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Risks of GMO Foods

Over 70 million acres of farm land have genetically modified organisms (GMOs) growing on them. GMOs have some advantages as foodstuffs, such as herbicide tolerance, pest resistance and cold tolerance, but many people are concerned about the potential health risks. Before you go to the grocery store, you should acquaint yourself with the risks of GMO foods. This will help you to make the best decision for keeping your family--and the planet--healthy.

  1. Allergies

    • While nutritional scientists currently have methods for testing for toxicological and nutritional information, there are currently no reliable methods for testing for allergic reactions. Many genetically modified organisms contain genes from several donor sources. This means that, for example, a tomato may have genes from a peanut. Those with peanut allergies would react to this tomato in the same way that they would react to peanuts. Particularly in the case of those with severe food allergies, it is probably best to avoid GMOs altogether due to the lack of reliable information about allergic reactions.

    The Environment

    • In addition to personal harm, there is the risk of broader environmental damage from GMOs. For example, there is a proven link between a specific form of genetically modified corn's pollen and increased mortality rates among monarch butterflies. Other risks to the environment due to GMOs include a loss of biodiversity, effects on other organisms in biospheres where GMOs are grown and an increased use of pesticides that has accompanied the increased use of GMOs. The loss of biodiversity is of particular concern due to biodiversity acting as an engine of evolution. At a time of rapid planetary change, the ability to adapt is of paramount importance.

    Socio-economics

    • Genetically modified organisms come with a number of risks to society and the economy. In addition to inhibiting evolution, a loss of biodiversity means that if crop failures happen they will be far more widespread. Further, the patenting of seeds makes these seeds proprietary, raising the specter of a world where poor farmers and farmers in the developing world cannot afford GMO seeds, leading to a further increase in social inequality. Companies can also genetically modify plants so that all seeds produced by a crop are sterile. This forces farmers to buy seeds from their suppliers every year. David B. Fankhauser, a University of Cincinnati professor, believes that GMOs place further pressure on family farms while vastly favoring larger agribusiness.

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