How often a day do you normally eat?

Some people stick to a strict 3 meals a day, while others, like myself, eat whatever they want whenever they want. Food has become a huge part of not just our lives, but our culture as well. No matter where we go, whether its a meeting, football game, or a party, food is almost always available to eat. Even when going to the grocery store such as Walmart or kroger, the vastness of our food choices is massive. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different vegetables, chips, soups, breads, yogurts, pastas, and so much more to choose from. However, many of these foods are have GMOs in them. GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. Food with GMOs contain bacteria or plant or animal DNA (GMO Facts, 2007). These modifications are mostly to enhance the performance and purpose of food, such as the RoundUp Ready soybeans which are resistant to the popular weed killer RoundUp (Wikipedia, RoundUp Ready Soybean). Genetic modification has been around since the mid-1900s. In fact, genetic modification has been around much longer than that. Farmers will take the seeds from the crop that did the best to save and re-plant the following year, and combine the seeds from other plants to create new varieties. However, with genetic engineering scientists can combine the genes of unrelated organisms to create something new. For instance, they can put a rat gene into lettuce to make a plant that produces vitamin C.

Though there are benefits of GMOs, there are also risks too. Thats where consumers are concerned. Information on whether or not a product contains genetically modified food is not readily available to consumers. Food is an essential part of our lives, thus, we have the right to know about, and have labeling for, GMOs and other genetic processes in our food because GMOs could be harmful, the absence of labeling inhibits the consumer from deciding whether they want to eat something with GMOs in it, and it affects both the environment and ourselves.

Since food is an important part of our lives, we as consumers have the right to know what we are eating because the additives and GMOs could be harmful for our bodies. Usually,

when a new product is allowed onto the market, the consumer trusts that it has gone through enough testing to be approved for human usage. However, unlike the strict safety evaluations required for the approval of new drugs, the safety of genetically engineered foods for human consumption is not adequately tested (LabelGMOs). The testing and observations done on food hasnt been sufficient. Without the proper testing were unsure how these genetically altered foods can affect us humans in the long run. The possible health risks might not be evident at first, but if something wrong is found to happen, it could potentially affect us all since the food was distributed before the effects kicked in.

Knowing what all we put into our bodies is essential to keeping ourselves healthy, thus consumers should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to purchase food with these genetic modifications or not. According to the FDAs Food Labeling Guide, Under FDA's laws and regulations, FDA does not pre-approve labels for food products. This basically means that food companies are not required to label due to FDA laws and regulations, however thats unfair to the consumer. We have a right to know what happens to what we are eating. It also begs the question of why some companies need to hide what is going into, and happening to, our food. There would be no need to refuse food labeling unless theyre wishing to keep certain information unavailable to to consumer, which leaves one to wonder even more about what happens to our food behind the scenes.

So how much of our food contains GMOs or is genetically modified? Well, in reference to the documentary Food Inc., about 70% of processed foods have some genetically modified ingredient. 70% means that approximately 7 out of 10 food items we buy from the store are going to be genetically altered in some way, shape, or form. The problem with this startling

statistic is that we wouldnt know it unless we researched it. That shouldnt be. To know that that much of our food is altered, and have no idea about it, isnt fair to the consumer because its vital information that we should have readily available, not hidden.

Our bodies are not the only things that could be potentially affected by food additives and processes. Its important to know whats in our food because some of the hormones and genetic material can lead to environmental problems which can lead into to more problems with what were consuming.There is the potential spread of noxious "superweeds" spawned by genes picked up from engineered crops (Ackerman, Jennifer. "Food: How Altered?"). Though things like superweeds and pesticide resistant insects doesnt sound like our problem it still affects us. It harms the environment because it prevents crops from growing the way theyre supposed to. I sat down with my dad, Dr. Obadiah Njue, chairman of the Horticulture department at UAPB, to ask exactly how pesticides and weeds affect our food. When the crop is affected, everyones affected, he stated. The crops are the base for all the different types of food in the stores...if anything happens to limit their growth or cause harm to them it decreases the harvest amount which then increases the prices for everything in the store, not just the fruits and vegetables. (Dr. Obadiah Njue). My dad went on to say that, with the introduction of more and more pesticide-resistant insects, more and more alterations will need to be made to crops and animals to prevent them from dying off or becoming diseased. This too will eventually lead to higher prices and more GMOs in the foods we eat.

Many researchers argue that GMOs are good because they allow for alterations that can benefit our health such as breeding fish that have increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids, or corn with higher levels of essential vitamins and minerals. In an interview between Jennifer Ackerman of National Geographic and Dean DellaPenna, a professor in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology department at Michigan State University, DellaPenna states that he

envisions...tomatoes and broccoli bursting with cancer-fighting chemicals and vitaminenhanced crops of rice, sweet potatoes, and cassava to help nourish the poorwheat, soy, and peanuts free of allergens; bananas that deliver vaccines; and vegetable oils so loaded with therapeutic ingredients that doctors "prescribe" them for patients at risk for cancer and heart disease (National Geographic, 2002). However, GMOs are still potentially dangerous. Though this breakthrough in biotechnology could be helpful, it still poses a threat. The main problem is that these foods are being rushed out to the market without scientists fully understanding their potential threats to health. In 2000, Taco Bell had a recall on some of their corn taco shells after tests confirmed they were made with genetically engineered corn that isn't approved for human consumption (Brasher, Phillip, 2000). Though that was more than a decade ago the fact of the issue of safety still stands.

We as consumers have the right to know what all is going into their food because it could pose a potential harm to us, it takes away our choice on whether or not we want to eat food with GMOs, and it poses a threat to the environment. So the next time you pick up some tomatoes or eat at a restaurant consider what exactly youre eating.

Ackerman, Jennifer. "Food: How Altered?" National Geographic May 2002: n. pag.National Geographic. Web. 09 Oct. 2013.

Food, Inc. Dir. Robert Kenner. Perf. Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan. Movie One, 2008. DVD.

United States. Food and Drug Administration. Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements. Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide. N.p.: FDA, 1994.Food Labeling Guide. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Oct. 2009. Web. 05 Sept. 2013. <http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/UCM265446.pdf>.

"What Are We Eating?" LabelGMOs. NationBuilder, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. <http://www.labelgmos.org/the_science_genetically_modified_foods_gmo>.

"Genetically Modified Foods." The Center for Health and the Global Environment. Harvard School of Public Health, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. <http://chge.med.harvard.edu/topic/genetically-modified-foods>. "Roundup Ready Soybean." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Oct. 2013. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. Brasher, Phillip. "Kraft Calls for Recall of Its Genetically Engineered Corn Taco Shells." Kraft Calls for Recall of Its Genetically Engineered Corn Taco Shells. Organic Consumers Association, 22 Sept. 2000. Web. 21 Oct. 2013.