OT-GM foods--More Adventures

[Shannon Nelson]

I thought this was interesting! Tho parts of it may be specific to the
US. From
http://www.mercola.com/2005/dec/8/the_d ... r_body.htm
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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

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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 have never 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.
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