Years ago, fresh foods didn't last long. A gallon of milk would be rotten within a week and fresh produce would only last a few days to a week. Over time, however, this has changed. A gallon of milk has an expiration date three weeks to month from the purchase date and fruits can be left on the counter for weeks and still look and taste fine.
If you are anything like me, you thought these were positive advances in our food supply. I had never given it much more thought or tried to find out the reason these foods were lasting so much longer. I've recently stumbled upon the answer: GMOs. You may think I've been living under a rock for not knowing about genetically modified organisms in our food supply, but the more people I discuss it with, the more I realize I was not alone in not knowing.
According to the Center for Food Safety, as much as 85% of corn grown in the US is GMO. Since corn is used in so many processed foods, often under the name of high fructose corn syrup, we are getting a heavy dose of GMOs on a daily basis.
GMOs were introduced into the food supply back in 1996. It is a process of splicing genes and using biotechnology to create new versions of food in a lab environment. At first glance it sounds interesting. They are able to add vitamin A to rice to enhance its nutritional value and prevent apples from browning, for example. But the real reason things are added to our food is to prolonged shelf life and make crops resistant to damage. They are able to withstand the use of more pesticides so less crops are lost, but those same toxins are passed along to those who eat it.
It doesn't stop with produce either. The majority of GMO soy products are fed to animals. Take a guess who that is passed along to. Cows are injected with rBGH, a growth hormone that allows then to produce more milk. It also causes them to get frequent infections, so they are given antibiotics. Want to guess who consumes all of that as well?
61 countries have either restricted or banned the use of GMOs, but labeling GMO foods isn't even required in the US. You have no way of knowing what you are really eating. The risks of these genetically modified organisms is still unclear. Studies have linked GMOs to allergies, obesity and toxin liver and kidneys.
The FDA has allowed this without any health safety testing, leaving the determination up to the manufacturer. Oddly enough, the former vice president of Monsanto (the largest GMO manufacturer) was recently appointed as a senior adviser for the FDA.
So what can you do about GMOs in your food? Awareness is the first step. Support companies that are non-GMO. When in doubt, look for the certified organic seal since these products are monitored and strictly prohibit the use of GMOs. also support the movement to have GMOs labeled so we know what is in our food.
Sources:
www.gmoawareness.org www.centerfrofoodsafety.com nongmoproject.com