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Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,612
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

For me it's not so much about the genetic makeup of the food I eat, but it's important to me to know where it was grown and or processed. I'd rather not buy stuff from countries outside the U.S., even though that stuff has to conform to regulations. It's just another layer of issues that may or may not come with risks. One serious problem I have is when a U.S. food supplier ships their stuff overseas to be processed then has it sent back here. It's very unclear to me which food items might contain these types of ingredients because labels are not always so forthcoming.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,453
Registered: ‎02-02-2015

I don't believe there were any long term studies on GMOs on humans but there is some concern about effects on health.  

 

I'm finding more non GMO labels on foods these days.  

Valued Contributor
Posts: 513
Registered: ‎04-21-2015

@Alison Wonderland wrote:

No. Scientifically, there's no reason to avoid them and there's no health difference between organic and non-organic. GMOs allow for hardier plants that produce more and more people would go hungry without them. I embrace that.


The main difference to me is the fact that they are incorporating pesticides into the seeds. Monsanto - now Bayer - has been in the news lately over a lawsuit regarding Roundup. Also read recently that some cereals contain small amounts of the pesticide that is in Roundup.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,612
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Non GMO foods

[ Edited ]

@Luvtuna wrote:

@Alison Wonderland wrote:

No. Scientifically, there's no reason to avoid them and there's no health difference between organic and non-organic. GMOs allow for hardier plants that produce more and more people would go hungry without them. I embrace that.


The main difference to me is the fact that they are incorporating pesticides into the seeds. Monsanto - now Bayer - has been in the news lately over a lawsuit regarding Roundup. Also read recently that some cereals contain small amounts of the pesticide that is in Roundup. 


 

 

Roundup is not a pesticide. Pesticides are actually worse than herbicides (plant enzyme inhibitors) because pesticides are nerve agents and those can be inflict far more damage to living creatures.When they fumigate your house with pesticide, you have to evacuate, sometimes for months at a time. When they treat your yard with Roundup, they put a little sign that tells you it's been treated.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,612
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Historically speaking, GMO production has been going on for thousands of years. We have been selecting our food by growing and raising what suits us best. That IS genetic modification at its best. The problem came in when the use of pesticides made it's way into agriculture as a way to feed the masses.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,971
Registered: ‎04-05-2010

@dex wrote:

@amyb@I agree with everything you said.I try to avoid gmo food but that is really hard to do these days and will get worse as the population increases and they must grow more food with little space.


Maybe so, though not everything in the grocery store is GMO...look at those little stickers. I forget exactly but it's easy to Google search it...there are 4 or 5 numbers on those stickers, some begin with a 4, some a 3 and some I think a 9...I'm sorry I forget right now which is which, but one # refers to 'traditional farming' (not organic but not GMO), one means it's GMO, one is organic and yes, needs to also have the Certified Organic seal.  I find in my grocery store some organic choices and mostly 'traditionally farmed" produce vs. mostly GMO. So look for that.

Also, during those library talks, the general 'take-away' antedote to "what can we as consumers do?" was buy as local as you can; generally, while it may not all be organic, it will usually not be GMO, as well as fresher, and good tasting! I am lucky to live near several good, year-round local farmer's markets...as well as many farm stands during the summer.....And this seems to be becoming more available even in city areas, but I know it's not the case everywhere. But as local as you can find, as much as you can is good.

 

The whole "grain issue" being modified, the Monsanto's factor (the big corporate food producer) is more complicated...and grains  in the U.S. are affected in all kinds of things we eat. The movie they showed was eye-opening in many ways...many of former Monsantos people had positions in several presidential cabinets in "Food Safety" positions...like everything, it is so complicated and the consumer is hard-pressed to find out the facts...or fight the system.

I don't disagree with the other poster here...I personally don't know if GMO foods are not less nutritional, but do agree, and hope they are not, because if it helps feed the world ...of course that's a good thing.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,928
Registered: ‎11-01-2010

@Snoopp

 

Yes, I look for and buy non-GMO foods, have for many years. I don’t consider GMO or hybrid foods to be “real” food. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,845
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Yes we actively seek out non GMO & organic foods.  We've been doing it for several years now. 

 

My husband will not eat anything that has been genetically modified.  I however will occasionally eat food at restaurants and the homes of others knowing that the food has probably been genetically modified.

Super Contributor
Posts: 283
Registered: ‎03-22-2015

I don't have a problem with the modifications themselves. But when the modifications make a plant resistant to herbicides so that farmers can spray Roundup all over the food crops,, that I have a problem with. It isn't the genetic changes to the seeds that's unhelathy - its eating the roundup and other herbicides that I want to avoid if I can help it.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 14,938
Registered: ‎03-11-2010

If it has soy or corn in it it's genetically modified. Almost 100% of all soy & corn are GMO. Soy & Corn are in most pre-packaged foods. It's in the food animals are eating.

Example: If you eat Doritos, Cheetos, Tortilla chips, Fritos etc they all have corn in them. I don't eat them.