Genetic Foods

[Guest Shingen]

ok, new topic.

I was wondering what you all thought about genetically modified foods, animals and the like. I saw a Nova show about it and it said like 85% of the American store-bought foods are genetically modified. Here's an little info I found about the show:

Harverst of Fear and Teacher's Guide

I'm not an expert, genetic or otherwise, but I'm interested in what everyone has to say about it. I think it's an important topic and one worthy of debate.

[ 04-29-2001: Message edited by: Shingen ]

[Guest]

Genetically altered foods are modified for a number of reasons, one is shelf life, another is that they are able to add nutrients that nature didn't get in there the first time.

I think that genetically altered foods are fine, it's all the crazy chemicals they use to kill the insects etc. that make me a little crazy, and all the Hormones that they give to some animals to make them produce milk, grow faster etc, etc. Lord knows what the left over hormones in the meat and the milk are doing to your body, at least with genetically altered foods, they can't alter you too!! lol

[Emmett.hendrick]

I think the genetically modified foods is overhyped, modification can be a great benefit in foods increased farm yields etc, but it seems to me that a small minority have got their voice heard by somebody and are doing their best to scare an awfull lot of people over nothing.

The fact is that food is safe and there are lots of controls in place to ensure that the food on your table is safe for your consuption, I mean, currently over here we have the Foot and Mouth out break but thats not going to stop me eating meat because I know its safe.

[Supreme Cmdr]

Oh cool!! A new topic. heh, the forum is beginning to look like a local swap meet, with all these diverse topics. Cool!

I only buy natural foods at my local grocery.

[Guest]

I blame the media for over-hyping GM foods, Like Emmett said, there are very strict controls on food, and i don't think that most people know much about GM foods (except what the media have told them). This is another example of the press throwing their weight around to fill their pages, i really don't like it.

However, now would be a good time to buy biotech stocks on the cheap, before all this blows over..

[aramike]

quote:

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Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Oh cool!! A new topic. heh, the forum is beginning to look like a local swap meet, with all these diverse topics. Cool!

I only buy natural foods at my local grocery.

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Hehe, no kidding! I can't remember the last time General Discussion was this active and diverse. Perhaps it's a diversion to take our minds off of the terrible wait for BCM (hint to Derek)?

Anyway, I prefer natural foods so when shopping, I get all of my fruits and vegetables at a farmer's market.

[Emmett.hendrick]

I'm not trying to insult anybody here but I do find there is a difference in shopping practices especially between the US and Ireland.

In the US people are alot more worried about their diet and will but stuff from farmers markets and stuff but over here we don't seem to care so much. MCdonalds is still the meal of choice for most people over here.

Correct me if I'm wrong but its an observation I have made.

[Guest Shingen]

What scares me is companies like Monsanto(?) and other 'bio-tech' companies are trying to copy-right entire structures and molecular chains with the DNA strand. I know that these companies spend vast amounts of time, money and man-power with R&D discovering the products that might come out of that research, but does that make those parts of the DNA strand any less mine and more their's?? I mean it's been estimated that 98% of all life on Earth have almost the same DNA code, and if companies start buying up the genome like property, where does that leave the rest of us??? Are we going to start gentically engineering our kids next??? Something to think about...

[Epsilon 5]

I'll eat modified food unless I turn green with antennas.

Here in canada, it takes about 3 to 7 years and millions of dollars in research to prove that some genetically modified food is not dangerous for humans.

Curious, just had a bunch of article about that in school for a big exam coming soon.

[Supreme Cmdr]

quote:

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I'll eat modified food unless I turn green with antennas.

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ROTFL!!! You've been hanging out too much, with Parias and his radioactive garden gnomes.

[Emmett.hendrick]

quote:

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Originally posted by Epsilon 5:

Curious, just had a bunch of article about that in school for a big exam coming soon.[/QB]

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Yea GM foods along with a couple of other issues seem to pop their head up in a sort of rotating fashion this month its GM foods next month it'll be something else etc but they all come round again to haunt us

[Guest]

In my opinion, every food we eat is "genetically modified". Unless we're eating protozoans or amoebas. I mean, let's face it, all they're really doing is accelerating and making more accurate the process of combining foods - which they've been doing for years, usually by splicing plants. Once they've determined that the food is not poisonous in it's new mutation, it's just another species of plant.

My $0.02.

[echo]

All I know is someone ruined my KFC experience, by stating they are fake chickens grown with no heads.

Beyond that I don't know enough to comment.

I guess what I don't know won't hurt me.

That and I don't do the food shopping.

[Wolferz]

I have some bad news for you echo....

The major producers of Chickens mix arsenic in with the chicken feed to promote faster growth.

On a brighter note: With all the preservatives I have eaten in my lifetime, my family won't be put out with embalming expenses when I croak.