02-01-2014, 10:36 AM
Re: "compelling evidence that GMOs are a health risk: In the USA there have been no long term studies that would support or deny this. Monsanto et al have not been required to do any such studies by the FDA or DOA. So it is not surprising that the statement above is technically true. However, in Europe there HAVE been studies on lab animals that show statistically significant organ damage to animals fed GMOs compared to those who ate non-GMO feed. European studies also show a correlation of disease resistence, with GM-fed rats less resistent. I read these more than a year ago and, unfortunately, no longer have the link.
Even if it were eventually shown incontrovertibly that GMOs are safe, there still are other reasons to avoid them in one's diet. For example, a spliced gene inserted into food could cause someone an allergic reaction if the gene comes from something the eater is sensitive to - can't avoid the food if it's not labelled. Also, there are religious reasons for some people, and they are being denied the right to the free practice of their religion if the failure to label prohibits their ability to choose. The argument that labelling is too costly and would increase food prices is shibai. An article in the Mon. 1/27 Star-Advertiser, about Pepsi
Co dropping "Natural" from its labels, quoted Candace Mueller-Medina, a spokesperson for PepsiCo's Quaker brand, as stating that "We constantly update our marketing and packaging.
Even if it were eventually shown incontrovertibly that GMOs are safe, there still are other reasons to avoid them in one's diet. For example, a spliced gene inserted into food could cause someone an allergic reaction if the gene comes from something the eater is sensitive to - can't avoid the food if it's not labelled. Also, there are religious reasons for some people, and they are being denied the right to the free practice of their religion if the failure to label prohibits their ability to choose. The argument that labelling is too costly and would increase food prices is shibai. An article in the Mon. 1/27 Star-Advertiser, about Pepsi
Co dropping "Natural" from its labels, quoted Candace Mueller-Medina, a spokesperson for PepsiCo's Quaker brand, as stating that "We constantly update our marketing and packaging.