GM Food Standards

[Shadowgirlau]

Well as usual I had a bit of time to browse around this morning (unable to sleep) so thought I would share some links of sites I found interesting.

http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consume ... n/gmfoods/
http://www.bluemtnsfood.asn.au/Avoiding ... CT2009.pdf

I found the second link particularly interesting as the article pertains to the labelling of GM foods and additives.
It seems we have laws but they are very weak, much weaker than our road safety laws for example and they use this analogy as well. Certainly makes one think along with the following -

The government tells us it's safe, why should we worry?
You may have heard the spin from multinational bio-tech corporations and collaborating government departments and authorities that Genetically Modified (GM) crops are just a natural advance on traditional selective-breeding techniques - nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, genetic modification techniques are designed to overcome nature’s inbuilt
defence mechanisms that protect the integrity of species specific DNA. In GM, foreign DNA material is forced into the plant's genome using techniques such as high voltage electricity, invasive bacteria, or gene guns – with this forced insertion inevitably causing collateral damage in the genome4, all of which has unforeseen consequences. For the most common
GM crops this alien DNA comes not from closely related plants but from bacteria and viruses. “The ability to introduce alien genes into a genome is an impressive technological manipulation but we remain too ignorant of how the genome works to anticipate all the consequences, subtle or obvious, immediate or long-term, of those manipulations.” 2007
Professor David Suzuki, Geneticist, Author, Environmentalist Awarded UNESCO Prize for Science
As such it should be no surprise that there is a growing body of evidence that GM foods constitute a significant health risk to humans and animals. Identified risks include: allergic reactions, organ function impairment or enlargement, fertility problems, and growth abnormalities.4 Eminent Australian epidemiologist Dr Judy Carman, among others, has argued extensively that current testing of GM foods is grossly inadequate, hence these health issues are no surprise

The above was certainly not much of a surprise to me, as I have long espoused that GM foods are a threat to us, to our health and wellbeing. One only has to take a minute or so to think about how much our health has changed for the worse with regards to allergies and so on to realise that something has to be wrong.

A more recent article by choice is foud at ttp://www.choice.com.au/Consumer-Action ... -on-all-GM foods.aspx

Kathleen

[minnie]

Hi Kathleen,

It's really a bit scary that our government are being pushed under the 'free trade agreements' particularly the US that we not show GM foods on our labels!

I won't buy product from the US (or that I know is from there) as the amount of their food that is GM is hideous.

Some time back I read some information that said Monsanto had done some sort of study in on of the South American countries with a particular GM food that rendered the women all sterile... so the writing is there for war by GM food I think.

Vicki

[Shadowgirlau]

I read something similar awhile back as well. Also that Monsanto undertook a large research thingy on the release of GM foods/crops in Africa. The report came back with serious concerns which Monsanto covered up. Wish i could remember what the report was and where from now but can't remember much except that it was reported in the US senate. I know it was one of the political papers which I read from time to time to keep myself informed or should I say - aware, of what is happening around me and in our world. I would have to agree that eventually the wars will; be over food and water, oh and of course religion as usual.

Kathleen

[fruitaholic]

dont sit on your bums whinging

write to your local mp

write to your local food producers - nescafe, steggles, unilever (so many margarines from that mob)

tell them you dont want GM foods in your food or in the food that you eat ( steggles chickens and inghams have to be kept on their toes or they will return to importing corn)

for every letter a politician or PR person receives, they assume another 200 people think that way - the other two hundred people are those who dont dare pull their heads out of the sand or dont want to cause a fuss or believe that no one will listen to them anyway

I ran a green campaign back in the late 80s early 90s where a certain government minister was bombarded with letters "written" by people chosen from the phone book. at random. it worked. saved a green area, a wet land,stopped some part of a suburb encroaching on natural habitat.....

it can be done and a group such as the preserving and canning group can have a really big say - - preserving and canning is as australian as the sydney harbour bridge or MCG....

have a think about it and send off some emails - the joy of protests nowadays you dont even have to waste stamps

BTW just about any foreign soy is GM soy - - I believe australia is one of hte few places that doesnt have GM soy

canola - every oil except olive oil has some canola or is in danger of having some canola init - and because we dont differentiate between GM canola and real canola - theres no way of knowing

GM foods cause mass sterility in animals fed only GM crops - the sterility disipates after the animals are returned to normal food, but it is frightening what you might be doing to your kids with the australian made margarine, or chinese made soy sauce....

[Shadowgirlau]

Excuse me, I'm not whinging - I am just passing on information or articles I find of interest and in the end I guess I am expressing an opinion as well. Nothing wrong with doing this that I can see.

I am very careful with what foods I buy and use although also aware that I can not be 100% sure that there is no GM involved in it. Guess that is partly why I prefer to grow and produce my own foods. That way I can be sure.

Some people just don't ever think about it.

Have a happy day

Kathleen

[minnie]

Hi Fruitaholic,

Most if not everyone on this forum, send letters, get out and protest and try to disseminate information via the forum for those out there not as in touch with our foods and other 'green' issues as us.

I do know that the biggest protest ever in this country (the march against invading Iraq) saw protesters labelled 'rabble' by the then government.

While most don't come onto this forum to spruik at the numbers of letter etc that they personally send everyone continues to all do what they can, and we need to remember that most are doing their bit against the corporations and governments that would see our food destroyed.

We all have things close to our hearts being destroyed and we all fight that with whatever means available to us on an individual level.

Vicki

[Glyn]

Look at this site on some GM research findings

http://www.psfk.com/2010/06/research-li ... ility.html

I imagine that should startle even the apathetic .

[minnie]

Hi Glyn,

Interesting stuff, I had read something similar something time back... but it was based on they trialled in a South American country and steralised the women.

