Is Your Food Being 'Poisoned'?

Townhall.com ^ | June 11, 2013 | Chuck Norris

[Kaslin]

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "poison" as "a substance that is capable of causing the illness or death of a living organism when introduced or absorbed."

The legal definition of the term is "any product or substance that can harm someone if it is used in the wrong way, by the wrong person, or in the wrong amount."

The medical condition of poisoning is even broader: It can be caused by substances that are not even legally required to carry the label "poison."

Therefore, can food become poisonous? Of course it can if it is infected, tampered with or altered in any way that causes it to become detrimental to its consumer. In fact, that's what we call "food poisoning."

But what about the genetic engineering, tampering or alteration of our food supply? If it causes bodily harm, even over the long haul, could that be considered poisoning?

I call again to the stand Dr. George Wald, a Nobel laureate in physiology or medicine and one of the first scientists to speak out about the dangers of genetically engineered foods. He explained: "Recombinant DNA technology (genetic engineering) faces our society with problems unprecedented, not only in the history of science, but of life on the Earth. ... Now whole new proteins will be transposed overnight into wholly new associations, with consequences no one can foretell, either for the host organism or their neighbors. ... For going ahead in this direction may not only be unwise but dangerous. Potentially, it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics."

Last week, I discussed the dangers of genetic engineering to crop seeds and other foods. As a response, one of the readers of "C-Force," my weekly health and fitness column, asked, "What do you think are the best ways to avoid GMOs when they aren't even labeled on food ingredients?"

Let me tell you how I responded.

First, contact your governmental officials, and ask them to endorse or support legislation that requires food companies to start listing whether their products use GMOs.

At least 14 states have introduced legislation on genetically modified ingredient labeling, but most face government gridlock. So take action, and keep foods safe (non-genetically engineered) by contacting your state and federal representatives -- as well as the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture -- and tell them to legislate that genetically modified ingredients be labeled on every package.

Ask your federal representatives to support the new federal labeling bill, the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, which would require the food industry to label all genetically engineered foods and ingredients. In addition, tell your representatives that corn and cotton must not be deregulated, because without strict controls, genetically engineered crops will encroach on non-genetically engineered crops, contaminating them and rendering the organic crops as nonorganic.

The biggest question is: How can we best avoid genetically modified ingredients in our food and elsewhere?

Here are the best ways that I've discovered from GMO and nutrition specialists and resources:

--Educate yourself and your loved ones about GMOs from credible articles, books or videos, such as those mentioned on the websites below or YouTube's "Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) -- Myths and Truths."

--Keep up-to-date about anti-GMO trends, legislation and action items by frequenting websites such as the one for the Center for Food Safety, another great GMO watchdog organization (http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org).

--Download the "ShopNoGMO" smartphone app at http://NonGMOShoppingGuide.com or visit http://NonGMOproject.org to help you locate and avoid genetically engineered ingredients wherever you shop.

--Buy certified-organic and local foods. USDA organic and Non-GMO Project Verified products cannot intentionally include GMO ingredients.

The USDA explains: "The use of genetic engineering, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is prohibited in organic products. This means an organic farmer can't plant GMO seeds, an organic cow can't eat GMO alfalfa or corn, and an organic soup producer can't use any GMO ingredients. To meet the USDA organic regulations, farmers and processors must show they aren't using GMOs and that they are protecting their products from contact with prohibited substances, such as GMOs, from farm to table."

The "Non-GMO Project Verified" label is the only third-party non-GMO verification program in North America. Its website (http://NonGMOproject.org) explains, "Since its incorporation in 2007, the Project has grown into a collaboration of manufacturers, retailers, processors, distributors, farmers, seed companies and consumers."

--Avoid at-risk ingredients that are now largely (roughly 90 percent) produced using GMOs, including soybeans, canola, cottonseed, corn and sugar from sugar beets. Unless sugar is labeled as organic or pure cane, it likely contains sugar from genetically modified sugar beets.

