Food Fray: Controversy of Genetically Modified Food

Lisa Easel, PhD, author of Food Fray and a professor at Portland State University, presented the controversy of Genetically Modified Food and Genetically Modified Organisms at Lyceum May 19.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are genes from different species mixed together to manipulate plant genetics. GMO is used for crop protection against herbicides, insects and diseases. Two-thirds of our food contains GMO and we have been consuming it for 10 years. The amount of these modified organisms in our food is alarming.
 
Easel spoke of the scientific and political aspects of this controversy.
 
Benefits of growing crops with GMO: it enhances the taste and quality, increases nutrients, reduces maturation time, and improves resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides. It also improves animal health, and better yields of meat, eggs, and milk.

According to Oakridge National Laboratory, a multi-program science and technology laboratory managed for the U.S. Department of Energy, environmental benefits of using GMO include conservation of soil, water, and energy, better natural waste management, bioprocessing for forestry products, and "friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides.

GMO may also provide increased food security for growing populations.

On the downside, there are potential health impacts, and environmental impacts.

One opposition is that the modified organisms are artificial and unnatural. It is unethical to manipulate and tamper with nature. One human health impact is biopharmaceutical contamination. Drugs can be engineered in food ways. GMO can cause food allergies.

"We don't know what foods contain GMO because labeling is not mandatory in some countries, one of which includes the U.S." Easel said." If foods aren't labeled, we don't know who is eating too much."

Ecosystem impact is on the soil ecology, cross pollination/escape with weeds and wild relatives. It also impacts non-target species.

There is much global debate on this controversy. The U.S. is passive and has acceptance, Europe has a philosophical opposition that it is unethical, Asia has larger markets for GMO crops, and Africa debates if GMO is good aid for security.

In 2006, countries that grew 97% of the global transgenic crops were the United States (53%), Argentina (17%), Brazil (11%), Canada (6%), India (4%), China (3%), Paraguay (2%) and South Africa (1%).

According to Easel, it is important for people to be aware of GMO, to care about what is being consumed, and how this is affecting our environment.