Articles & Resources

Genetically Modified Organisms
By Dominique Clancy, Director of Marketing

Genetic engineering, biotechnology and genetic modification are buzzwords that have recently grown in popularity. Or unpopularity depending on whom you speak to. Genetic engineering is the process of copying a gene from one living organism and adding it to another living organism using biotechnological methods. The debate about genetically engineered foods circles around human and environmental safety, labeling and consumer awareness, ethics, and environmental conservation.

Adding a new gene to a crop may give it a trait that is useful to growers and consumers such as creating plants that are more resistant to insects and disease, that simplify weed control or that produce fruit with a longer shelf life.

On the other side of this debate lie several food safety issues. Concerns have been raised about the potential for GE crops to cause new food allergies in humans, increase levels of toxins and/or decrease important beneficial nutrients found in some crops and allow for some bacteria to build up antibiotic resistance.

Ecological concerns include the potential for GE plants to have an improved ability to escape into the wild and become weedy or to transfer genes into other crop or weed species in which they may have an undesirable effect.

There are 12 different genetically engineered plants that have been approved for commercial production in the US. A simple rule of thumb might be that any food containing ingredients from one of these 12 plants could be from a GE variety. For example, because there are several approved varieties of GE corn, any product containing corn-- be it canned corn, corn syrup, cornstarch, or popcorn-- might contain GE corn.

Recent estimates suggest that at least 60 to 70 percent of processed foods contain at least one ingredient from a GE plant - this is largely due to the widespread adoption of GE corn and soybeans by farmers. These two crops are common ingredients in a multitude of food products in the marketplace. In addition to corn and soybeans, canola and cotton are crops that are commonly grown from GE varieties and are often found in processed foods such as cereals, potato chips, juice drinks and soda. Although some farmers grow potato, papaya, yellow squash and zucchini from GE varieties, they are rare in most markets in the northeastern U.S. I have not discussed or referred to genetically engineered animals since there aren't any currently available on the market. You may have heard about fast-growing genetically engineered salmon, but they are not likely to be in the market for several more years, if ever.

Three U.S. agencies regulate genetic engineering: the United States Department of Agriculture for environmental release and safety, the Food and Drug Administration for animal and human food safety and the Environmental Protection Agency for safety of pesticidal traits.

Why aren't GE food products labeled? When the FDA considers the safety of a new GE food, they compare it to a similar non-GE food. A GE food must be labeled or kept off the market entirely if it has any detectable difference in nutrition or allergenicity from a comparable non-GE food.

If you are concerned about eating genetically engineered foods, consider sticking to certified organic foods. Genetic engineering is not allowed in the production of certified 100% organic foods.

Certified Organic Farms in Fairfield County include the following:

Guy's Eco Garden
276 Leavenworth Road
Shelton, CT
(203) 929-3080
Farm stand at farm: 7 days/week, 9 a.m. till dark, honor system
Offers flowers, fruit, garlic, grapes, herbs, salad greens, vegetables

Shortt's Farm & Garden Center
52-A Riverside Road
Sandy Hook, CT 06482
(203) 426-9283
New Canaan and Sandy Hook Farmers Markets
Farm store at farm: April - October, 7 days/week
Offers eggs, fruit, herbs, salad greens, vegetables

Warrups Farms
51 John Reed Road
West Redding, CT 06896
(203) 938-9403
Weston Farmers Market
Farm Stand at Farm: mid August - End of Oct., Tues. - Sat. 10 - 6
Offers fruit, garlic, gourds, herbs, vegetables

Sources: Cornell University's Geo-Pie Project, www.geo-pie.cornell.edu, CT Nofa, www.ctnofa.org., www.saynotogmos.com,