The Chicago Tribune reported, "These crops (mentioned above) often are added to processed foods as oils, sweeteners and soy proteins but also can be part of amino acids, aspartame, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, vitamin C, citric acid, sodium citrate, ethanol, flavorings (natural and artificial), hydrolyzed vegetable protein, lactic acid, maltodextrins, microbial growth media, molasses, monosodium glutamate, sucrose, textured vegetable protein, xantham gum, vitamins and yeast products, according to the Non-GMO Project."

Regarding most fruits and vegetables, the Non-GMO Shopping Guide further explains: "Very few fresh fruits and vegetables for sale in the U.S. are genetically modified. Novel products such as seedless watermelons are NOT genetically modified. Small amounts of zucchini, yellow crookneck squash and sweet corn may be GM. The only commercialized GM fruit is papaya from Hawaii -- about half of Hawaii's papayas are GM. Even if the fruit or vegetable is non-GMO, if it is packaged, frozen or canned, there may be GM additives."

--Buy only dairy products labeled "certified organic," "No rBGH or rBST" or "artificial hormone-free," because some source cows are fed genetically modified feed or injected with genetically modified bovine growth hormone.

--Support and patronize grocers (and commend their management) that offer lines of organic products and eliminate GMO ingredients from their product shelves. For example, Target, H-E-B, Giant Eagle and Meijer recently joined more than 55 other food retailers -- including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Aldi, Marsh and Hy-Vee -- in agreeing not to sell genetically engineered fish in their stores. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's claim that all their store-brand items originate from non-GMO ingredients.

[Elsie]

Maybe we deserve what we are getting.

Now where on Earth would you get a crazy idea like this???

Oh...

Are you still killing your unborn?

-- GOD

 

Yeah... we CHOICE a million a year to death and we are going to worry about GMO stuff...

[Elsie]

You can't distinguish unaltered DNA from foreign DNA under a 'microscope'.

Hush!

The unknowing thought this was important!

[UCANSEE2]

The unknowing thought this was important!

Seems that it's not just libs/dems that are 'low information'. All of us are are deficient in knowledge in some manner, some area of 'expertise'.

It's only that we DON'T KNOW, that we are so sure we DO KNOW.

[Elsie]

Absolutely!

[freedumb2003]

>>The unknowing thought this was important!<<

Well, I don’t know if I was the unknowing in my response to the response — I was in a hurry since it was lunchtime.

I had what I hoped were GMA corn. I now look like the Incredible Hulk and have Spiderman’s powers.

[freedumb2003]

>>we CHOICE a million a year to death and we are going to worry about GMO stuff...<<

We kill additional millions by starving them to death because we are uncomfortable (not most here of course).

[Elsie]

I now look like the Incredible Hulk and have Spiderman’s powers.

Big deal...

Mrs. ELSIE would say I've ALWAYS had these qualities.

[Elsie]

We kill additional millions by starving them to death because we are uncomfortable...

How do 'we' do this?

And WHERE???

[freedumb2003]

>>How do ‘we’ do this?

And WHERE???<<

The Internet really causes communications problem in its limitations on subtleties.

I was linking (accurately) the We abortionists with the We GMA extremists (THESE ARE NOT THE “WE” OF FR!).

Both have killed millions just by their wrongheaded insipid concepts. The abortionists are more in your face and the individual killers have a personal relationship with their victims: the dead babies (and they can’t avoid it).

The GMA wussies never have to actually see the agony of starvation. The people that must eat bugs and garbage.

Thus we have millions of dead babies AND millions of dead children and adults: all killed by liberal squeamishness.

My squeamishness propels me to donate to causes such as ChildFund to help alleviate suffering.

Liberal squeamishness kills children on the altar of Gaea.

Conservatives protect life and donate to causes that extend and create quality life.

It is how we roll (and I know you do too, Elsie!)

[Elsie]

Yup; we're in this TOGETHER!

IF My people...

