Genetically Modified Food Products (aka GMOs)

Good information on Genetically Modified foods is difficult to find.  As seems common with many topics, the strength of an author's convictions can often be measured by the degree of exaggeration in his writing.  It is as if the truth is not compelling enough, so the author makes the case stronger with little respect for the truth.  Shocking images or stories abound, they travel through social media much faster than responsible content.  Opposition movements are discredited when they cite the bad information and it provides cover for truly bad things that are not as sensational but extremely harmful.

Here is an example quote of exaggeration and disregard for the facts...

"Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. That's the conclusion of a shocking new study that looked at the long-term effects of consuming Monsanto's genetically modified corn."

Let's see what we can find from this brief quote.  First of all, Roundup is a weed killer, not a fertilizer.  Surrounded by the words "horrifying" and "shocking"   The photo that traversed the web is included for your convenience.

Criticisms of the original study abound.  Probably the worst was that the variety of rats used were prone to developing tumors late in life anyway.  The nonsense involved in this one case was used by GM supporters to discredit a wide range of GMO opposition.

Another example confuses normal hybrid crops with GM crops and reports an appropriately sensational story about grass that kills cows.  What is not appropriate is that the plant involved is not GM but was made by hybridization, a process mankind has used for thousands of years.

Which foods are genetically modified?  Soy bean, canola, corn, potato, squash, sugarbeet, lucerne (alfalfa), and cotton are the common GM crops.  Aside from an assumed accidental but not well explained release of a GM version, wheat is not generally GM.  It is likewise a hybrid, and definitely not transgenic or GM.  

One variety of rice is GM.  It is probably the only wise use of GM in the world to this point.  It breeds true and greatly benefits humanity.  Called "Golden Rice" it has added genes that produce beta carotene (converted to vitamin A in the body) like carrots do.  While it is controversial, this author thinks it appropriate because it produces an important nutrient in the same way other plants do and can inexpensively deliver that nutrient to people who need it.  People who like to see things as black and white do not like it because unlike other GMOs, it actually does good.  It is a poster child for the power of the technology to do good.  The ONE poster child.  I can agree with them because it is like an atomic weapons plant showing the use of radioisotopes in medicine and the lives they save.  Used as propaganda, such cases inflame the arguments without delivering needed clarifications.  If we were talking about a whole fleet of products like Golden Rice delivering more nutritious food to people, we wouldn't be discussing this at all.  We would all be grateful for the good technology can bring.

What GM techniques are being used for, however, is not so benign.  They are used to make the factory farm technology temporarily more efficient while grossly expanding its environmental footprint.  I will discuss two main GM approaches to point out why resistance to GM contamination of our food supplies is growing.

The first I will discuss is glyphosate (Roundup) resistance.  Roundup is a broad spectrum weed killer that will kill most any plant.  It operates on the plant metabolism in very specific ways, which leads to a supporting argument that it is totally harmless in humans and animals because they have no such pathway.  It is true as far as it goes.  Roundup SHOULD be safe.

So, GM techniques are used to create glyphosate resistance in  crops so the weed killer can be applied to crops and weeds alike and kill only the weeds.  The problem is that glyphosate enters the plant tissues and residues persist in our food.  We are using GM techniques to let us produce contaminated crops for human and animal consumption.  Wthout resistance, the weed killer would never be applied and get into our food chain so effectively.  It would be in the tissue of dead weeds and mostly biodegrade over time.    

Quite a few studies have and are being conducted.  Typical of studies of this nature, this one shows Roundup with all of the chemicals required to deliver it to the plant kills human placental cells.  There are more such studies, some good literature surveys, etc. but separating the good from the bad is a challenge and I intend to avoid propagating bad information while emphasizing what is scientifically valid.  Sadly, opponents of GM foods insult the people by spreading lies when it appears that the simple truth, presented responsibly, would condemn the use of glyphosate resistance quickly and thoroughly.

A second major use of GM technology is making plants toxic to insects so pests will eat the plant and die.  Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is a bacterium that lives in the soil as well as the intestines of insects and other organisms.  It produces BT Toxin which kills a broad spectrum of insects.  The bacteria, mixed with water and organic compounds can be applied to plants and they will kill insects, particularly caterpillars that eat lots of vegetation.  Routine washing removes the bacteria along with other dirt and leaves the crop safe to consume.

The GM application of BT toxin involves making EVERY CELL of the crop contain toxin.  So, BT foods are filled with a toxin that never occurs naturally in that food.  That means that the effect of the toxin is much broader than its organic farming application, toxic pollen is even produced and the seeds contain the toxin too.  GM crops producing BT are suspected as being a partial cause of bee die offs, though not the whole issue.  

So, when you eat BT crops you are eating something that will kill bugs.  Not too appetizing, really, and the impacts of eating BT are just beginning to be investigated.  I did find a study in which earthworms were killed by corn litter left in the field.  That is consistent with observations that GM crop fields are dead zones in the soil and have few natural bacteria, fungi, and insects common in natural soils. I will not cite studies yet; good ones seem rare and hard to find.  Arguments from physiology are not as persuasive as arguments from measured facts.  Further, studies in humans are difficult to conduct and the legislative protections afforded GM companies along with contracts that limit buyers to planting and harvesting (and, specifically, not testing) the seeds make research much more difficult.  Europe has produced some, I have not had time to evaluate it.  I do, however, personally avoid BT where I can.  

If the preceding makes you think I am an apologist for GM, nothing could be further from the truth.  I do, however, have an overriding respect for scientific facts.  I believe one does not make up for reckless release of untested technology with exaggerated stories of serious impacts when evidence is not conclusive.  Playing fast and loose with the facts means that GM companies will be able to assault opponents in the media and frame themselves as victims of eco-extremists.

Prevention Magazine has a good article on Roundup.