Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe to Eat? (Science of Genetic Engineering)

Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe to Eat? (Science of Genetic Engineering)

Presented by Anastasia Bodnar PhD.

In a recent Pew poll, 88% of AAAS scientists said that genetically engineered crops were safe to eat. In contrast, only 37% of non-scientists surveyed said genetically engineered crops were safe to eat. While there are values-based issues involved, such as the role of capitalism and patents in our food supply, a large part of this gap can be explained by lack of information. In this talk, Anastasia Bodnar describes some of the technologies behind the genetically engineered foods on your plate and discuss some of the controversies that surround them.

Anastasia is a Board Member of Biology Fortified, Inc. BFI is an independent 501(c)(3) that aims to encourage conversation about agriculture, biotech, food, and related subjects. Originally from Florida, Anastasia has a BS in Biology from the University of Maryland and a PhD in Genetics, with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture, from Iowa State. In her research, Anastasia used biotech and breeding to enhance nutritional traits in corn and investigated potential unintended effects of genetic engineering.

Views expressed are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of the National Capital Area Skeptics.
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373 - Extreme Danger: Genetically Modified Foods - Raymond Obomsawin

Life Science Seminars International series.
Explore the connection between GMOs and health issues in humans. What does the food we eat have to do with allergies, digestive enzyme disruption and digestive impairments, immune reactions, toxic reactions in the digestive tract, liver and other vital organ damage, reproductive problems, infant mortality, reductions in birth size and growth, and even death?
http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/c/192/Life_Science_Seminars_International/
http://amazingdiscoveries.tv/media/1450/373-extreme-danger-genetically-modified-foods/

17 thoughts on “Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe to Eat? (Science of Genetic Engineering)”

  1. The people who sell the fucking pesticides also sell the gmo seeds so save me this extended way to bullshit people into funding your efforts to impose your species need to play the divine creator. How bout stop creating problems that you then try to find solutions which in the long run was worst than the fucking issue in the beginning.

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  2. Right at the beginning of your presentation you start comparing selective breeding as if it's the same thing as genetic modification. Disingenuous at best. Show me where or when any plant has been "naturally" crossbred with a fish or a goat has been selectively bred with a spider. GMO is not the same as selective breeding of plants nor anything like animal husbandry.

    Genetic engineering of plants can solve many problems, but comparing it the way you do isn't going to help people actually understand what it is and what it isn't.

    Until patents, impacts on wild type species, access to seed and propagation on par with historical timelines ie: 20 years. On top of many social and political issues (human eugenics)…ect…ect…are addressed, it's going to be mistrusted.

    GMO might be safe to eat but that doesn't mean it's safe from/for the human condition.

    Let me know when greed and economic prosperity can be GMO'd for the betterment of mankind and I'll agree with you.

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  3. so your whole argument for pesticides is just evolution as a con.  Maybe these crops can mutate around these herbicides to something new, maybe not known or containable.  perhaps that needs to be discussed before we genetically mutate everything ..I guess we are what they call "mad scientists"

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  4. and shes a vegetarian…..Id figure she was all for GM of cattle and game.  why not make them better, live longer, more fresh?  I think we need to step back and assess our right to Dominion over the Earth.  maybe we can live with nature, instead of change it for our liking.  a happy medium would be nice, but I cant pay double for organic food..

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  5. Unless there is a substantial reason for the state to compel speech, it is unconstitutional to do so even if said speech is purely factual.  No matter how seemingly concerned you may be, you do not have the right to force the disclosure of how many lefties were involved manufacturing the product of interest.

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  6. The likes of Vandana Shiva and Jeff Smith would have you believe that no Indian farmers commited suicide until the very date Bt cotton was release for commercial use in India and then they killed themselves at the rate of 16000/year, every year thereafter.  There are 100's of millions of farmers in India.  Do the math and compare to Indian and world's suicide rates.

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  7. Percy Schmeiser's fields were found to contain 98% of GM canola.  Percy maintained that all of it came from wind distributed seeds and pollen.  The judge found it most interesting that the wind managed to plant the GM canola all in perfect rows.

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  8. 1) No organic farmer ever lost certification from unintended incidental mixing.  Even so, he can still sell that crops as conventional.  

    2) Any mixing that does occur in practice is very negligible and within the confines of the expected mixing that has always occurred between two different strains.  The honest organic farmer does not select for the GM trait so the level of mixing remains negligible.

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  9. Same transient flow of a negative trait from a field can happen from any kind of new strain.  At least the GMO had gone through testing and screening.  So the risk from new GMO strains are less than that from other kinds of new strains.

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  10. Thanks to the National Capital Area Skeptics for inviting me, it was a ton of fun!

    Erratum – The GE soybean that used a Brazil nut gene was intended to result in a more balanced protein, not yield increase. You can learn more about allergenicity of that protein here genera.biofortified.org/view/Nordlee1996 and I'd just like to reiterate that that GE soybean project was cancelled as soon as they realized it was allergenic.

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