From - Fri Mar 07 17:15:15 1997
Dear Friend, This article, which just came out in the March issue of Tone
magazine in Ottawa Canada, summarized some of the main issues with genetically
engineered foods. I will also send you some other articles now and more
later regularly. Best wishes Richard .......................................
Gene Altered Foods Flood World Market,
UN Codex Committee Decides in Ottawa
(from Tone Magazine, Ottawa, Canada, March 1997) by R Wolfson, PhD >
From April 14-18, 1997, the UN Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL)
meets in Ottawa. Under the strong influence of the food industry, this
Committee makes regulations concerning what foods are allowed on the international
market, and the labelling of these foods. This meeting in Ottawa is critical
to the entire world's food supply. Regulations are being considered that
would allow thousands of genetically engineered (GE) products to flood
the world market. The biotech industry is lobbying Codex to pass internationally
binding legislation allowing these experimental foods in every country,
without labelling or extensive testing, and mixed in with other foods.
What is on the market now? How would you feel knowing you were eating tomatoes
that contain fish genes, or canola oil containing human genes? Well, you
may already be eating these foods and not know it. GE foods already on
the market include tomatoes with fish genes, potatoes and corn with toxin
genes, and canola oil and soy beans that allow more pesticide use. In addition,
hundreds of processed foods, including baby foods, cereals, fruit drinks,
cheese, and soy products contain GE ingredients.
The biotech industry, working with the government, has quietly introduced
these GE foods, unlabelled and mixed in with other foods, so as not to
alarm the public. Is there any rational reason for being alarmed?
One major problem with genetic engineering is unpredicted side-effects.
Because the genetic code is so complex, when we insert even one foreign
gene in an organism, it impossible to predict or test for all effects.
New toxins, allergies, and diseases, are a few of the results already seen.
For instance, one of the largest seed companies inserted a gene from a
brazil nut into a soybean to create a soybean with a more complete protein.
However, this soybean also caused an unexpected and severe allergic reaction
in certain individuals, which could have even been fatal. Luckily, the
producer stumbled onto this problem and the soybean was not released.
Many have heard of the case in 1989 when 37 North Americans died and thousands
were permanently disabled from a mysterious disease (called eosinophilia-myalgia
syndrome or EMS), caused by the unexpected toxic side-effects of a GE food
supplement, GE tryptophan. Many hundreds are still in a chronic phase of
this painful, debilitating condition. (See EMS home page http://www.nemsn.org/ems/html/)
Scientists have also raised concerns that virus genes being put in our
foods could mutate into super-viruses, while the spread of antibiotic resistance
genes already in many GE foods may result in epidemics.
Why Genetic Engineering?
Many GE foods are engineered to make weed control
or insect control easier for farmers. For instance, GE canola, soybeans,
and corn, are more resistant to herbicides. This allows farmers to spray
with more herbicide to kill weeds, without damaging crops. However, another
result is increased use of pesticides that are acutely toxic to humans.
Other GE products, such as GE potatoes, corn, and cotton contain their
own toxin (called Bt) to kill insects that try to eat the plant. Yes, the
toxin is in the part of the plant that we eat! Because animals who ate
these foods did not get sick within a few weeks, researchers concluded
that the foods are safe for humans. However, many doctors and scientists
are concerned about possible long-term toxic side-effects for humans, which
have not been tested for.
The biotech industry has been quite successful in lobbying government regulators
to allow GE foods on the market without extensive testing. The principle
of "substantial equivalence" is used to quickly approve GE foods
if they appear to identical to their non-GE counterpart in a few characteristics,
such as nutrition, flavour, and texture. Short-term financial gain by these
large, multi-national biotech companies is taking precedence over the unknown
long-term side-effects of these foods. Because genetic mistakes will be
passed on to all future generations, decisions at this Codex meeting could
place the entire human race at risk.
Environmental Effects
The herbicide-resistant crops ar expected to result in a 3-fold increase
in herbicide use. When these GE plants cross-pollinate with wild species
in the fields, herbicide resistant superweeds can result (and are already
being seen), which spread wildly, force out other species, and create ecological
havoc. The use of insect resistant crops containing BT toxin can result
in superbugs that resist pesticides and also damage organic production.
Public Forum
A public forum on the Hazards of Genetically Engineered Foods and What
We Can Do to Protect Our Health will be held on Tuesday, April 15, 7:30
p.m., at the Ottawa Public Library Auditorium. Speaking will be Dr. John
Fagan, Award-winning molecular biologist and international recognized expert
on genetic engineering and its hazards, and Dr. Joe Cummins, Professor
Emeritus of Genetics at University of Western Ontario and leading Canadian
environmentalist. Admission: $5 Info: Campaign to Ban Genetically Engineered
Foods, Natural Law Party: Tel. 613-565-8517 Email: natural_law@ottawa.com
Richard Wolfson, PhD
Campaign to Ban Genetically Engineered Food
Natural Law Party
500 Wilbrod Street Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 6N2
Tel. 613-565-8517 Fax. 613-565-6546
E-Mail: rwolfson@concentric.net
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