What is ‘bioengineered food’? Any risks?
(From USDA)
A reader sent me a link to the following:
Bioengineered Food
I’m seeing that on labels more lately. What is it?
October 19, 2024
I have noticed that almost everything I look at that is not a whole food, from soups to crackers, has this on the label: “Contains bioengineered food ingredients.” What is THAT!? What does that mean?
The Process
The first genetically modified food brought to market was a tomato. In 1994, the FDA approved FLAVR SAVR tomatoes to be sold to the general public. Created and marketed by Calgene, Inc. in Davis, California, the tomato was engineered to stay firm after harvest, allowing it to stay on the vine longer before picking and shipping. The project failed because, while extra firm, it was expensive and not as flavorful as other tomato varieties. It was discontinued in 1997.
Throughout the late 1990s, a wave of GMO products became available to consumers, and the technology has drastically outpaced regulation. The Agrochemical corporations, led by Monsanto, engineered a handful of commodity crops to withstand the weedkiller, glyphosate, found in products such as Roundup, Glyphomax, Durango, Touchdown (Syngenta), and many home garden products. The success of these HT (herbicide tolerant) crops led to deregulation that allowed the commercialization and release of HT canola in 1998 and of HT alfalfa and sugar beets in 2005. Two decades later, countless Biotech players are working on an almost endless list of new products.
What is a bioengineered food?
GMO is the term most of us have used for the past few decades; GMO stands for “genetically modified organism.” Instead of using the more popular and readily recognized term “GMO,” food manufacturers are now using the term “bioengineered ingredients” or “derived from bioengineering.” In essence, all “bioengineered” plants and organisms are GMOs. The language is intentionally deceptive, https://drtenpenny.substack.com/p/bioengineered-food
Yes, they are deceptive in many ways. The biggest deceit is acting like they are at least as good for humans as the real thing–but that is NOT anything that has ever been fully proven–just asserted by those who want them sold and consumed.
Notice also the following:
Doctors Warn Of The ‘Hidden Harms’ Of Bioengineered Foods
September 26, 2023
Doctors are alerting customers to potential “hidden harms” in the meals they buy as the number of bioengineered foods and substances on the market increases.
Bioengineered food is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a consumable good that “contains detectable genetic material that has been modified through certain lab techniques that cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.”
Manufacturers must now label food items with the phrases “bioengineered” or “derived from bioengineering” so that customers will know what they are purchasing, thanks to a new disclosure requirement for bioengineered food that the USDA introduced on Jan. 1, 2022.
Public education is a fantastic place to begin. Dr. Syed Haider is quite concerned about the fact that these bioengineered foods have not been fully vetted. …
‘Hidden Harms’
“The possible effects on the human body when bioengineered foods are consumed is unknown,” Dr. Haider said, adding: “The food itself could be toxic. It could cause allergic reactions or promote antibiotic resistance. It could also trigger immunosuppression or cancer, and there’s evidence that all of these are happening.
“The way bioengineering technology for food works,” Dr. Haider simplified, “is you take a gene from some other organism, and you insert it, kind of at random, into the genetic code of the food you want to engineer.”
“The problem,” he said, “is we don’t really understand the way the genetic code of anything works, and we could be changing the way that food grows. It could create new toxins in the food, it could increase toxins that were already present in the food, and it can even increase the amount of external toxins the food soaks up. …
“There’s a narrative that we’ve all been spoon-fed that this is necessary, that we would starve without this green revolution and genetically modified foods. But it’s not true,” he insisted. “We’re introducing technology into things that never needed it in the first place, and there are a lot of side effects that we’re going to see and hidden harms.”
The American Cancer Society acknowledged that eating foods that have been genetically modified “might create substances that could cause reactions” in allergy sufferers or “result in high levels of compounds that could cause other health effects.” …
“Food is supposed to keep us healthy,” he said. “But the food that we’ve been eating for the past 50 years has actually been triggering obesity, cancer, immunosuppression, allergic reactions, autoimmunity, and toxicity in all of our organs.” https://greatgameindia.com/doctors-warn-of-the-hidden-harms-of-bioengineered-foods/
It is true that ‘bioengineered foods’ have not been properly vetted. Actually, as one who holds a Ph.D. in nutrition science, let me add that it would take at least a century to properly test them and even that would have incomplete results.
Let me also add that I have yet to see the bioengineered label on anything, despite the USA law.
As reported here before, I looked more into this and found that the law has so many exceptions that it is not possible for consumers to be able to tell about most food products that are sold.
So, while now there could be some products with GMO/bioengineered food labels, they are rare.
Here is something from the US Food and Drug Administration on GMO foods:
What GMO crops are in the United States?
Only a few types of GMO crops are grown in the United States, but some of these GMOs make up a large percentage of the crop grown (e.g., soybeans, corn, sugar beets, canola, and cotton).
In 2020, GMO soybeans made up 94% of all soybeans planted, GMO cotton made up 96% of all cotton planted, and 92% of corn planted was GMO corn.
