What is GMO Food?
Genetically engineered or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are created by taking genes from organisms such as bacteria, viruses or animals and inserting them into other, often unrelated, species. Unlike traditional breeding, genetic engineering creates new organisms that would never occur in nature, creating new and unpredictable health and environmental risks. The term ‘genetically engineered (GE) food’ refers to any product containing or derived from GMOs. In Canada, up to 70 per cent of the processed foods found in grocery stores contain GE ingredients. The most common GE ingredients come from crops like corn, soy, canola and cotton. Biotechnology companies genetically engineer these crops to produce a pesticide or to withstand the application of herbicides.
What can YOU do to avoid GMO Food?
Greenpeace has published a great resource – How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food: A Shopper’s Guide. It can be found online at: http://gmoguide.greenpeace.ca/shoppers_guide.pdf Organic standards also prohibit the use of GMOs.
GMO Links
Jeffrey Smith has written 2 books regarding Genetically Modified Food and has lots of information about the topic - http://www.seedsofdeception.com
Institute for Responsible Technology - http://www.responsibletechnology.org
An Expert Panel Report on the Future of Food Biotechnology prepared by The Royal Society of Canada at the request of Health Canada Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Environment Canada (2001) - http://www.rsc.ca//index.php?lang_id=1&page_id=119
Centre for Food Safety – American organization with information about GMOs and other environmental issues - http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org
CBC MARKETPLACE : Food fight over the labelling of genetically modified products
http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/gmfood/index.html
Genetically Modified Foods: a primer CBC News Online (May 11, 2004) http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/genetics_modification/
Genetically Modified Food: A Growing Debate - CBC Video and Audio Archives http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-75-1597/science_technology/genetically_modified_food/
Institute of Science in Society - http://www.i-sis.org.uk has many articles and research on GM food. Research article entitled ‘GM Food Nightmare Unfolding in the Regulatory Sham’ - http://www.i-sis.org.uk/GM_Food_Nightmare_Unfolding.php
Organic Consumers Association has a section of their website dedicated to Genetic Engineering - http://www.organicconsumers.org/gelink.cfm
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network - http://www.cban.ca
Combat Monsanto – http://www.combat-monsanto.co.uk
Biological Effects Of Transgenic Maize NK603xMON810 Fed In Long Term Reproduction Studies In Mice - November 2008: http://bmgfj.cms.apa.at/cms/site/attachments/3/2/9/CH0810/CMS1226492832306/forschungsbericht_3-2008_letztfassung.pdf
