Is Eating “that” Killing You?
By Bethany Aydinalp
Every summer in Minnesota, I have at least one cob of sweet corn. This is Minnesota, homegrown, farmer-grown, local produce. The last two years, I have gotten to hear more than once from my boyfriend how “cool” corn is, because of how far it has evolved for consumption. We were once at a barbeque, and he started grilling some corn and told my friends “Can you believe corn used to be so small? It’s so cool how it’s been grown and modified to be bigger so that humans can eat it and survive.” It was a tough crowd, crickets all around, but I agree the progression of food is an interesting concept. Growing up, my mom was BIG into organics. No GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism), no chemicals, no additives, etc. This was because my mom believed that non-organic produce was dangerous or unhealthy in comparison to organic produce. In all actuality, all she did was spend a lot more money on groceries because GMOs are safe to eat.
Some people just like to eat and buy the food they want and don’t even know what a GMO is. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a GMO as “A plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its genetic material (DNA) changed using technology that generally involves the specific modification of DNA, including the transfer of specific DNA from one organism to another” (2020). This means that if a food item has been changed or modified from the original product, it is considered a GMO. For example, the watermelon was altered from the original to make the seedless watermelon.
It is easy to think “what is there to modify about an apple? It’s tasty the way it is.” Because produce grows outside exposed to the elements and bugs, modifying them to grow despite the cold or to help keep bugs away is what keeps fresh produce in the grocery store. According to a Harvard University summary of scientific research, GMOs should be considered safe for consumption. GMOs undergo a variety of tests from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the FDA, which ensures the safety of the food before it hits the store. This is interesting because many people continue to purchase organic foods due to the false belief that GMOs are cancerous or dangerous. GMOs are beneficial to a certain extent because they grow larger and at times, producing more nutritious food. Additionally, organic food is more expensive and smaller, making it a less attainable option for lower-income buyers. This myth must be put to rest so that people can stop worrying about what their food is doing to them, and people can stop spending $5 on a dozen eggs.
Obviously, consumers will continue to choose whatever kind of produce they desire, whether that be organic or generic. People will always choose to believe what they think is true no matter what the research says. However, I encourage people to challenge themselves and think about what the research has found about GMOs when shopping at the grocery store — they are safe to eat. Shoppers can go ahead and think of this blog and know they don’t have to spend an extra $2 on organic potatoes because regular, GMO potatoes are just fine.
References
Kobayashi-Solomon, E. (2019). Here's The Real Reason Why GMOs Are Bad, And Why They May Save Humanity. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkobayashisolomon/2019/02/15/heres-the-real-reason-why-gmos-are-bad-and-why-they-may-save-humanity/?sh=6eb7acc4877b
Norris, M. L. (2017). Will GMOs Hurt My Body? The Public’s Concerns and How Scientists Have Addressed Them. Harvard University. The Graduate School of Arts and Science. http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Agricultural Biotechnology. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/agricultural-biotechnology?utm_source=google&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=feedyourmind2020