In 2013, GMO canola made up 95% of canola planted while GMO sugar beets made up 99.9% of all sugar beets harvested.
Most GMO plants are used to make ingredients that are then used in other food products. For example, cornstarch can be made with GMO corn and sugar can be made with GMO sugar beets.
Corn:
Corn is the most commonly grown crop in the United States, and most of it is GMO. Most GMO corn is created to resist insect pests or tolerate herbicides. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn is a GMO corn that produces proteins that are toxic to certain insect pests but not to humans, pets, livestock, or other animals. These are the same types of proteins that organic farmers use to control insect pests, and they do not harm beneficial insects, such as ladybugs. GMO Bt corn reduces the need for spraying insecticides while still preventing insect damage. While a lot of GMO corn goes into processed foods and drinks, most of it is used to feed livestock, like cows, and poultry, like chickens.
Soybean:
Most soy grown in the United States is GMO soy. Most GMO soy is used for food for animals, predominantly poultry and livestock, and making soybean oil. It is also used as ingredients (lecithin, emulsifiers, and proteins) in processed foods.
Cotton:
GMO cotton was created to be resistant to bollworms and helped revive the Alabama cotton industry. GMO cotton not only provides a reliable source of cotton for the textile industry, it is also used to make cottonseed oil, which is used in packaged foods and in many restaurants for frying. GMO cottonseed meal and hulls are also used in food for animals.
Potato:
Some GMO potatoes were developed to resist insect pests and disease. In addition, some GMO potato varieties have been developed to resist bruising and browning that can occur when potatoes are packaged, stored, and transported, or even cut in your kitchen. While browning does not change the quality of the potato, it often leads to food being unnecessarily thrown away because people mistakenly believe browned food is spoiled.
Papaya:
By the 1990s, ringspot virus disease had nearly wiped out Hawaii’s papaya crop, and in the process almost destroyed the papaya industry in Hawaii. A GMO papaya, named the Rainbow papaya, was created to resist ringspot virus. This GMO saved papaya farming on the Hawaiian Islands.
Summer Squash:
GMO summer squash is resistant to some plant viruses. Squash was one of the first GMOs on the market, but it is not widely grown.
Canola:
GMO canola is used mostly to make cooking oil and margarine. Canola seed meal can also be used in food for animals. Canola oil is used in many packaged foods to improve food consistency. Most GMO canola is resistant to herbicides and helps farmers to more easily control weeds in their fields.
Alfalfa:
GMO alfalfa is primarily used to feed cattle—mostly dairy cows. Most GMO alfalfa is resistant to herbicides, allowing farmers to spray the crops to protect them against destructive weeds that can reduce alfalfa production and lower the nutritional quality of the hay.
Apple:
A few varieties of GMO apples were developed to resist browning after being cut. This helps cut down on food waste, as many consumers think brown apples are spoiled.
Sugar Beet:
Sugar beets are used to make granulated sugar. More than half the granulated sugar packaged for grocery store shelves is made from GMO sugar beets. Because GMO sugar beets are resistant to herbicides, growing GMO sugar beets helps farmers control weeds in their fields.
Pink Pineapple:
The GMO pink pineapple was developed to have pink flesh by increasing the levels of lycopene. Lycopene is naturally found in pineapples, and it is the pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink.
What about animals that eat food made from GMO crops?
More than 95% of animals used for meat and dairy in the United States eat GMO crops. …
Are there GMO animals in the food supply?
Yes. FDA has approved an application allowing the sale of the AquAdvantage Salmon to consumers. The AquAdvantage Salmon has been genetically modified to reach an important growth point faster. FDA has also approved an alteration in the GalSafe pig for human food consumption and potential therapeutic uses. The GalSafe pig was developed to be free of detectable alpha-gal sugar on its cell surfaces. https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond accessed 08/20/23
Here is something else to understand:
What product ingredients commonly contain genetically engineered crops?
Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural” and “artificial”), High-Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum (http://action.greenamerica.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=7626&gclid=CMTz9bigzbcCFWIV7Aod2V0AEw)
Ascorbic acid is the source of Vitamin C in most nutritional supplements.
Let me add that the USA has never proven that GMOs are safe.
GMOs were developed to increase profits. Politicians receive money from many profit-oriented corporations, and this tends to blind them to listen to opposing views.
The World Health Organization has concerns about GMOs:
What are the potential dangers of GMOs?
according to WHO, the three main issues of concern for human health that are being debated are:
(i). The potentials to provoke allergic reaction (allergenicity);
(ii). Gene transfer (Gene transfer from GM foods to cells of the body or to bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, especially if the transferred genetic material adversely affects human health); and
(iii). Outcrossing (the migration of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in the wild (referred to as “outcrossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with GM crops, may have an indirect effect on food safety and food security. Cases have been reported where GM crops approved for animal feed or industrial use were detected at low levels in the products intended for human consumption).
