GMO – the common term for genetically modified organism – is rapidly joining the ranks of ATMs, IRAs and DIY arguably as one of America’s fastest growing, most controversial and least understood initialisms. Also known as GE, short for genetically engineered, GMOs are plants, animals or microorganisms that have been transformed through genetic engineering.
Millions of dollars have been spent in recent state elections, specifically in California and Washington, where voters slugged it out over whether or not GMO foods ought to be labeled.
But no one is LOL.
To clear up some of the confusion and help you decide where you stand in the great GMO debate, we’ve collected some expert responses to some of the most common questions:
Q. There’s lots of controversy about GMOs, but haven’t they been around – as hybrids – for decades?
A. GMOs sometimes are confused with hybrids, but they aren’t the same, said Darrin Parmenter, director of the La Plata County Extension Office, to members of the Durango Garden Club at a recent science-based presentation about GMOs.
A hybrid occurs when plants cross-pollinate, whether by human intervention or as can occur naturally in the wild. When plant breeders want a specific outcome, they steer the process to create a plant that possesses a particular combination of desirable genetic traits.
For example, some farmers may envision the ideal tomato as an aubergine slicer that grows quickly, ships easily and is nutrient-packed. That’s what plant geneticists were aiming for in 2008, when they plucked a gene from a snapdragon and married it to a tomato to produce a purple tomato, bursting with as much health-protecting anthocyanin as found in blackberries or blueberries.
No one winces when a snapdragon marries a tomato, especially if this kind of metabolic engineering can offer potential health benefits.
Standard tomatoes are a well-known source of lycopene, but when these two plants crossed, the snapdragon gene switched on the health-promoting compound anthocyanin. The result was a potentially uber-nutritious, deep-purple tomato that’s still in the pre-clinical data stage, but someday could end up in the produce section or on the seed rack at your local store.
But when science wanders from the plant kingdom into the animal kingdom – and instead of the tomato marrying a snapdragon, it elopes with a dragonfly – that’s when the knickers get twisted in a knot. Savvy consumers become fearful when they’re not sure what’s on their plate.
In 1994, plant geneticists crossed a fish with a tomato to create the Flavr Savr, a GMO flash-in-the-pan that extended the shelf life of a vine-ripened tomato by tweaking a gene from the Arctic salmon.
The Flavr Savr had the distinction of being the first commercially grown genetically engineered food to be granted a license for human consumption. But one of the problems with the Flavr Savr, some said, was that there was no flavor to save, so sales foundered.
The California-based pharmaceutical venture died on the vine in three short years.
Hybrids are bred for better yields, disease resistance and crop uniformity, but not necessarily for flavor, Parmenter said in his presentation to the home gardeners. These plants, labeled as F1, cannot reproduce and must be grown from new seed each year. GMOs, however, are another story.
GMOs are created by incorporating genes from other organisms or rearranging genes already present to result in the expression of new attributes not found in the original organism. Bioengineering is done for resistance to pests, herbicides or viruses, and in the case of golden rice, to increase nutrient value, Parmenter said.
Proponents of GMOs say that this type of engineered resistance increases crop yields and enables larger-scale food production to better feed growing populations that may suffer under the limits of conventional farming practices.
Among the concerns are that GMOs may introduce “exotic” genes and organisms that could disrupt ecosystems. Plus, the possible effects on human health are unknown, Parmenter said. “GMOs haven’t been around that long,” he said.
It’s the long-term health concerns that bother Durango registered dietitian Marissa Kleinsmith, who says that while biotech companies claim GMOs are safe, there’s plenty of research demonstrating the opposite.
“The American Academy of Environmental Medicine says there are several animal studies that indicate serious health risks are associated with GMO food consumption … For those who are knowledgeable about GMOs, simply the idea of DNA manipulation may be off-putting,” Kleinsmith said.
Biochemist Christine Smith of Albuquerque-based You and Food Nutritional Research and Consulting also is skeptical.
“It seems the types of experiments needed to confirm that GMOs are 100 percent safe are hard to do, at least in the short-term, which is all we have had so far,” Smith said. “While scientific studies have not been able to show that GMO foods are unsafe, it is possible that because of the design of the studies, the effect of GMO foods on ‘sensitive’ people hasn’t been obvious.”
Smith said her bigger concern is the effect that GMOs could have on ecosystems.
“We often don’t know the effects of our actions until it is too late,” she said, citing the example of genetically modified salmon that could escape their aquaculture and out-compete wild salmon for nutrients.
Q. Why aren’t there labels on all GMO foods?
A. Labeling of GMOs remains controversial. Proponents say mandatory labeling allows consumers to identify and steer clear of what they don’t want.
Parmenter said that a majority of Americans support mandatory labeling and that many European countries label. He also pointed out that opponents of labeling claim that labels on genetically engineered food imply a warning about adverse health effects, whereas no significant differences between genetically engineered and conventional foods have been detected.
Smith and Kleinsmith say labeling GMOs is a good idea.
“We have a right to know what’s in our food,” Kleinsmith said. “Transparency is important in allowing consumers to make better choices to support their own health and the health of the environment.”
Smith’s mantra is that Americans should be eating more fruits and vegetables. The majority of fruits and vegetables are not genetically modified, but too many people are eating processed foods that may contain GMO ingredients, she said.
“It’s about being honest and letting people decide for themselves what they think is important,” Smith said.
Some argue that labeling GMO foods to fulfill the desires of certain consumers would raise costs for all consumers. Instead, those who want to buy non-GMO food have the option to purchase certified organic foods, which cannot be produced with GMO ingredients.
A 2010 fact sheet from the Colorado State University Extension claims that because many processed food products contain soybean or corn ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup or soy protein, about 60 to 70 percent of processed foods in grocery stores include at least one GMO ingredient.
Q. If I’ve decided I want to steer clear of all GMO foods, what should I do?
A. Buying certified organic cuts down on exposure to GMO foods, Parmenter said, but there are no guarantees of entirely avoiding GMOs because GMO crops can cross-pollinate with non-GMO crops.
From 90 to 95 percent of our field crops of corn, soybean, cotton and sugar beets are genetically modified seed, Parmenter said. (Field crops are for animal consumption.) Papayas from Hawaii, some sweet corn and about 15 percent of yellow squash and zucchini varieties in grocery stores may be GMOs.
Local professionals offer practical advice.
“You can grow your own food,” Parmenter said. “Gardeners can purchase open-pollinated seed. These are most likely similar to (the) parent’s (seed) genetic material.”
“Shop around the edges of the grocery store and avoid the processed foods in the interior,” Smith said. She advises consumers to shop at natural foods stores that make an effort to advise customers about which foods are not GMO and to stay apprised of GMO foods by reading unbiased, research-based information.
When buying meat, Kleinsmith said local is best.
“For me, animal foods are a priority because we have to think about how the animals’ diet affects their health and the quality of their meat for our consumption,” Kleinsmith said. “Buying meat from local ranchers, who often have health of the animal and environment in mind, may also be an excellent way to limit GMOs and enhance our health.”
kbrucolianesi@durangoherald.com
