Fwd: Health Concerns of Frankenfooods

[Guest guest]

Gettingwell, " mrsjoguest " <joguest@m...> wrote:

>

>

> > Genetically-engineered food entered the marketplace

> > in 1996. An estimated 60-70% of all processed foods

> > now contain genetically-modified ingredients.

>

> An internet article by journalist Barbara Keeler and

> > Shirley Watson, DC,CCN, Director of Education for

> > the American Chiropractors Association's Council on

> > Nutrition, explains how genetically-engineered foods

> > are created.

Their article also encourages

> > practitioners to become aware of possible health

> > risks, such as food allergies, antibiotic resistance,

> > and organ and immune system damage.

The authors

> > quote the FDA, on Fed I Register 22987: " Genetic

> > engineering may transfer new and unidentified proteins

> > from one food into another, triggering allergic

> > reactions.

Millions of Americans who are sensitive

> > to allergens will have no way of identifying or

> > protecting themselves from offending foods.

> > Allergic reactions can cause more than simple

> > discomfort -- they can result in life-threatening

> > anaphylactic shock. "

Trypsin-inhibitor, a major

> > allergen with anti-nutritional effects, was 26.7%

> > higher in Monsanto's RR soybeans. The York Nutritional

> > Laboratory, which specializes in food sensitivity,

> > reported a 50% increase in soy allergies in

> > 1999-2000.

Although the researchers did not prove that

> > the increase in GMO soy production caused the rise

> > in soy allergies, it was the first time that soy

> > was among the top 10 allergenic foods.

Soybeans are

> > the most common genetically-modified crop.

Because

> > of the many unknown proteins that are created

> > during genetic manipulations, scientists have no tests

> > for assessing allergen-potential of GMO food.

 

In addition to soybeans, genetically-engineered

> > potatoes have caused " significant damage " to rats.

 

> > While working at Rowett Institute in Scotland,<BR>Dr.

> > Pusztai discovered that rats eating lectin-producing

> > GMO potatoes showed damage to their immune systems,

> > thymuses, kidneys, spleens, and guts.

> > Rowett Institute fired Dr. Pusztai and attempted to

> > discredit his findings.

 

 

Keeler and Watson say that

> > a news article in February 1999, stated that

> > Dr.Pusztai's discovery was verified by a panel of

> > 20 international scientists.

Dr. Stanley Ewen

> > suggests that the damage may be the result of

> > the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus, which is a common

> > vector (production aid) used in gene splicing.

 

The concern that GMO food may promote

> > antibioticresistance is not unfounded. Transgenes,

> > which are readily moved from one species to another,

> > and antibiotic-resistant marker genes, found in GMO

> > crops, have been found in soil bacteria and fungi.

 

> > Keeler and Watson write: " Evidence exists that

> > DNA released from dead and live cells are not

> > readily broken down, but retain the ability to

> > spread antibiotic resistant ma genes to pathogenic

> > organisms in the environment. "

 

Dr. John Fagan, a molecular biologist, conducted

> > research in recombinant DNA for the National

> > Institutes of Health for 22 years.

When he became

> > concerned about the consequences of GMO food, Dr.

> > Pagan turned his attention to developing testing

> > techniques to identify genetically-engineered food in

> > the marketplace.

He believes that GMO products

> > should be assessed for health and environmental

> > effects, using animals and human volunteers, before

> > the products enter the marketplace.

 

" Genetically-Engineered Foods -- How It Is Done,

> > What Are the Risks " by Barbara Keeler and Shirley

> > Watson DC, CCN. Spet. 24,

> > 2000.

www.sightings.com/general4/gen.htm

>

> >

> >

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> > http://greetings.