How much of infant formula ingredients are genetically engineered? 2 per cent? 10 per cent? 50 per cent? 75 per cent? 99.9 per cent? Your guess is as good as mine. Read the ingredient list? I can barely prounounce the ingredients and I supposedly learned English in US schools. OK? What about cow's milk? We know that recombinant bovine growth hormone is in cow's milk (unlabeled). Recombinant means that it is was man-created not naturally created. If the product is soy, we know that 80% of US soy crops are genetically engineered. That means that the genes and specifically DNA has been manipulated by someone in some lab. We are told by those who produce this new food that we shouldn't worry, it's safe. And we are told to save the world from famine that it is necessary to use this technology. (Tell this to India, where farmers are committing suicide in large numbers because of crop failures and the necessity of buying genetically engineered seeds--no saving seeds, the farmer must buy from the company store--Monsanto) Genetic engineering seems to be requiring the use of more and more pesticides and herbicides putting farmers at risk financially. And we need to factor in the risks to human health from handling, spraying such chemicals onto your land where you have to breath, drink, and eat.
There is a long list of ingredients in formulas. Do parents who buy this product for their babies know how these ingredients are made/created? Formulas have added vitamins and minerals because the food is highly processed and is devoid of nutrients. Many of those vitamins and minerals are not absorbed well and manufacturing processes often overload the vitamins because of shelf life (18 months).
Many of those vitamins are derived from corn (vitamin c--60% of US corn crop is genetically engineered) or soy. The oils are derived from crops that are often genetically engineered. So who knows what this mix means for infants and their future health.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists genetically engineered foods have a potential of harm to health and the environment.
Dr. John Fagan, a molecular biologist at the NIH for some years, states that there are risks to eating genetically engineered foods. He mentions an increase in allergies. The potential of toxins in foods--specifically mentioning the L-tryptophan disaster in which 37 people died and 1500 people were permanently disabled around the world. L-tryptophan was genetically engineered. It was a supplement and it took a while before anyone understood what had happened. It was called a manufacturing error. Another risk he mentions is reduced nutritional quality.
We face a society in which we learn after the fact that our food is being changed at the molecular level. Food no longer tastes the same, children are sicker and fatter. And we point the finger at parents being too indulgent. Yet food has changed to met the supposed needs of a society that is into fast living, fast food eating. Our foods are laden with salt and sugar and bet ya just can't eat one potato chip ya eat the whole bag. We have become a society addicted to our fast food and fast living. We have to medicate ourselves to survive our food. We feel like crap and we are miserable. We are drawing in the poisonous nature of our food, digesting a world of pesticide, herbicides and now genetically engineered organisms. Our science is mixing human genes with bacteria, fungi, yeast, and animals, and we wonder why we have this new disease called H1N1-swine flu. How is it that diseases are now quickly jumping the species barrier? The government called it a "novel" flu. Novel, great word--we call DHA novel. What does the government mean when they use the word novel, new? What does the future hold for all these babies who are being fed this novel food we call infant formula? We believe that infant formula must have a place in our society. Shouldn't it matter what the choice may mean for the long term health of these childern? Stormy weather ahead....is life about greater profits and making money? Does money take priority over truth, health and the well-being of our next generation?
Copyright 2009 Valerie W. McClain
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