{"id":2044,"date":"2015-01-27T23:23:59","date_gmt":"2015-01-27T16:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yukitchen.com\/?p=2044"},"modified":"2017-05-14T09:31:35","modified_gmt":"2017-05-14T02:31:35","slug":"what-is-gmos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yukitchen.com\/ja\/what-is-gmos\/","title":{"rendered":"What is GMOs?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"field-corn\"<\/a>
\nGMO\u2019s: What Are They and Are They Safe?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Since being introduced in 1996, genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, have made their way into\u00a080 percent of grocery store foods<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Developed by biotechnology companies, genetic engineering (GE) is a type of modern-day cross-breeding. Genes from organisms such as bacteria, viruses or animals are inserted into other, often unrelated, species. Unlike traditional breeding, though, GE creates new organisms that could never occur in nature. <\/span><\/p>\n

The intent behind the creation of GMOs was noble \u2013 ending world hunger by increasing crop yield, creating pest-resistant crops to decrease pesticide use, and fortifying plants with additional nutrients \u2013 so why the controversy over GMOs? <\/span><\/p>\n

Firstly, the data is failing to demonstrate the benefits. The crop yield hasn\u2019t been as ample as originally forecasted, and GE crops resulted in an increase of 383 million pounds of herbicide<\/a> use between 1996 and 2008.<\/span><\/p>\n

More importantly, there have been no human clinical trials of genetically modified (GM) foods, leading many to refer to GMOs as a giant genetic experiment. <\/span><\/p>\n

Over the past decade a growing number of environmental and health problems have been linked to GMOs. <\/span><\/p>\n

Environmental Implications of GMOs<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Glyphosate, commercially known as Roundup, is the world\u2019s best selling herbicide<\/a>. It is also a powerful selective antibiotic. By genetically engineering plants with the insertion of certain foreign bacterial genes, glyphosate can be applied directly to crop plants without destroying them<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Scientists and anti-GMO groups have warned that GMO crops, by encouraging liberal use of the glyphosate, were fostering herbicide resistance in many weeds, creating superweeds, plants resistant to the chemicals designed to kill them, and super-pests.<\/p>\n

Twenty-four glyphosate-resistant weed species have been identified in 18 countries<\/a> since Roundup-tolerant crops were introduced in 1996.<\/p>\n

In 2012, 49 percent of U.S. farmers said they had glyphosate-resistant weeds<\/a> on their farms. That figure is up from 34 percent in 2011.<\/p>\n

The spread of superweeds has led to a substantial increase in the amount of herbicides applied<\/a>rather than a decrease as GE proponents promised.<\/p>\n

Health Implications of GMOs<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There are many concerns about the possible implications to human health as well. The potential hazards of ingesting GMOs are difficult to predict and difficult to prove, as they are not immediately recognizable. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) states that, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects,\u201d including infertility, immune and metabolic problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. As a result, the AAEM has urged physicians<\/a> to advise their patients to avoid GM foods.<\/p>\n

Most GE crops are \u201cRoundup Ready,\u201d meaning they can be sprayed with the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) without being harmed. Glyphosate has been linked to numerous health problems<\/a> in animal studies, among them birth defects, reproductive damage, cancer, endocrine disruption, and more recently, celiac disease and gluten intolerance. A study published<\/a> in December, 2013 suggests that glyphosate \u201cis the most important causal factor in this epidemic.\u201d The researchers concluded with \u201ca plea to governments to reconsider policies regarding the safety of glyphosate residues in foods.\u201d<\/p>\n

The highly controversial – and the only long-term (two years) – study on GMO maize (corn) and glyphosate by S\u00e9ralini (famously called \u2018the S\u00e9ralini study\u2019<\/a>) found that GMO corn caused massive tumors in rats, along with chronic kidney, liver and reproductive damage.<\/p>\n

Research published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology<\/em> in February 2013 \u201cdocumented that modified Bt-toxins [from GM plants] are not inert on human cells, but can exert toxicity.\u201d In high concentrations (generally higher than that produced in average Bt corn), Bt-toxin disrupts the membrane in just 24 hours, causing certain fluid to leak through the cell walls.<\/p>\n

Experts warn that if Bt-toxin is causing an increased propensity for our intestine to become permeable, it may cause a wide range of diseases, from premature aging and Alzheimer\u2019s to Parkinson\u2019s to autism to cancer to asthma.<\/p>\n

Despite the mounting evidence, GMO proponents continue to insist that GE crops are safe and any studies suggesting otherwise are immediately attacked.<\/p>\n

GMO\u00a0common crops<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Currently, there are only nine GE crops on the market:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
    \n
  • Corn<\/li>\n
  • Soybeans<\/li>\n
  • Cotton<\/li>\n
  • Canola<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
\n
    \n
  • Sugar beets<\/li>\n
  • Alfalfa<\/li>\n
  • Hawaiian papaya<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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