GMO Food

This just in from the Organic Consumers Organization:

Although genetically modified (GM) corn is banned in most of the world, it has been approved as "safe" for human consumption in the U.S. for 12 years and is now likely unknowingly consumed, in one form or another, by more than 90% of Americans on a regular basis. But a recent series of peer-reviewed studies were published in 2008 confirming previous studies indicating potentially severe health and environmental problems associated with the biotech crops. Recent alarming scientific research includes:

1) A new long term study by the Austrian government confirms previous findings that consumption of GM corn, for as little as 20 weeks, can damage the reproductive system, lower fertility rates and increase illness and death rates in offspring.

2) Researchers in Mexico reported in December that some popular varieties of GM corn negatively affect the learning response of bees. Scientists say this may be an indicator of the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder, a recent catastrophic and mysterious die-off of as much as 30% of the world's honey bee population in the past couple of years.

3) In Italy, scientists published a study that put the biotech industry in a public relations tailspin. In the study, laboratory tests showed a direct connection between consumption of GM corn and a damaged immune system.

In the U.S., food products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) do not have to be labeled as such. This is a big problem, considering more than 90% of surveyed consumers say they would avoid products with these ingredients and since most packaged foods on grocery store shelves already contain hidden GMOs. Although Obama stated publicly in his campaign that he supports mandatory labeling for genetically engineered foods, OCA believes we will have to keep the pressure on if he is to fulfill this promise. In the meantime, here are some quick tips to help you avoid GMO ingredients and "Frankenfoods."

1) Look for products that voluntarily label themselves as GMO or GE-free.

2) Buy Organic: Products certified as "Organic" are not allowed to contain genetically modified ingredients.

3) Avoid non-organic products that contain the most common genetically engineered ingredients: corn (corn syrup, corn meal, corn oil, etc.), fructose, dextrose, glucose, modified food starch, ingredients including the word "soy" (soy flour, soy lecithin, etc.), vegetable oil, vegetable protein, canola oil (also called rapeseed oil), cottonseed oil, and sugar from sugar beets.

Plight of the Honeybee

Though the connection to world peace can be debated... this certainly does impact our world. In the past 2 years, nearly one third of the US honeybees have vanished. We rely on them to pollinate our crops and wonder if they might be a version of the canary in a coal mine. The cause of colony collapse? Pesticides, dwindling food supply, and a virus tht target bees' immune system.

We agree with Burt's Bees cofounder, Burt Shavitz who says "The bees' survival depends on how we manage and protect our world." Click here for a free packet of bee-friendly flower seeds you can plant in your yard to provide a source of food for our favorite pollinators.

We recently read that every third bite of food we eat has been pollinated by a honeybee. Can we afford to lose our fruit, berries, nuts, and more? Here at home we garden organically and shop for food that is homegrown. We avoid genetically modified food (frankenfood) at all times.