GE F o o ds a n d H e a lt h 241
GE Foods and Health
Some of the health effects of GE foods are known because people have become
sick from eating them. Other health problems are suspected but not yet proven.
Government agencies in the United States and other countries that develop
GE crops have refused to test their possible health effects. Corporations that
develop these crops do everything possible so their crops will not be tested.
GE crops and the foods made from them are often not labeled, and are mixed
with ordinary crops and foods. All this makes it difficult to know if a GE food is
dangerous or if someone has become sick from eating GE crops.
How can I know
if the formula we
are feeding our
baby contains
GE crops or not?
There is no way to know because
the companies will not tell you
on the label. But most formula is
made from soy, and soy is one of
the most GE crops around!
It would be better
for the baby to be
breastfeeding anyway.
Would you like me to
speak with your wife?
Health problems from GE crops
To know for certain what the health effects of GE crops are will require many
years of study. Scientists have already done some studies that show GE crops
probably do cause health problems:
Allergies
Foods made from GE crops contain things that have never been eaten before.
This may cause people’s bodies to have bad reactions to these foods. Because
we cannot know in advance what substances in GE crops will cause allergies,
people may become allergic to many of the foods they commonly eat.
Increased pesticide poisoning
Most GE crops grow well only when large amounts of chemicals are added.
Some GE seeds have even been designed to contain pesticides. Limited use
of some pesticides may benefit farmers. But using too much leads to more
pesticide poisonings of both people and the environment (see Chapter 14).
Cancer and organ damage
Animals fed GE potatoes and tomatoes had changes in their stomachs that
could lead to cancer, damage to the kidneys and other organs, and poor
brain development. But when GE foods are not tested or labeled, it is almost
impossible for doctors to know if a person’s cancer or organ damage is caused
by GE foods.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012