GMOs: Genetically Modified Organisms in Our Food Supply

It is unnerving that three of the top five crops grown in the US are now mostly genetically modified. The number one crop, corn, is now 86% GM. Although only 12% of the yields are considered to be consumed directly by humans, over 80% is consumed by livestock and we consume them or their products. The number two crop, soy, is now 93% GM and 79% of all the edible oil consumed by Americans is soy oil. In addition, the following crops are also GM: cottonseed (93%), canola (90%), sugar beets (95%), as well as nearly all Hawaiian papaya, some zucchini and crookneck squash.(1,2)

Traits of GM crops
There are basically two main ways that GMOs are designed: 1) to create a plant that is herbicide tolerant (63% of GMOs); and 2) to create a plant that generates its own pesticides internally (16% of GMOs). About 21% of crops are designed to do both.

Industry Claims
Claims by the companies responsible for this technology, and the creation of the pesticides and herbicides that are used on these crops, assert that GMOs are perfectly safe for human consumption based on the use of some of these pesticides topically on crops over the past decades. As an example, Bt toxin (Bacillus thuringiensis) has been used as a spray on non-GM crops without research into long term effects on human health. Yet, the industry claims that by creating a plant that produces its own Bt toxin, it is essentially the same thing. However, the problem is one of both toxin concentration which is much higher in GM crops, and the alteration of other parts of the organism in ways that have not been studied for long term effects.

Other places you might not think to look for GMO ingredients:
Medications
Supplements

Possible application of biotechnology (3)
The application of genetic engineering is possible in the following ingredients of food supplements. It is however not possible to make general statements whether or not biotechnology was used in a specific product and to which extent.
Vitamins and provitamins: vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, biotin
Amino acids: cysteine, lysine, tryptophan, methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, glutaminic acid
Secondary plant metabolites: Plant sterols (phytosterines)
Soy protein
Brewing yeast
Enzymes (like amylase, lipase, lactase as digestive agents)
Flavours
Papaya
Emulsifiers: soya lecithin, soybean polyose (E426)
Filling agents: cellulose, ethylcellulose (E 462), dextrin
Acidity regulators: citric acid

Ingredients and additives that contain or likely contain GMOs:
Acetylated starch
Amino acid
Annatto
Ascorbic acid
Aspartame
Beta-carotene
Biotin
Bread Crumbs
Caramel
Caramel colouring
Caramel sugar
Carotinoids
Cellulose
Citric acid
Cobalamin
Corn flour
Cottonseed oil
Cysteine
Cystine
Dextrin
Dextrose
Diacetyl
Egg white solid
Egg yolk solid
Erythrit
Ethyl maltol
Ethylcellulose
Fatty acids
Flavours
Flaxseed
Flour
Fondant
Fructose
Fructose syrup
Glaze
Gluconic acid
Glucono-delta-lactone
Glucose
Glucose syrup
Glutamate
Glutamic acid
Glycerin
Guanylate
Guanylic acid
Hydroxypropylstarch
Inosinate
Inosinic acid
Invert sugar syrup
Invertase
Isomalt
Lactic acid
Lactoflavin
Lactose
Lecithin
Leucine
Linseed oil
Lysine
Lysozyme
Maize germ oil
Malt sugar
Maltitol syrup
Maltodextrins
Maltol
Maltose
Maltose syrup
Mannitol
Methionine
Methylcellulose
Milk protein
Modified Starch
Mono and Diglycerides
Natamycin
Nisin
Oxidised Starch
Persipan
Phenylalanine
Plant Fat
Plant oil
Plant protein product
Plant Sterols
Polenta
Polydextrose
Rapeseed oil
Riboflavin
Sorbitol
Soy Flour
Soy isolate
Soy Oil
Soy protein
Soya lecithin
Soybean polyose
Starch
Starch hydrolysate
Starch phosphate
Starch Sodium octenyl succinate
Sugar
Sunflower Oil
Sweeteners
Tapioca
Textured Soy Protein
Thaumatin
Threonin
Tocopherol
Trehalose
Trockeneiklar
Tryptophan
Vanilla aroma
Vanillin
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamins
Whey products
Xanthan
Xylitol
Yeast
Yeast extract
Yeast flakes
(from http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/ingredients/)

Enzymes that are derived from or likely derived from GMOs:
Acetolactate decarboxylase
Aminopeptidase
Amylase
Asparaginase
Catalase
Cellulase
CGTase
Chymosin
Galactosidase
Glucanase
Glucose isomerase
Glucose oxidase
Hemicellulase
Hexose oxidase
Laccase
Lactase
Lipase
Lipoxygenase
Mannanase
Pectinase
Pectinesterase
Phytase
Protease
Pullulanase
Transglutaminase
Xylanase

(from http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/enzymes/)


(1) http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/ag101/cropmajor.html
(2) “Seeds of Deception” by Jeffery Smith
(3) http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/database/food/360.food_supplements.html


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