Those Sneaky GMOs

At Wild Idea, we believe that having honest conversations around our food supply is important. There are many facets to consider when approaching these discussions. We intend to bring you food for thought, pun intended. These conversations are not meant to be political. At Wild Idea, the health of the land, the animals, and our bodies are the priority.

You have the right to know what’s in the food you eat.

We will be diving into some controversial topics as we dissect why genetically modified organisms (GMOs), genetically modified (GM), and genetically engineered (GE) foods are now becoming increasingly difficult to identify.

GMOs/GM/GE foods—a hot topic of debate—are associated with toxic effects on human health and the environment. GMOs produce their own pesticides! But you might be asking yourself—what are GMOs? GMOs are classified as animals, plants, or organisms, that have been genetically engineered to favor certain traits. 

Sounds harmless, right?

GMOs/GM/GE foods may negatively affect hepatic, pancreatic, renal, and reproductive cells. Researchers suggest that the consumption of GMOs/GM/GE foods may also be linked to blood disorders, biochemical changes in the body, and a decrease in immune function.

Until recently, consumers have been able to avoid GMOs/GM/GE foods due to proper labeling on the product. Yet, with the recent discovery of GMO 2.0, this has become a large issue for consumers to identify those sneaky GMOs/GM/GE ingredients in their food. According to the Harvard Political Review, "Today, as much as 75 percent of the food Americans buy at their local grocery store, from cereals to soups, include genetically modified ingredients. However, most consumers are not aware that the foods they are eating include these ingredients.”

Why? They are not labeled!

Traditional GMOs/GM/GE ingredients are transgenic: they move genes, specifically the organism’s DNA from one species to another, in a copy-paste style. Yet, the new GMO tactic (GMO 2.0) can remove or even delete genes, turn genes on or off and create a whole new DNA sequence.

This new type of gene manipulation will essentially turn off parts of the organism that tell us it has gone bad. For example, gene manipulation will now stop mushrooms from turning brown or becoming bruised, using an RNA interference that silences that specific gene to turn the organism brown. Even if the mushroom may not appear to be brown or bruised, it does not mean that the organism is not diseased and harmful to humans.

According to Dr. Vandana Shiva, the food industry is actively trying to draw a contrast between old-style genetic modifications (inserting foreign genes) versus the new gene editing which manipulates genes that are already there. Both are considered GMOs/GM/GE because you are interfering with the natural course of the organism.

This type of gene manipulation is highly undetectable and very difficult for consumers to decipher. As GMO 2.0 products become more prominent in 2023, researchers are very concerned about how these products may impact human health. Michael Hansen, Ph.D., Senior Staff Scientist at Consumer Reports informs us that "companies may be introducing novel, genetically engineered proteins into the food supply that will have unknown impacts on the human microbiome and the environment.”

Why are GMO 2.0 products hard to identify?

The USDA does not think that all gene-edited crops require the same attention and regulations (lawsuit alert). This stance creates a large margin of error for uneducated consumers to purchase GMOs/GM/GE foods, for these organisms are easily able to slip through the supply chain without the knowledge of the consumer.

Big food companies are now encoding a QR system on their products to allow the consumer to “read more” about their GMO products. However, they are not disclosing the presence of GMOs/GM/GE ingredients directly on the label, making it impossible for those unwilling or unable to use a smartphone to understand if their food contains these ingredients.

Americans have the legal right to know where their food is coming from. Unlabeled GMOs/GM/GE foods are violating The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Act and therefore our constitutional right to know where our food is coming from.

Use your voice to protect your health: Take Action

At Wild Idea Buffalo Company, our bison are never fed GMOs/GM/GE ingredients—and they never will be!

Sources:
1. Dona A, Arvanitoyannis IS. Health risks of genetically modified foods. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2009;49(2):164-175. doi:10.1080/10408390701855993

2. https://www.newhope.com/food-and-beverage/gmo-20-rise-never-seen-geneticall y-modified-organisms-crispr

3. https://harvardpolitics.com/food-fight-the-debate-over-gmos-and-food-labeling/

4. https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/6100/lawsuit-challenges-bioengineered-gmo-food-labeling

5. https://www.newhope.com/food-and-beverage/gmo-20-rise-never-seen-geneticall y-modified-organisms-crispr