Should you switch to organic food? That is a personal decision. … For many people in this day and age, it is simply impossible – too expensive, too time-consuming, too problematic – to make sure that they eat only foods that are verifiably safe in every respect. 01/09/19 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/are-genetically-modified-foodsgmos-safe/
The above source seems to be implying that GMO foods are not verifiably safe in every respect. As a published scientist, I agree.
The Bible warns:
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10)
And that is what is happening in the chemical, GMO, and laboratory food world to a major degree. Financial and other forms of greed are driving much of this.
US farmers could switch to producing non-GMO corn to export to Mexico, but are basically afraid that if they do so, they will make less money. It is not because GMO corn is healthier.
THE FACT IS THAT THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE PRO-GMO FORCES CAN HAVE ENOUGH DATA TO PROVE WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS NOT DANGEROUS. At minimum, in order to get the kind of data to truly demonstrate safety, studies involving at least a million humans over a period of a couple of centuries would need to be done–and this has never happened. The pro-GMO forces act like they are wise and have facts on their side, but the facts remain that what they are doing is dangerous and when it comes to using human genes, also immoral. They have not, and cannot, test for all possible complications associated with what they are doing.
The Bible warns:
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:20-22)
This whole GMO and human editing experiment has had negative consequences and will have more in the future.
Consider that the Bible warns:
11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
The reality is that groups like the US Food and Drug Administration have approved all kinds of foods that they claimed were safe–but did not realize were unsafe for decades.
In addition to GMO plants, we now have engineered “lab meat” and other experiments entering the food supply.
The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) has put together four videos online related to this general topic.
Here is the first:
What are GMOs? Does the Bible have anything to say about them? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? What are some of those risks? Which common “foods” are often genetically-modified? Is it good to eat GMOs? Might GMOs lead to famine in America?
This video answers those questions.
Here is a link to the first: GMO Risks and the Bible .
Here is information on the second:
GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been in the US food supply for over 20 years. Are they safe? Which ten GMO plants are now widely commercially available? What about laboratory-grown ‘meat’.? Hydrogenated trans-fatty acid products have been consumed for over 100 years. Are they safe? Certain scientists claim that the data proves the safety of GMOs and lab-meat. But do they have enough data? Are the proponents of GMOs and lab-meat driven by data or greed? How long is long enough to test these ‘foods’? Can overly processed foods lead to type 2 diabetes or dementia? Are there allergy, gene-transfer, and outcrossing risks with GMOs? What risks does the World Health Organization say that GMOs pose? Do studies involving animals show real dangers with GMOs? On June 11, 2019, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order reducing government oversight over GMO plants and animals. Was this wise or dangerous? Is the food supply at any risk? What did Jesus teach? What does the Bible teach that God’s people should eat?
Here is a link to the video: GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Here is information on the third:
In November 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its initial approval (with two almost automatic approvals to come) for the sale and consumption of what is called ‘lab-grown chicken.’ The FDA said that this material was safe and part of what it termed a ” food revolution.” Is what was approved actually a chicken? Is this consistent with those who are “inventors of evil things” (Romans 1:30)? Have lab-grown meat and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) been proven to be safe in all ways and for sufficient lengths of time? Should human-animal chimeras be encouraged? Are there scriptures in the Bible that warn about love of money and that point to not eating something just because it may appear good to eat? Does the Bible mention that living organisms were to reproduce after their own kind? Does the Bible say to eat that which is good in Isaiah? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel go over these matters.
Here is a link to our video: Lab grown chicken?
Here is the latest one:
Evil is Affecting the Food Supply
God gave humans food and said what He made was good. What about unclean animals? What about genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)? What about ‘bioengineered foods’? What about lab meat? What about human-cloned salami? What about ‘Piggy Sooy’? Are Christians supposed to eat what is good according to Isaiah 55:2? What should we eat? What should Christians avoid eating? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more.
Here is a link to the following: Evil is Affecting the Food Supply.
Thousands of years ago, God inspired one of his prophets to pen the following, which encourages people to eat what is good:
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. (Isaiah 55:2)
Intentionally eating GMOs, in my view, is something people should try to avoid. I do not think that GMOs are good food.
GMOs are hazardous to the environment and ultimately will negatively impact humanity–even more than they have so far.
While the consumption of small amounts of GMO ‘foods’ does not appear to be harmful, I personally do not consider that long-term consumption of GMOs by humans is wise nor safe. And it most certainly is not proven to be healthy by science.
The word of God warned that because of love of money and delays in punishment humans would pursue things that they should not.
The whole GMO and overly-processed food industries continue to push for things that are not good.
And again, there are so many exceptions to the GMO labeling law in the USA that it is close to useless.
Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:
Christian Health Matters Should Christians be concerned about their health? Does the Bible give any food and health guidelines? Here are links to two related sermons: Let’s Talk About Food, Evil is Affecting the Food Supply, and Let’s Talk About Health.
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here are some related videos: GMO Risks and the Bible and GMOs, Lab meat, Hydrogenation: Safe or Dangerous?
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras? Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference? and Human-Monkey Embryos and Death.
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