Hello friends!
Sorry it’s been a couple of days since my last post but a full-time student life definitively makes days shorter and time is just not enough.
I’ve been enjoying a lot being back at school, I already made new friends and I’m super excited about all that is to come. On the other hand, oh boy, economics is killing me! Literally, just to give you an idea of me at school:
A picture says more than 1000 words. Period.
Into another topic, today’s post will be very “informative”. I read a couple of weeks back about GMO foods and some days later I saw a great video about organic products and how even though we don’t see it, they have major consequences in our body and mostly our health.
So what is GMO ?
The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. In other words, scientists are using new technology to transfer the genes of one species to another, and these altered foods are in the market stream. And yet many scientists have concerns about the safety (to people, wildlife and the environment) of this process. That’s why consumers in Asia and Europe are demanding that their food be free of genetically modified ingredients.
How to Identify GMO’s at the market
I think this is very important, because many of us sometimes just take our produce without even realizing that we could be eating a tomato that has been cross bred with frog genes to render the tomato more resistant to cold weather. Disgusting!
There might be people not concerned about it, but for those who are, here’s how to determine if the fruits and vegetables you’re buying are (GM) genetically modified.
For conventionally grown fruit, (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU codeon the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9.
Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8.
For example:
A conventionally grown banana would be: 4011
An organic banana would be: 94011
A genetically engineered (GE or GMO) banana would be: 84011
These tips are specially important now that over 80% of all processed foods in the world are genetically modified.
Why organic?
Organic refers to food that contains no preservatives, no added chemicals, fertilizers, coloring or additives and is not genetically modified.
I know eating 100% organic can be very expensive sometimes. But starting with small changes, specially in basic things that you consume more will definitively make a big difference. Here are a few of the many benefits that organic foods has:
1.Organic food contains lower levels of pesticides – Up to 70% of pesticides which appear in conventional food are banned in the production of organic food.
2.Organic food does not have any synthetic additives- They do not have artificial food colors and flavors, preservatives, nitrates and sulphites, artificial sweeteners or monosodium glutamate (MSG). Food is preserved and sweetened naturally using substances such a honey and grape juice.
3.Organic food has significantly higher levels of nutrients – Depending on the choice of produce, organic food is shown to have higher amounts of salicylic acid and more Vitamin C, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.
4.Organic food is free of Genetically Engineered (GE) ingredients – Organic farmers do not use GE seeds or irradiation methods. Instead crop rotation and use of natural compost produces a richer soil in which to grown and harvest their produce.
And last, here’s a quick video about a girl making a school project, is very simple and yet so obvious. Hope you enjoy it and that the information was helpful for you as it was for me!
Have a great week everyone!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1741454
Article Source: http://www.plantea.com/genetically-modified-foods.htm
Thanks for this Priscilla!
I also heard that maybe PLU# starting with 3 is also GMO.
Either way, it is way too scary what they are doing to our and with our food.
Education is crucial and you are doing a big part in that, so BRAVO!!!!
Your faithful fan,
Ildiko
Wow really?? Good to know!! Thank you so much! See you soon!
Hi Priscilla,
I love your blog.
Voted for you on Hot Raw Chef as well. 
I know you are in Canada, but thought you might be interested in what is going on here in the U.S. — SCARY!!!
http://www.sacfoodcoop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=64&Itemid=97
USDA to Approve More GE Crops
We have until February 27th to stop 2,4-D Corn
From Pesticide Action Network
Dow and USDA hope to quietly approve a new genetically engineered seed line that basically swaps RoundUp (glyphosate) out and an even worse weedkiller (2,4-D) in.
The pesticide treadmill is catching up with Monsanto, as glyphosate-resistant “superweeds” run rampant and their blockbuster product line nears the end of its life-cycle. Dow wants to drop in an even more toxic herbicide (2,4-D) to keep the treadmill running at high speed. We have until February 27th to stop this.
Tell USDA what you think» USDA opened a public comment period over the holiday break, as they tend to do for controversial decisions they want to bury. But we’re paying attention.
Dow aims to get 2,4-D-resistant corn to market this year, soy next year and cotton in 2015. These three crops dominate U.S. agriculture, blanketing over 100 million acres of mono-cropped countryside, driving the pesticide market.
As with Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready lines, so too will it be with Dow’s 2,4-D-resistant lines. The herbicide that these seeds are engineered to be used with (then glyphosate, now 2,4-D) will surge in use. Only this time, the fallout will be worse. Here’s why:
- 2,4-D is a more toxic herbicide, both to humans and to plants. It is a reproductive toxicant, suspected endocrine disruptor and probable carcinogen. Children are particularly susceptible to its effects.
- 2,4-D does and will drift off of target crops – both through spray drift and volatilization. This will devastate adjacent ecosystems and poses a very real threat to rural economies and farmers growing non-2,4-D-resistant crops. Conventional farmers will lose crops while organic farmers will lose both crops and certification, resulting in an economic unraveling of already-stressed rural communities.
- 2,4-D-resistant “superweeds” will arise and spread just as RoundUp-resistant “superweeds” have taken over farms and countryside in the Midwest and Southeast.
- Corn is wind-pollinated, which means that genetic material from 2,4-D corn will contaminate non-GE corn.You cannot put a GE genie back in the bottle.
The risks are far too great This dangerous and antiquated herbicide shouldn’t be on the market, and we certainly should not be giving Dow license to profit from driving up use.
We’ll need to make a lot of noise on this one. Thanks so much for adding your voice!
Hi Michele, first of all thank you!! I’m glad you like the blog.
I’ve heard a lot about Monsanto’s problem but thank you so much for all this great info, I think we all should be informed about what’s going on around the world no matter where we live, because at the end it all spreads around the globe so like you said, adding your voice and making the news get known is very important!
The info is great thanks again! Have a great weekend!
This is a most useful cnotribution to the debate
Very informative and to the point. Thanks for making this GMO/Non-GMO explanation so succint. Take care