Are Genetically Modified Foods a Scientific Breakthrough for Human Kind or are they Making us Sick?

Genetically modified foods have recently gotten more attention in the news and media.  Companies like Monsanto state that they utilize GMO's (Genetically Modified Organism's) in order  to "...offer solutions to complex issues by developing better seeds and systems to help farmers with productivity on the farm and grow more nutritious food while conserving natural resources."--www.monsanto.com  GMO's are any type of living organism, such as plants, where the genetic material has been altered using specific genetic techniques.  Genetically engineered crops contain certain traits like resistance to pests and herbicides.  They also claim to contain increased nutritional value.  These crops are made in order to thrive in adverse conditions such as drought and salt resistance. 

The first commercial cultivation of genetically modified plants was in 1996, since then they have been  modified even further to be resistant to several viruses.  They are also tolerant to herbicides that contain chemicals such as glufosinate ammonium and glyphosate.  They also produce toxins such as Bt toxin that is an insecticide and is supposedly, non-toxic to mammals. 

Companies that produce these GMO crops, claim they are providing us with foods and other products that are sustainable and provide increased nutritional value.  However, in the European Union (E.U.) scientists are on both sides of the issue on banning GMO's.   In a recent article from Science Magazine, Angelika Hilbeck, a biologist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich and a GM critic, says that the plan is a cop-out and “a political solution to the fact that there is no scientific consensus on safety and that we are stuck in gridlock.” Hilbeck called the plan a “face-saving attempt [to rescue] EFSA’s (European Food Safety Authority, like our FDA)  authority and credibility” that fails to address scientific dissent.  Basically, there really is not enough scientific evidence on either side of the issue to ban GMO's from production or not. 

Controversy continues to ensue over GMO's.  Although there seems to be an overall scientific consensus on the safety of GMO's,  several opponents of genetically modified food, such as the advocacy groups; Organic Consumers Association and the Union of Concerned Scientists, say risks have not been adequately identified and managed, and they have questioned the objectivity of regulatory authorities. Some groups  propose mandatory labeling of such products.    It has been such a fight to have products in the United States and other countries at the least, labeled GMO or non-GMO. 

It is our responsibility as a society to educate ourselves with the information that is available.  I can see how governments are concerned with food and other crops being readily available and sustainable especially with the ever growing populations around the world.  However, is genetically engineered food the best way to conquer the problem of sustainability and nutritional value?   Also, I definitely do not feel comfortable with the idea of consuming foods containing genetically engineered organisms without the complete picture as to how these organisms are affecting our health.  

Glufosinate Ammonium (GLA), is one of the most widely used herbicides in agriculture.   Glufosinate ammonium is the ammonium salt of phosphinothricin[D,L-homoalanin-4-(methyl)phosphinate],a structural analog of glutamate. GLA acts as a competitive and irreversible inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, a vital enzyme in plants, needed to fix nitrogen to organic molecules of ammonium ions. Glutamine synthetase is also present in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). In astroglial cells, glutamine synthetase plays an essential role in the homeostasis of glutamate, a major neurotransmitter in the CNS.  Thus, some researchers and scientists believe this herbicide has an affect on the recently increasing incidence of Autisim.  There has been a decent amount of publications on the acute neurotoxic effects of GLA, however, one study showed the chronic effects of low dosage GLA during neurodevelopmental stages in Mice pre- and post-natal.  This study came from Laugeray A et al in Behav Neurosci. 2014 Nov 2o.  GLA has harmful effects when administered during the highly sensitive pre- and postnatal periods. One hypothesis is that GLA acts on target-signaling systems that establish the basic patterns of connectivity, from early neuronal migration to disruption of later postnatal events that enhance or alter neuronal connections.  The present data also raise important questions regarding the acceptable daily intake(ADI) and whether this covers the total amount of a substance that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without adverse effects. The ADI value is determined on the basis of the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL), i.e., the level where a substance shows no toxic effects. The lowest NOAEL for GLA has been set at 2.1mg/kg/day on the basis of on a 2-year chronic feeding study in rats (EPA, 2011). The standard procedure for regulatory testing typically involves a series of tests to determine the value. In the study stated above, they observed harmful effects of GLA at a dose of 1mg/kg administered three times a week during both gestation and lactation.  This was approximately five times lower than the EPA approved dose (EPA, 2011).  
Of course, more research and information is needed as to the exact effects of herbicides and other chemicals in our crops and resources.   Personally, I will continue to do my best avoiding foods and other products that contain GMO's and other chemicals.  If you would like a list of Non-GMO farmers and other companies check out the information below.  
Stay Healthy.  Go Organic.  Buy Local.  Buy Fair Trade

Verified Non-GMO Brands- see much more at:   http://www.nongmoproject.org/find-non-gmo/search-participating-products/ 
Whole Foods-365 Everyday Value
Alexia All Natural
Bobs Red Mill
Foxy Organic
Blue Diamond Almonds
Dream
Organic Valley
Silk
SO Delicious, Dairy Free
Apple and Eve
Evolution Fresh Juices
Annie's
Arrowhead Mill's
Barbara's
Glutino
Whole Foods Market Bakehouse Breads
Murray's Chicken
Natural Sea
Wild Planet
NaSoya
Tempt
StonyField
Dr. Praeger's
Lundberg Family Farms
Van's Waffles

Peak Organic-IPA, summer session ale
Frey Vineyards Natural Organic Wines