Is There Anything To Fear From Genetically Modified Foods?

Since the genetically modified Flavr-Savr tomato was introduced in 1994, the American diet has changed to include at least 36 different genetically engineered foods including corn, potatoes, soy and squash. To create the Flavr-Savr, scientists altered the gene that causes tomatoes to soften. In other cases, genes from other species are inserted into plants from unnatural sources—flounder DNA into tomatoes, for example. It's estimated that 60 to 70 percent of foods on American store shelves contain some genetically engineered component. The rapidly growing biotech industry is promising a new green revolution, but others aren't so sure. The British Medical Association's 115,000 doctors, for example, recently called for a complete moratorium on biotech crops in Britain until research determines their safety. And Spain's largest supermarket chain is banning genetically modified ingredients in its store-brand food products.

"No one knows the long-term effects of genetically engineered food on human health and the environment. Because of industry pressure to make money, genetically engineered foods are being fast-tracked to the market without long-term testing. Drugs that are created through genetic engineering require extensive testing, but foods produced by the same technology are being distributed with virtually no testing.

In 1989, at least 37 people died and thousands in the United States were permanently disabled after eating a genetically engineered food supplement, tryptophan, and we still do not know why because the evidence was destroyed. Genetically engineered corn pollen has killed butterflies. Super weeds that cannot be controlled by herbicides and super bugs that cannot be controlled by pesticides are both a result of the introduction of genetically engineered crops. There are just too many unknowns—scientists are playing with laws they do not fully understand and unleashing forces they cannot control."

Richard Wolfson, Ph.D.
National Director
Consumer Right To Know Campaign
Ottawa

"No. All organisms have exchanged DNA across species levels throughout history. This is natural. The fact that DNA moves from one organism to another isn't inherently bad. One can argue that humans shouldn't interfere with that process; however, that's a question about ethics, not biology. We can't feed 6 billion people without some tradeoffs. When a biotech gene is introduced into corn, the alternative is using chemical insecticides and pesticides. Inserting a bacteria gene to repel insects doesn't seem all that bad to me. We'll be polluting our water less and eating fewer insecticides. To me this is a gain, not a loss—an improvement in our environment and on our present practices."

Mark Brick, Ph.D.
Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colo.

"Absolutely, both on the level of personal health and environmental dangers. Allergens are formed from genetic engineering. A 1996 study showed that soybeans genetically altered with a gene from Brazil nuts caused a reaction in allergic people, confirming for the first time that allergens can be transferred at the molecular level. A lab in England that sells kits to test for allergies has found that soy allergies have gone up 50 percent since the introduction of genetically engineered soy in 1997. The concern is that a host of new allergies will be created and there currently is virtually no testing for these things. This isn't speculation—it's actually happening.

On the environmental side, we're creating super weeds. Nobody knows what can happen and no one's in charge of finding out. At the very least, labeling is a consumer right to know issue and those of us who don't want to eat corn that's been produced with a built-in pesticide should have the right to know."

Craig Winters
Executive Director
Campaign To Label Genetically Engineered Foods
Seattle

"No. The tools of biotechnology allow plant breeders to carefully select and introduce beneficial traits to the crops we grow for food, animal feed and fiber. The benefits are environmentally friendlier agriculture and more nutritious, healthful and abundant foods. Farmers and plant breeders have labored for centuries to improve crop plants with desirable traits such as higher yield, better nutrition and resistance to disease. By breeding plants with these characteristics, plant breeders combined the genetics of those plants long before the science of genetics was understood. Agricultural biotechnology works toward the same goals and achieves them with greater precision and predictability."

Libby Mikesell
Director of Communications
Biotechnology Industry Organization
Washington, D.C.