Americans are Iffy on Genetically Modified Foods
ELIZABETH WEISE / USA Today 17sep03
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Mindfully.org note: The stuff is not even labeled, so Americans don't know they are eating GMOs. But even the people who do know have a gross misconception that genetically engineered foods are regulated. The truth of the matter is stated quite clearly in this article by the head of the FDA biotech coordinator. "companies
aren't required to send the If that doesn't send up red flags in a few million consumers' minds, then nothing will. Nobody is watching the industry. They are doing whatever they feel like doing and claiming it is safe. But, in fact, they can't even know because they aren't looking. We'll take this one step further by saying that the industry actually looks the other way to purposefully avoid the truth. Here is a great new book on the market that is about this issue.
Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey M. Smith - Exposing industry and government lies about the safety of the genetically engineered foods you're eating. Highly recommended by Mindfully.org. This book is probably the best book ever written on the dangers of GMOs for any level of involvement. It exposes the entire GMO industry for what it is—profit at the expense of our environment, society, and health. All this so that a very few may benefit financially. Go to the book's website and arrange for a book signing lecture in your area. |
Americans still don't know much about genetically modified foods, even though increasing amounts of their food comes from biotech corn and soybeans, according to a poll released today by the non-partisan Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology. Support for the introduction of GM foods into the food supply is divided: One-quarter of Americans are in favor and almost half are opposed. But opposition is softening, to 48% from 58% two years ago, when Pew first polled consumers.
Opinions about the safety of GM food haven't budged much. Just above one-quarter of Americans, 27%, say the foods are basically safe, and exactly one-quarter say they're basically unsafe.
This is where knowledge comes in. Just 24% of Americans say they've eaten GM foods, and 58% say they haven't. But the Grocery Manufactures of America says 70% to 80% of processed foods sold in supermarkets contain products made from genetically engineered corn, soybeans or cottonseed oil.
That includes most products sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, which is almost sure to contain at least some genetically modified corn. U.S. Department of Agriculture figures for 2003 show that 40% of the U.S. corn crop was biotech, as were 81% of the soybeans and 73% of the cotton.
But when pollster told those who were surveyed the extent to which GM foods are already on store shelves — and therefore that the respondents probably have been eating them — attitudes changed. After learning that, 44% said GM foods are safe and 20% said they are unsafe.
"For consumers, biotechnology is not a high priority," says Stephanie Childs of the Grocery Manufacturers of America. "Knowing that it's on the market and it's regulated, they think, 'We have other things to be concerned about right now.' "
But one of the survey's strongest findings was that people support a more active role by the Food and Drug Administration role to ensure GM food safety. "More than half those surveyed said they'd be more likely to eat GM foods if the FDA had a mandatory regulatory process," says Michael Rodemeyer, Pew executive director.
James Maryanski, the FDA's biotechnology coordinator, says that although companies aren't required to send the FDA safety data on biotech foods, they are required to market safe and wholesome foods. "In other words, they're not able to just do whatever they want."
source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-09-17-gm-foods_x.htm 18sep03
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