50 Harmful Effects of Genetically Modified Foods

[Karlin]

http://www.cqs.com/50harm.htm

A four-year study at the University of Jena in Germany revealed that bees ingesting pollen from transgenic rapeseed had bacteria in
their gut with modified genes. This is called a "horizontal gene transfer." Commonly found bacteria and microorganisms in the human gut help maintain a healthy intestinal flora.
These, however, can be mutated.

The human gut bacteria, mutated, could produce symptoms like IBS or Chrones disease, which can be as tortuous as anything. Our entire health can be throw off by bad gut bacteria. And it sure looks like it could happen with GM crops and foods.

Thats just one of the ways GM foods and crops are bad for us. GM crops are, however, great for Monsanto, who is taking over all farming with terminator seeds and land grabs.

Read more at the link eh
K

 

[Liz]

People have been modifying gene pools for a LONG time. Where do you think domesticated animals came from. Or the grain varieties grown to feed us? I believe that all organisms are constantly changing no matter what the cause. That includes us and our tolerance to different foods.

 

[gc]

The human gut bacteria, mutated, could produce symptoms like IBS or Chrones disease, which can be as tortuous as anything. Our entire health can be throw off by bad gut bacteria. And it sure looks like it could happen with GM crops and foods.

I don't see how a gene can just get up and jump into another organism. And even if that is the case, why can't natural genes make the same jump? Finally even if the genes can jump species, there is no reason to believe that a bacteria, containing a gene that was introduced into the plant, would cause illness in humans.

 

[humanbeing]

RE: 50 Harmful Effects of

Well, what pisses me off most...

Is how a company like Monsanto can come in and isolate some genes, and then they profit off many thousands upon thousands of years of work by people (mostly women from thousands of years ago, and then farmers of both sexes later on). They basically claim everything about the plant in question once they isolate and identify a certain amount of genes.

And those goddamn terminator/suicide/betrayer genes! This is the finest case of corporate profit-seeking and how it is messed up. I cannot find one single thing about them that collectively benefits the human race.

Much of their altered crap still pollinates and what not, much as plants are naturally meant to do. And when it does so and lands in another farmer's untainted crop, all of a sudden Monsanto can sue the pants off of them.

One of the great mistakes from our past, in my opinion, was allowing people to patent any form of life.

 

[humanbeing]

I don't see how a gene can just get up and jump into another organism. And even if that is the case, why can't natural genes make the same jump? Finally even if the genes can jump species, there is no reason to believe that a bacteria, containing a gene that was introduced into the plant, would cause illness in humans.

When you look at things like bacteria especially, these things really can jump from organism to organism, whether or not they are natural genes. Many bacteria are capable of transfering genetic info amongst one another, even if they are not of the same species. The same is true even of gut bacteria, and while I wouldn't say there was no reason to believe it, I wouldn't see it as being the worst of problems by any means.

 

[Liz]

Yay Humanbeing!! I am horrified for the farmers that get sued for their genes! Man made or not...it is still canola. Canola breeds like any other living thing does. We cannot ever hope to own mother nature. We can work with her.. maybe even steer her a bit, but how vain to claim her as a posession.

Another note on the Round up readiness.... Roundup was a very valuable farm tool at one time... much like antibiotics in the health world. When we create plants we cannot kill, we have created a monster. Can you imagine the huge weeds that will develop, and growl at us as they devour our crops while we helplessly watch?

 

[gc]

I don't see how a gene can just get up and jump into another organism. And even if that is the case, why can't natural genes make the same jump? Finally even if the genes can jump species, there is no reason to believe that a bacteria, containing a gene that was introduced into the plant, would cause illness in humans.

When you look at things like bacteria especially, these things really can jump from organism to organism, whether or not they are natural genes. Many bacteria are capable of transfering genetic info amongst one another, even if they are not of the same species. The same is true even of gut bacteria, and while I wouldn't say there was no reason to believe it, I wouldn't see it as being the worst of problems by any means.

I thought genes could only be taken up by bacteria if they are on a plasmid (as opposed to a chromosome), and even then it is rare. Although I could be wrong on that. The only other possibility I can think of is somehow the plasmid involved in cloning is somehow left behind, although I thought there were ways for selecting only for plants that have been transformed.

I agree that companies like Monsanto only care about profits (but then again which companies don't).

 

[humanbeing]

RE: 50 Harmful Effects of

Hmm... horizontal gene transfer among bacteria isn't all that rare really. In fact, I am pretty sure it is quite common with certain prokaryotes.

An interesting thing you reminded me of that was so obvious yet slipped my mind: this isn't bacteria to bacteria we are talking about, it is food in one's gut to gut bacteria.

But it seems that lately (like in the past decade), biologists have been talking about horizontal gene transfer even outside of prokaryotes, but I honestly don't know many details. Undoubtedly, this would probably be rare (at least, relative to the same forms of transfer than occur among prokaryotes).

Certainly, it is something I will have to look into more. One paragraph about German researchers and their bees' gut bacteria from a source such as the one posted above will not cut it at all.

I agree that companies like Monsanto only care about profits (but then again which companies don't).

Yup, all corporations only care about profits and are designed by law to be concerned only with making large sums of money for their owners.

What I meant is that it's a good example of what can be completely wrong with this sort of a setup. Not for Monsanto's shareholders, mind you, but anyone and anything else. It's a stupid idea really, these suicide and betrayer genes. Really, really stupid.