Safety of Corn

The American public are under the belief that the food they eat has been thoroughly tested and inspected in order avoid any harmful effects.  But in actuality this is not the case when it comes to genetically modified food.  The study which is looked at in this section "debunks the myth that genetically modified (GM) crops are thoroughly tested, regulated and proven safe." In a peer-reviewed scientific paper published in Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews the fundamental flaws of how biotech companies test and the U.S. government regulates GM crops was exposed.  The paper entitled "“Safety Testing and Regulation of Genetically Engineered Foods” was published in 2004 and brings up the question of whether or not GM foods should be consumed.  The Biotech industries have claimed in the past that GM foods are safe but now that thorough testing and research was able to be conducted the results are to the contrary.  The paper took a closer look at a case study involving two forms of insecticide producing GM corn, making it clear that flawed regulations and testing allowed for these two forms to reach the market even though they have the potential to cause food allergies.  Their accusations are based on "nearly 100 sources, including little-know U.S. regulatory documents and unpublished studies by biotech companies."  There is well documented evidence that a product potentially harmful to the public was still able to be placed on the market, thus endangering the health of thousands upon thousands of people.  It seems that the American government is placing economic advancement and expansion as higher priorities then the health of its citizens and people around the world.  One of the authors of the paper put it perfectly, "The picture that emerges from our study of U.S. regulation of GM foods is a rubber-stamp ‘approval process’ designed to increase public confidence in, but not ensure the safety of, genetically engineered foods,” said Schubert.  America is a society obsessed with health and safety who would not put up with such devious actions by our government if they were made more publicly aware. 

"GM food regulation in the U.S. bears as little relation to good science as the typical used car ad to the true state of the automobile.  Both are designed to sell a product,” - Freese.

The article used and cited throughout this page can be found at the following address:

http://www.foe.org/new/releases/1104gmcrops.html

Back to Main Page

This site was created as part of the honors course: The Ideal at Monmouth College in Fall 2005