The Damage GM Foods Can do to Your Body
A project to develop genetically modified, pest-resistant peas
has been abandoned after tests showed the peas cause lung damage
in mice.
Protein Kills Pea Weevils
Field peas are susceptible to pea weevils, which lay their eggs
on pea pods. The gene for a protein capable of killing pea
weevil pests was transferred from the common bean to the peas.
This protein does not normally cause allergic reactions in mice
or people.
Structural Changes
But when the protein is expressed in the pea, its structure
becomes subtly different from the original. Researchers say that
this indicates a potential for unpredicted and unintended
effects due to such structural changes. In this case, it was
probably caused by differences in the ways that the two plants
produce proteins.
Lung Damage
Trials showed that the GM peas were almost completely resistant
to pea weevils. But mice injected with the protein showed a
hypersensitive skin response, and those exposed to it in
airborne form developed airway inflammation and lung damage. The
effect was the same whether the protein was taken from raw peas
or cooked peas.
In the early 1990s, a similar situation happened when
researchers engineered a new strain of soy bean by adding a gene
taken from brazil nuts. But that project ended when it was
discovered that the hybrid was likely to trigger a major attack
in people with brazil nut allergies.
New Scientist November 21, 2005
Dr. Mercola's Comment:For a long while, I've been warning you
about the blight of genetically modified (GM) crops on our
world's food supply, always concerned about their effect on your
bodies and health. Now, we have another clue about their
potential dangers.
Luckily, this study-- a rare glimpse into Frankenstein-like crop
combinations gone bad -- was conducted by a national research
organization. Had a private company like Monsanto been involved
in this study,you would most likey havenever heard a thing about
it.
Chances are very good you've eaten GM foods: At least seven out
of 10 items at your neighborhood grocery store contain them.
That said, there's some steps you can take that will help you
steer clear of them:- Reduce or Eliminate Processed
Foods.Some 75 percent of processed foods contain GM ingredients.
There are many reasons why processed foods are not optimal for
your health -- for instance they often contain trans fat,
acrylamide and little nutritional value -- so avoiding them will
not only help you to cut back on the amount of GM foods you are
consuming, but will also boost your health.
- Read
produce and food labels. GM soybeans and corn make up the
largest portion of genetically modified crops. When looking at a
product label, if any ingredients such as corn flour and meal,
dextrin, starch, soy sauce, margarine, and tofu (to name a few)
are listed, there's a good chance it has come from GM corn or
soy, unless it's listed as organic.
- Buy organic
produce. Buying organic is currently the best way to ensure that
your food has not been genetically modified. By definition, food
that is certified organic must be free from all GM organisms,
produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers and from
an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics, growth
promoters or other drugs.
- Look at Produce Stickers.
Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different
PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally
grown, organically grown or genetically modified. The PLU code
for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers,
organically grown fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number
nine, and GM fruit has five numbers prefaced by the number
eight.
Finally, if you feel you can't afford to buy organic foods,
please read Colleen Huber's excellent piece on how you can do so
on your current budget.