to Mammals
11 Genetic Pollution
12 Losing Purity
13 Losing Natural Pesticides
14 Fragility of Future Agriculture
15 Monopolization of Food Production
16 Imposing a Non-Living Model onto Nature
17 Biocolonization

1 Direct Cancer and Degenerative Disease Links: GH is a protein hormone which, when injected into cows stimulates the pituitary gland in a way that the produces more milk, thus making milk production more profitable for the large dairy corporations. In 1993, FDA approved Monsanto’s genetically-modified rBGH, a genetically-altered growth hormone that could be then injected into dairy cows to enhance this feature, and even though scientists warned that this resulted in an increase of IGF-1 (from (70%-1000%). IGF-1 is a very potent chemical hormone that has been linked to a 2 1/2 to 4 times higher risk of human colorectal and breast cancer. Prostate cancer risk is considered equally serious - in the 2,8.to 4 times range thia will leads to cancer

2 Superviruses: Viruses can mix with genes of other viruses and retroviruses such as HIV. This can give rise to more deadly viruses – and at rates higher than previously thought. One study showed that gene mixing occurred in viruses in just 8 weeks (Kleiner, 1997). This kind of scenario applies to the cauliflower mosaic virus CaMV, It is somewhat similar to Hepatitis B and HIV viruses and can pose immense dangers.

3 Antibiotic Threat Via Milk: Cows injected with rBGH have a much higher level of udder infections and require more antibiotics. This leaves unacceptable levels of antibiotic residues in the milk. Scientists have warned of public health hazards due to growing antibiotic resistance

4 Antibiotic Threat Via Plants: Much of genetic implantation uses a marker to track where the gene goes into the cell. GM maize plants use an ampicillin resistant gene. In 1998, the British Royal Society called for the banning of this marker as it threatens a vital antibiotic’s use. The resistant qualities of GM bacteria in food can be transferred to other bacteria in the environment and throughout the human body

5 Birth Defects and Shorter Life Spans: As we ingest transgenic human/ animal products there is no real telling of the impact on human evolution. We know that rBGh in cows causes a rapid increase in birth defects and shorter life spans