Consumers across the globe are protesting against anything that is genetically modified.  According to a June 2013 ABC News poll – 93 percent of Americans support mandatory labels on foods containing GMOs, 57% are less likely to buy GM foods and 62% believe GMO foods are unsafe.(1)  It is a sore spot for consumers and it is changing grocery shelves across the world.  The average consumer no longer wants to consume GM produce or GM animals.  There has been an ongoing debate over the validity of a study done by French scientists which showed that GM foods (genetically modified crops) do cause cancer in research animals. 

The researchers used 200 albino Sprague-Dawley rats – 100 hundred females and 100 males as their animal model. Michelle Castillo, CBS News Correspondent writes in her 9/21/2012 article titled Study Says Genetically Modified Corn Causes Tumors, but Other Scientists Skeptical About Research writes “The results showed that female rats were two to three times more likely to die than the control group. Fifty percent of the males and 70 percent of the females eating Monsanto GM maize died earlier compared to 30 percent of males and 20 percent of females not eating genetically modified products.  Female rats seemed to be more negatively affected by genetically modified corn diets whether it was sprayed with Roundup or not.” The photographs of tumor riddled rats have had an impact on consumers worldwide.

The debate continues and additional studies are taking place to confirm the data. We do know that Americans have been eating genetically modified crops for decades now, that no cure for cancer exists and that many Americans continue to die of cancer but whether or not this is caused by GM foods is yet to be determined.  When in doubt, buy organic produce and animal and poultry meat with the label “Animal Welfare Approved”.

Genetically Modified Foods
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