Why fuss over GMO?

GMO, genetically modified organisms, refers to the introduction of gene codes from one plant or organism into another to influence genes that build proteins in an attempt to give a plant special "beneficial" characteristics. Certain gene codes might be taken out of a tomato and transferred into another plant like corn to give the new modified corn some advantage it did not naturally have, such as to prevent insect damage that the tomato plant exhibits. This new protein as built in the GMO plant may be entirely unique and never have existed before in nature. The GMO giant, Monsanto, says GMO plants are safe because the human digestive system will destroy any new gene or protein formed. This has recently been discovered to not be true. ref

ARE GMO PLANTS SAFE?

Why the stink? New proteins or the new DNA seeds that produce them in a food could get ingested and generate allergies. The company developing GMO plants or fish, etc. have held to the belief that these new proteins would not get ingested since they would be destroyed during digestion. Plus, the DNA material in genes found in seeds would not enter into digestion either. Thus there would be no reason to test the new GMO plant for allergy potential from the new proteins. The FDA agreed and Monsanto did not have to test the new plants, fishes, etc. BUT, recently a scientist (now many scientists) has discovered these new proteins do get inside the human body and this changes everything. The old theory about destruction during digestion is now invalid. All GMO crops and fish, etc. must now be tested for adverse reactions and safety. Many or most probably will not pass. But, is it already too late? 

This is just one aspect of GMO disasters to the health of the body and the environment. There are probably many more yet undiscovered influences that occur when other insects and animals feeding on the new DNA material crops like bees that pass it up the food chain, such as to birds, etc.

One of the most damaging aspects of GMO crops is that winds and insects spread the new plant gene codes to neighboring farms where the native plants are turned into GMO plants. GMO created codes dominate over native plant codes. Often the new GMO crops need more chemical sprays in areas not influenced by the new GMO proteins for survival. A trait evidently not evaluated by Monsanto, or at least not expressed publicly. Plus, farmers of GMO plants are required to buy new seeds every year from Monsanto instead of in the past saving some seeds from native plants each year to grow the next crop. 

THE OIL TWIST

Since GMO only influences the protein of the new organism, like GMO soy, the soy fat or oil extracted and purified would not contain any GMO new proteins. It would be safe to consume. There could possibly be changes to the type or composition of fats, but this would not mean they are contaminated by the GMO process. The oils or fats would have their same chemical structure regardless of the growing method. Of course, all oils have to be kept fresh and there is the possibility of contamination by plant proteins or rancidity of fats after the extraction method. ref  ref ref  ref

GMO KNOWN ADVERSE DANGERS

Food Industry and US Government Helath Agencies are convinced GMO plants are safe. Not only plants, but also fishes and bacteria can and have been Genetically Modified. GMO bacteria are being used today to create some synthetic B vitamins such as B2, folate, and B12. Plus, GMO corn is the starting material for the majority of Vitamin C production, but again only the starch or sugars are used.

The discussion about the ramifications of using such bacteria is not without some valid negative points as already demonstrated by the L-Tryptophan disaster. Here a GMO bacteria was developed and used to shorten the production time and increase quantities the bacteria produced of L-Tryptophan. A contaminate element was also created during this process using the new GMO bacteria that was responsible for a rare blood disease causing the deaths of 41 people, between 28-37 in the USA, and lifetime injury to many more. That the FDA is not giving more diligence to safety examinations of GMO bacteria and other organisms borders on dereliction of duty to protect consumers. ref ref

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE GMO IS A 100% SAFE PRACTICE?  The GMO producing giant Monsanto and the Government officials in charge of monitoring Public safety still cling to the notion that GMO's are safe. Try selling that to the relatives of the 41 people who died.

IN THE INTEREST OF FAIR PLAY, conflicting view

Here is a contradicting opinion that EMS was caused by high dose tryptophan and not the GMO bacteria contamination formed during the manufacturing process From Showa Denko. Why did this EMS condition just suddenly show up after many years of tryptophan high dosage use, and then just as quickly disappear back to maybe just one or two here and there? article ref

Let's for the sake of discussion, say it was tryptophan and not the GMO bacteria that generated the EMS condition. Would not one expect to see random cases continually rather then all of a sudden an epidemic? Here is what Showa Denko did. First they developed a GMO bacteria that produced greater quantities of L-Tryptophan than the non-GMO bacteria presently used. This was in 1984. This bacteria was first used in their regular processing method. Then a few years later, a new shortcut process was tested and found to be safe, or under the 98.5% purity specs of the U.S. FDA. Then, after fermentation of the GMO bacteria in a food medium the bacteria eats, the newly formed L-TRYPTOPHAN is washed to concentrate and remove food medium and any impurities also formed. This new process shortened the normal wash period by about a third. This is probably were alot of the problem occurred.

It turns out that EMS cases had been silently and slowly increasing over this 5 year build up to the epidemic in 1989 after the new shortcut method was put in play. All the legal cases of EMS victims have been over 98% linked to Showa Denko L-Tryptophan. Here is best description of history and situation. article 

Thus, it is a possibility that the contaminant formed during this process was magnified and not completely washed out like it would have been if the wash time was longer. It may only have been an unfortunate association that the new GMO bacteria was also used with this new process. Since all the GMO bacteria was quickly destroyed, there were no tests conducted to verify the GMO bacteria was at fault and how the contaminant formed. All Scientist had was the test pattern that showed the mysterious X bump on the reading scope where none should appear.  Very tiny X bumps at the same spot have been seen since with just random EMS cases compared to the epidemic period after the new GMO tryptophan was released into the Public in 1989. 

Now, each batch of L-tryptophan and 5-HTP is tested for this contamination spot before release. It has never again been found at the same size and spot on the scope that it was in 1989 from the GMO bacteria produced L-Tryptophan. Was the epidemic caused by just high dose L-tryptophan or the GMO bacteria produced L-tryptophan by Showa Denko as over 98% of cases have discovered? No other manufacturers L-Tryptophan have so far been found contaminated.

GMO Bacteria Designed to Help Fight Disease

While Scientists are looking into the possibility of using GMO bacteria to help destroy pathogenic bacteria that cause disease. ref There are some very real concerns since reworking bacteria DNA can get out of control. 

UPDATE on GMO World (May 2022)

This new article describes a new concept beyond GMO to target changing plant elements. In this case it is using a new method called gene editing to produce vitamin D provitamins in tomatoes. This could rapidly deal with the low vitamin D crisis worldwide. This low vitamin D crisis became very evident as the Covid-19 pandemic was made more severe since vitamin D works with building immune system.

How does gene editing differ from GMOs? article