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Not long ago, a woman dropped by the Chronicle with some information on genetically modified foods and organisms. I read over the information she gave me and I continued to read more about the subject, one that I had studied a little in college and that becomes more and more important in today's changing world.
The idea of putting anything "genetically modified" into my body seems a little sci-fi scary to me. But it is something I probably do every day without even knowing it. That is because the United States is one of only a small number of countries that does not require the labeling of GMOs.
In over 50 countries around the world, there are significant restrictions on GMOs and labeling is required in many of them. Some countries even have outright bans on GMOs.
Doing a quick search, some genetically modified organisms include salmon that grow larger than normal stock salmon and in half the amount of time, apples that never brown no matter how long ago they were sliced and corn that is resistant to any insect. Do any of these sound healthy to you?
It is estimated that GMO ingredients are in 70% of processed food in the United States, but since nothing is labeled, we can't ever be sure.
And health risks? There have never been any long-term studies conducted on the safety of genetically engineered foods on people.
We all need to open our eyes and start better understanding what we are feeding ourselves and our families. What are we really eating?