FRANKENFOOD: Is it worth the hype?
BY ANNEKE TAYLOR
D
In reality, the GMO industry is far more regulated than o you really know what’s in your food? Are you many believe. There is currently a scientific consensus comfortable eating food that has had its DNA among biotechnologists that genetically modified crops manipulated in a laboratory? Are we all eating hold no human health risks (4). Some members of the Frankenfood injected with fish DNA and who knows what public cite concerns over the intellectual property rights else? Questions like these, frequently posed by organic food of GMOs, especially when they are sold in poorer countries companies and organizations, often lead individuals with by powerful American companies like Monsanto (3). Some little or no practical understanding of biotechnology to fear also express concern over possible environmental side genetically modified organisms (GMOs) (1). Many people effects, but thanks to regulation and testing, environmental strive to eat organic and to avoid GMOs without really damage directly due to GM plants is unlikely (4). These thinking about why they are doing so. Many consumers cite concerns do have some basis in science and vague concerns over negative health effects “We all have to make politics, and should be carefully considered or environmental dangers, but often lack evidence and specific examples (1). Others our own choices on as part of decisions on GMO regulation and distribution. However, entirely unscientific simply think that the idea of genetically what to consume.” concerns about human health effects and modified food is gross or unnatural, and worries about the unnaturalness of “lab-grown” food are far believe that “scientists” should not be involved in growing more common among the average consumer (5). Why then their food. Most Americans know very little about basic are so many consumers willing to make the choice to avoid genetics and biotechnology, and often overestimate their genetically modified foods when the available alternatives knowledge of it when questioned on the subject (2). Despite often come with a much higher price tag? In “Who does the most respondents claiming a “good” understanding of food public trust? The case of genetically modified food in the science, only 41% of a representative group of Americans United States,” John Lang and William Hallman argue that were even aware that genetically modified (GM), foods are in a world where it is impossible to be educated on every currently available in supermarkets and have been for over scientific development that touches our lives, we must two decades (2). A 2004 study found that “only 15% of the choose to trust in authority—whether it be an individual, respondents were sure that the incorporation of a catfish an organization, or the “scientific process” itself—since gene into a tomato would not produce a fishy tasting fruit we cannot realistically spend the time and effort to deeply and, even worse, only 9% of the respondents were confident understand every issue ourselves (1). However, with that tomatoes contained any genes at all” (3). If they have complex issues such as genetic modification in agriculture, such limited knowledge of biotechnology, why are so many in which every different GMO has a different purpose, Americans concerned about GMO risks? creator, and set of possible risks, it can be very difficult to decide whom to trust (1). Many studies confirming the safety of GMOs are funded by GMO-producing corporations, and many anti-GMO advocacy groups are funded by health food companies which benefit when consumers seek to avoid GM food (1). Confronted by a plethora of arguments and organizations pushing their own agendas, consumers may feel forced to assess the risks of consuming GMOs by themselves.
ABOVE: Stereotypical caricature of a ‘genetically modified’ tomato
Let’s imagine that Susan, a white, middle-class mother, has read on the back of an organic cereal box that it is “GMO-free.” Organic foods are healthy, Susan thinks, so if it is good that the organic cereal doesn’t have GMOs, GMOs
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