[drinktheobamakoolaid]

We dont’ want GMO’s but we do insist on ‘artificial’ sweeteners.,

I agree but look up Monsanto in Wikipedia and you will find the following:

The company's first product was the artificial sweetener saccharin

1985: Monsanto purchased G. D. Searle & Company for $2.7 billion in cash. In this merger, Searle's aspartame business became a separate Monsanto subsidiary, the NutraSweet Company. CEO of NutraSweet, Robert B. Shapiro, became CEO of Monsanto from 1995 to 2000.

[drinktheobamakoolaid]

OK GMO have tests and score 100. Perfect score. Great!

GMO is an amazing process. So what is the problem with labeling a food that uses ingredients made with this amazing process? The companies should be proud of this process and should say so.

Maybe I don’t want to drink milk made from cows that have been given rBGH. One of the local chains has “rBGH” free on all of their milk cartons. That is what I buy. Am I a bad person for doing this?

What if the maker of Advil thought “You know we don’t need to be put the actual ingredient on the package of Advil. We know more about pain relief than the common folk do.”

Can we not compare the same argument to GMO made food to those examples listed above? I may not want GMO’s in my body. Shouldn’t I have the right to pick Non-GMO over GMO products? I hope the answer to this question is “Yes” And if the answer is “Yes” why does Monsanto and other companies
not want people to know if a product contains GMO ingredients.

[UCANSEE2]

Thanks for the response and info.

The REAL PROBLEM is that the public is mostly ignorant of the true facts. In the U.S. all food is ‘genetically modified’.

All ‘seedstock’ that was not ‘modified’ is locked away in a huge vault in the Arctic Wastelands.

Take potatoes , for instance.(referencing the picture of McDonald’s fries at the beginning of the thread).

Potatoes were not ‘white’ originally. They were not even round and smooth.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Just how is modifying God’s creation considered pro-life?

You don’t trust God enough?

I simply don’t want to eat that crap.

Just because some smelly hippy faggots oppose GMOs, doesn’t mean others who oppose it are stupid.

[sphinx]

So what is your problem? You are perfectly free to buy organic-labeled foods. You will pay a premium, often a fairly high one, but that is your prerogative.

[newnhdad]

this looks like this summer’s enemy.. evillllll “big agra”.. I see the unemployed college student lining up to protest in marijuana friendly states before the end of the month.

GMOs are like death man.. they’re made for profit which is evil man... (inhale)... (exhale).. it’s not real man.. hey, pass the nachos and don’t bogart the spliff..

[sphinx]

We require health and safety labels when there is an identified risk. We should not force manufacturers of safe products to attach a label in order to assist corrupt and dishonest smear artists in attempting to create the imputation of risk.

If we could find a way to impose a serious penalty on the luddite imbeciles who specialize in false charges, most of this nonsense would go away. GM products are tested before they are commercialized. They are safe.

This problem is not limited to GMO's. It is often observed that if penicillin were just being developed today, it could never get to market. We are deep in chasing the ghost territory on product safety, and the problem is getting worse, not better.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

What if you self-appointed brain trusts create something we cannot get rid of?

You don’t ever consider the long term implications, only the next quarter’s profit. Like I really trust some of the things coming out of our wonderfully conservative universities? I’ve been there too, so don’t think your talking to someone who doesn’t know anything about recombinant DNA, I did a lot of bioweapon research...

Secondly, it is not my responsibility to feed the filthy third world who hates me anyway because I am white...

I simply don’t trust anything the government says is “safe.”

And to tell you a little more... The rural county one of the HOMES I OWN had a group of people wanting to get a county ban on GMO crops, they were farmers, church people, nasty smelly hippies, a broad cross section... The big corporate money people rolled in and squashed it, they rolled in Mr. Steroid pro WWF wrestler on a million dollar tour bus - - and that told me everything I needed to know... bunch of lying scums...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Last time I looked, GMAs look just like their unaltered brethren under a microscope.

Just what kind of microscope would that be? (Type, not brand...)

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

So, do you trust Chuck Norris or some steroid pumped pro wrestler on the other side who can’t really fight for shit...

I’ll put twenty thousand on Chuck, 2 to 1 odds, if Goldberg doesn’t chicken out...