Maybe it's a way to reduce the number of people in the world, hmmm that is the cynic speaking of course.

It's absolutely hideous some of the things that the so called scientist are doing to our food and our plants and animals, and the 'powers that be' just treat us all like a joke when we write.

Thanks for the link.

vicki

[Shadowgirlau]

Oh dear, I read a reference to this in something not too long ago and had forgotten about it until I read the link today.
My immediate reaction was - gosh population control of the masses! How wicked of me

Kathleen

[childoftheearth]

Hi All,

With regard to the claims that GM foods threaten no negative effects, I believe a healthy skepticism is in order. However, I believe that the same skepticism should be applied to claims by both sides of the debate.

The article as published by PFSK can not be regarded as anything other than propaganda insofar as it quotes the results of a supposed experiment by "scientists in Russia".

Was this research ever undertaken? By which scientists? Which institution? Who funded the research (i.e. did someone have a vested interest in the results)? Does the experiment stand up to scientific scrutiny e.g. how many subjects in each experimental condition, how were the subjects allocated to each condition?, were all subjects from the same strain of hamsters? were the statistical tests used to analyse the data appropriate?

All of these questions, and many others, need to be satisfactorily addressed in order for research results to be published in reputable scientific journals. If anyone is genuinely interested in knowing what is happening out there, a brief literature review of peer-reviewed journals is a much better source of information.

I believe that we should always keep in mind that the internet is uncontrolled in content, anyone can post anything, but that doesn't make it true.

Elaine

[Shadowgirlau]

How apt Elaine, my DH and I were discussing these very issues today at lunch time. There has been very little 'scientific backed" research on this issue that I have been able to find. Hubby asked the same questions so I went looking

While I myself don't generally take everything as "Gospel", I also believe that where there is smoke there is generally fire. In general my concern with GM food is our ever increasing development of allergies, something which each year appears to be increasing and for no known reason. Gosh I can remember back when I went to school (which was what? 40 years ago) if anyone had an allergy of any description it was a huge deal as allergies were not that common while today just about every second person has an allergy of some description. Something has to have occurred to cause this?

While I also tend to think that diet is a large reason for this phenomenon I am also aware that environmentally we are vastly different to what we were when I was younger so diet can not be the major cause.

Allergies have become so widespread that there are now developing markets out there to cater for these growing number of people, GF foods, sugar free/reduced, wheat free, nut free and so on. Almost unheard of in my younger days as well.

Just my humble opinion and who knows what the real what for or why is? In the end I think we are all just looking for answers or reasons and we may all be totally off base with reality, who knows?

Kathleen

[childoftheearth]

Hi Kathleen,

I believe that your point about the increased incidence of allergies (and asthma too) is very valid. I subscribe to what is referred to in the scientific literature as the "hygiene hypothesis". In short this hypothesis contends that we are sanitizing ourselves into big trouble.

Our immune systems have evolved over millennia to protect us from foreign pathogens, but we have become so obsessed "antibacterial" this, that and the other and destroying even the relatively harmless bugs, that the immune system is largely unemployed. To use an analogy from modern society, the immune cells are becoming "street gangs" roaming around the body and randomly attacking anything that it does not recognize as the same as itself.

It is probably not easy for most people to access research literature in any field, I suppose I have been spoiled by working in a University for many years and so having online access to a very wide range of journals. It has become second nature for me to do a quick literature review of the leading journals if I want to know anything.

Although it is not as easy as online access, University libraries are available to anyone who wishes to use their collections, of course you do not have borrowing rights, but you can use any of the material within the library.

With respect to research identifying a link between GM foods and sterility, I find it hard to believe that any such finding would not have been splashed across every newspaper front page in the world.

I think we should all keep asking questions, and remain cynical about the answers, until we are confident that we have got the best possible answer (of course even that can turn out to be wrong over the passage of time!), but debate is always healthy.

Cheers
Elaine

[Shadowgirlau]

Some valid points Elaine and I'm with you when it comes to "healthy skepticism" but here come my paranoia I believe that we only hear or see what they want us to. The media is not all that it should be and some things are whitewashed or fall through the cracks because the powers that be don't want us to know about it. On the whole money talks and the companies/business behind these various things are Big Money so it isn't in their interests for us to know everything. When a given thing does eventually gain enough momentum to come out so to speak the media then turns around and says something like we published that on such an such a date etc just to cover themselves and they act all surprised blah blah... when you look into it further ti often turns out to be some minor publication or some small article in an obscure part of the paper where it will likely be over looked by all but the most diligent of readers.

Oh gosh I could go on and on, I'm a sceptic big time but enough paranoia from me for today. Lots more interesting things to focus on for me, its a quilting day. Yippee!

Cheers
Kathleen

[BJTJ]

Absolute reason why grow much and buy little!!

[Shadowgirlau]

Hear hear! My DD told me last night that while I was out yesterday she and her father have decided that i don't grow enough (and here I was thinking I did quite well) Anyway it seems they have decided that I need to grow even more and have made plans to increase my growing area. Can see this means a lot more work

Kathleen

[BJTJ]

Maybe they could work it for you while you do your patchwork!! - my breakfast - one egg, then in the vege patch I had one asparagus spear, 2 pea pods, 2 mandarins!!

[childoftheearth]

I think it's lovely that your efforts are appreciated, but just to clarify - are they making plans to increase your growing area, or are they making plans for you to increase your growing area?

[Shadowgirlau]

Well initially I thought that - they were making plans for Me to increase my growing area however hubby did say last night that "we" are all going to go out there today and gave a go at renovating the garden beds not in use and do some increasing so sounds like the plans are for all of us to do it. which in that case is okay by me.

Kathleen