Genetic engineering changes the DNA of living organismsÑa scary notion, especially when it's in the hands of those who believe human beings have the right and the authority to apply any scientific trickery that comes within their capability.
Using enzymes to cut and join strands of DNA, or DNA-like viruses known as vectors to infect a cell and insert themselves into its DNA, molecular biologists are on the verge of wreaking havoc on the gene pool of the entire food chain.
Tomatoes are sensitive to frost. This shortens their growing season. Fish, on the other hand, survive in very cold water. By identifying the gene which enables a flounder to resist cold, and using the technology of genetic engineering to insert this "anti-freeze" gene into a tomato, it ’s possible to extend the growing season of the tomato. And if eating fish genes with your salad doesn't upset you, consider this. The same companies that brought us chemicals like DDT and Agent Orange are now genetically engineering corn and potatoes to produce toxins that kill insects. And that ’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The bad news goes beyond the obvious. DNA is actually not well understood. 97% of human DNA is called "junk" because no one has any idea of its function. The workings of a single cell are so complex, no one knows the whole of it. Still, the biotech companies have already planted millions of acres with genetically engineered crops, and they intend to engineer every crop in the world.
There are fundamental weaknesses in the technology of genetic engineering. When a scientist moves a gene from one organism to another, he has no idea where the gene will be inserted in the DNA of the new organism. The functioning of the genes essential to the life of that organism may be disrupted. And such introductions of foreign genes into a host's genetic structure have long been known to have harmful and fatal effects, such as strange mutations and cancer.
And if you think you'll be safe if you eat organic or grow your own, hear this: insects, birds and wind can carry genetically altered seeds into neighboring fields and beyond. Once transgenic plants pollinate, genetically original plants and wild relatives can be cross-pollinated, so that all crops, organic and non-organic, are vulnerable to contamination from genetically engineered specimens.
The potential health hazards are impossible to estimate. Genetic engineering changes the fundamental nature of the food we eat. It uses material from organisms that have never been part of the human food supply. Without long-term testing no one knows if those foods are safe. The unexpected mutations that often occur in genetically altered foods may result in new and higher levels of toxins, or unforeseen and unknown allergens. Some crops are implanted with genes which confer resistance to antibiotics. These genes may be picked up by bacteria which can ultimately infect humans and other animals.
Genetic engineering will result in a radical increase in the use of herbicides and pesticides. Farmers will be able to use chemicals more liberally without killing crops that have been engineered to be herbicide-resistant. Some genetically altered crops are even able to manufacture their own pesticides, putting even more toxins into our food and fields than ever before.
There is no limit to the scope of the ecological impact of genetically engineered organisms. They may compete successfully with wild relatives, causing unforeseen changes in the environment. As these unnatural foods are consumed upward through the food chain, and genetically altered bacteria and viruses are released into the environment, it is impossible to contain or recall them. The effects will be irreversible.
George Wald, Nobel Laureate and Professor of Biology at Harvard University has this to say in his book, The Recombinant DNA Debate: "Recombinant DNA technology [genetic engineering] faces our society with problems unprecedented not only in the history of science, but of life on the Earth. It places in human hands the capacity to redesign living organisms, the products of some three billion years of evolution.
"Such intervention must not be confused with previous intrusions upon the natural order of living organisms, animal and plant breeding, for example, or the artificial induction of mutations, as with X-rays. All such earlier procedures worked within single or closely related species. The nub of the new technology is to move genes back and forth, not only across species lines, but across any boundaries that now divide living organisms. The results will be essentially new organisms, self-perpetuating and hence permanent. Once created, they cannot be recalled.... Going ahead in this direction may be not only unwise, but dangerous. Potentially, it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics."
The FDA has taken the position that genetically engineered foods may be introduced freely into our food supply, without restriction and without labeling. As a result, right now over 60% of foods sold in grocery stores contain genetically engineered organisms. Hormones, viruses, bacteria, substances that have never been part of the human food supply now permeate the foods we eat every day.
So what ’s a conscientious eater to do? First, pay attention to what you eat. Buy organic whenever possible. Eat fresh whole foods and read labels when you don't. The odds of getting the genes that Mother Nature created are far better when you stick with organic growers. Keep in mind, however, that packaged foods may contain a list of ingredients that bear scrutiny. There are resources available that can help you select food manufacturers that are committed to using only non-genetically engineered foods. One of these is Mothers for Natural Law, who has, among other efforts, compiled a list of "safe" foods. It is available on their website, at But soon, even those measures won't be sufficient. We need to generate the numbers and volume to see that the voice of reason is heard among those with the power to call a halt to what may be the most serious and irreversible threat to every living creature on the planet. A massive grassroots campaign is emerging to demand that Congress legislate mandatory labeling of all genetically engineered foods. Mothers for Natural Law is gathering signatures as are most health food stores, and of course, the MEC. Stop by and sign a petition or, even better, write your representatives and senators.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1999
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited