How do you know if your food is Genetically Modified?

[Guest guest]

Conventionally grown PLU has the number " 4 " on it~ I've not yet

seen " 1 " ~

 

 

you can check that out here on one of www.dhloveife.com

episode " farmers market " and or just see it in your local produce

dept.

 

http://www.dhlovelife.com/v2/show/archive/index13.html

 

 

Hempress

 

 

 

" For example:

 

Conventionally grown PLU: 1022

 

Organically grown PLU: 91022

 

Genetically modified PLU: 81022 "

 

 

 

 

 

, " Raven " <NWRaven

wrote:

>

> How do You Know if Your Food is Genetically Modified?

>

> By Dr. Joseph Mercola

> with Rachael Droege

> http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm

>

> When polled only about one-quarter of Americans report having

eaten genetically modified food. However, if you randomly pick an

item off your grocery store's shelves, you have a 70 percent chance

of picking a food with genetically modified (GM) ingredients. This

is because at least seven out of every 10 items have been

genetically modified.

> If more Americans were aware of this fact, the polls would

certainly turn out differently, but Americans are kept largely in

the dark about GM products, and most are not aware they are eating

these foods because there are no labeling requirements for GM foods.

This, despite the fact that there have been no studies done with

humans to show what happens when genetically modified foods are

consumed, and an ABC News poll (PDF) found that 92 percent of

Americans want mandatory labels on GM foods.

> Even more concerning is the fact that genetically modified

organisms are not easily contained. The Washington Post

reported " techniques for confining genetically engineered ...

organisms are still in their infancy, and far more work needs to be

done to make sure the new products do not taint the food supply or

wipe out important species. " As a consumer, one way you can voice

your resistance to these widely untested, experimental organisms is

by not purchasing GM products, a task that is not easy to achieve

when you consider the extent to which GM products have already

saturated the American market.

> There are, however, several ways to reduce your chances of eating

GM foods--if you know where to look.

> Buy Organic

> Buying organic is currently the best way to ensure that your food

has not been genetically modified. By definition, food that is

certified organic must be:

> Free from all GM organisms

> Produced without artificial pesticides and fertilizers

> From an animal reared without the routine use of antibiotics,

growth promoters or other drugs

> However, GM crops are becoming more and more prevalent, and the

spread of GM seeds and pollen is a major concern. Even organic

products may be contaminated with traces of GM elements that have

been spread by wind or insects such as bees.

> Read Labels

>

> GM soybeans and corn make up the largest portion of genetically

engineered crops. When looking at a product label, if any of the

following ingredients are listed there's a good chance it has come

from GM corn or soy (unless it's listed as organic):

> Corn Derivatives

> corn flour and mealfructose and fructose syrup

> (unless specified non-corn)corn syrup

> maltbaking powder

> (corn starch is the usual filler)malt syrup

> malt extractmonosodium glutamatemaltodextrin

> sorbitolmono- and diglyceridesstarch

> food starchmodified food starchconfectioner's sugar

> dextrinvitamins that do not state

> " corn-free "

>

> Soy Derivatives

> most misosoy saucetamaritextured vegetable protein

> (usually soy)

> teriyaki marinadestofusoy beveragessoy protein isolate

> or protein isolate

> tempehshoyulecithin or soy lecithinmany non-stick sprays

> rely on soy lecithin

> breadpastrymargarine

> Mayonnaise and salad dressings also may include lecithin.

>

> As you can see, there are many products that may contain GM soy or

corn derivatives (or GM vegetable oil). Some of these products

include:

> infant formulasalad dressingbread

> cerealhamburgers and hotdogsmargarine

> mayonnaisecrackerscookies

> chocolatecandyfried food

> chipsveggie burgersmeat substitutes

> ice creamfrozen yogurttofu

> tamarisoy saucesoy cheese

> tomato sauceprotein powderbaking powder

> alcoholvanillapowdered sugar

> peanut butterenriched flour and pasta

> Non-food items include cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoo, and

bubble bath.

>

> Aside from corn and soy, other GM foods grown in the United States

include cotton, canola, squash and papaya.

> Look at Produce Stickers

>

> Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different

PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown,

organically grown or genetically engineered. The PLU code for

conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically

grown fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 9, and GM fruit five

numbers prefaced by the number 8.

> For example:

> Conventionally grown PLU: 1022

> Organically grown PLU: 91022

> Genetically modified PLU: 81022

>

> In terms of fruit, another strategy is to avoid hybrid varieties,

which are fruits that have been altered by humans. Typically hybrid

fruits contain more sugar than regular varieties so they taste

sweeter and can be picked out because generally they don't contain

seeds (seedless watermelon, seedless grapes, etc.). Although there

are also seeded hybrid varieties, avoiding seedless fruits is one of

the more prominent ways to avoid hybrid fruits.

> Avoid Processed Foods

> About 70 percent of all processed foods contain genetically

modified ingredients, and the food manufacturers themselves often

don't know for sure whether their products contain GM elements.

There are many reasons why processed foods are not optimal for your

health--for instance they often contain trans fat, acrylamide and

little nutritional value--so avoiding them will not only help you to

cut back on the amount of GM foods you are consuming, but will also

boost your health.

>

>

>

> Related Articles:

> Seeds of Doubt

> Genetically Modified Crops Are Contaminating Your Food

> Gene-Altered Giant Salmon Cannibals

> Genetically Modified Crops Are Contaminating Your Food

>

> United States Grows More GM Crops Than Any Other Country

> Prominent Scientists Form Group to Counter GM Food

> Europeans More Resistant to Genetically Modified Foods

> Genetically Modified Foods, Inc.

> Even Mice Don't Like Genetically Modified Food

> GM Crops Raise Price of Organic Food

>

[Guest guest]

http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm

[Guest guest]

Yes, I enjoy reading the articles on his site too. He sure has opened my eyes to a lot of things that the government would rather we not know.

 

Cyndi

 

In a message dated 2/8/2007 9:41:03 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, cbrowne writes:

Boy, what an eye opener! Makes me want even more to grow and raise ALL of my own food. On a good note, God bless Dr. Mercola for bucking the *establishment* and trying to educate us about the hidden food and environmental dangers in our lives. I LOVE this man more and more every day!--Cee--RealSimple , cyndikrall wrote:>> _http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm_ > (http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm)>

 

 

[Guest guest]

Boy, what an eye opener! Makes me want even more to grow and raise ALL

of my own food.

 

On a good note, God bless Dr. Mercola for bucking the *establishment*

and trying to educate us about the hidden food and environmental

dangers in our lives. I LOVE this man more and more every day!

 

--Cee--

 

RealSimple , cyndikrall wrote:

>

> _http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm_

> (http://www.mercola.com/2004/jan/24/gm_foods.htm)

>