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What Is Bioengineered Food? New Laws, Bioengineered vs. GMO

AHA Publisher — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 09:51:34 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – As of January 2022, new food labeling laws take effect in the U.S. that replace the term “GMO foods” with “bioengineered food” instead. Believe it or not, GMO/bioengineered ingredients can be found in more than 75% of processed foods made in the U.S. Some consider these modern food production methods to be a necessary part of how we feed the world in 2022 and beyond — in order to keep up with growing demand as the population continues to climb. However, organizations, including the Center for Food Safety, believe that each day tens of millions of American infants, children and adults eat genetically engineered foods without their knowledge. New regulations and labeling laws hope to help fix this problem. So are bioengineered foods harmful or potentially healthy? Let’s find out below. What Is Bioengineered Food? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines bioengineered foods as “those that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature.” In other words, bioengineered foods are made with help from science and technology. Their genetic material is altered in a way that changes how the food is grown, usually to help produce more of the food at a cheaper cost. Are bioengineered foods the same as GMO foods? Bioengineered, or “BE” for short, is the federal government’s new way tor refer to genetically modified organisms (GMOs). While the two terms can mostly be used interchangeably, the new BE labeling laws leave out many products that are made with GMOs (more on this below). The main difference between the two is this: BE foods must contain detectable genetic material that shows up on tests, but many products made with new GMO techniques are untestable, so they don’t require BE labeling. Essentially, a food can contain small amounts of GMO ingredients, or be made with help from technology, but it still won’t bear a new BE label. What foods have bioengineered ingredients? The USDA has created an official “List of Bioengineered Foods.” The list contains 13 items that are considered bioengineered foods/ingredients: Alfalfa Arctic™ Apple Canola Corn Cotton Some Eggplant Ringspot Virus-Resistant Papaya Pink Pineapple Potato AquAdvantage® Salmon Soybean Summer Squash Sugarbeet These bioengineered ingredients are used to make many food products found on store shelves — including those that contain cornstarch, corn syrup, canola oil, high fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar and soybean oil. You’ll find the new BE label on processed foods and other products, such as: Sodas/soft drinks Baked goods Frozen meals Non-organic milk made from cows fed genetically modified soy products Tofu (GMO soy beans) Dressings made with vegetable oils (canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, safflower) Cereals Sweetened juices Canned soups Additionally, BE crops are used to make animal feed. Labeling Laws (USDA Update) Starting Jan. 1, 2022, “The National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard” took effect. It requires food manufacturers, importers and retailers in the U.S. to comply with a new national labeling standard for food that’s been genetically modified. What’s the goal of the new labeling? The new BE labeling law is regulated on a federal/national level compared to a state level, which was previously the case with GMO food labeling. The main goals of the new labeling laws are to “give people more information about what they eat and standardize labels across the country,” as one NPR article explained. The USDA says, “The updated labeling should increase transparency of our nation’s food system, establishing guidelines for regulated entities on when and how to disclose bioengineered ingredients. This ensures clear information and labeling consistency for consumers about the ingredients in their food.” How will bioengineered foods be labeled? Going forward, labels on some foods will say “bioengineered” or “derived from bioengineering.” Manufacturers can also use two BE logos approved by the USDA. Something controversial about the new BE labeling is that certain foods are exempt from needing to be labeled as bioengineered, even though they do contain some genetically modified ingredients. The USDA has stated that “highly refined ingredients (like some sugars and oils)” do not require labels if the level of genetic material is below the USDA’s detectability threshold. Exemptions to the new BE labeling include: foods that are, or are primarily made with, meat, poultry or egg products (these must be the first ingredients) or foods that are primarily made with water, broth or stock (again, these must be the first ingredient listed). Very small food manufacturers with sales below $2.5 million per year also don’t need to label their food as bioengineered. Aside from foods having BE labeling, packages can include QR codes for consumers to scan so they can learn more about the products. There is also a phone number listed on some bioengineered foods for consumers to text if they want to be provided with more information about that food. Risks and Side Effects Is it safe to eat bioengineered food? From a health standpoint, bioengineered foods are not very different than GMO foods, which are still controversial. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization, there’s no solid evidence that genetically modified/bioengineered crops are harmful to human health, although not every organization agrees, including the Non-GMO Project and Center for Food Safety. The Non-GMO Project created the product verification program to help educate consumers about the risks of consuming GMO foods, for both their health and the environment, and to help preserve and build a non-GMO food supply. For example, the Non-GMO Project explains: “Planting vast areas with just a few crops erodes biodiversity, while the chemical pesticides that go hand in hand with GMOs damage soil health. Agriculture that relies on GMOs is a losing proposition.” The Center for Food Safety states, “Genetically engineered foods are different from other foods. Genetic engineering allows, for the first time, foreign genes, bacterial and viral vectors, viral promoters and antibiotic marker systems to be engineered into food.” While it has not been proven in all studies, there’s potential that genetically engineered foods may contribute to health problems such as: antibiotic resistance allergies immuno-suppression loss of nutrients Are There Any Benefits? Are bioengineered food ingredients healthy? In most cases, no. The majority of genetically modified/bioengineered foods are highly refined and processed, meaning they are low in nutrients but may be high in calories. There are not added health benefits to consuming these foods or ingredients. In other words, technology has not made them healthier foods. However, they can be appealing because they are typically inexpensive, and they are widely available. One benefit of the new BE labeling law is that it keeps consumers better informed about what they are buying and eating. The new labeling is also intended to have “the interest of minimizing costs for producers” in mind. As one article published by Piedmont puts it, “GMOs have been in our food supply for more than 20 years. They are made by scientists who have genetically introduced new traits or characteristics to an organism, allowing it to grow faster, look better, taste sweeter and resist herbicides, etc.” How to Avoid Them When grocery shopping, check for new bioengineered labels. The USDA offers two official labels for BE products that contain circular green images with two different sets of text: either “bioengineered” or “derived from bioengineering.” You’re most likely to see these labels on products made with corn, soy, canola oil and sugar, such as some cereals, frozen foods, dressings, etc. The Non-GMO Project has created its own label known as “the Butterfly” that ensures a food does not contain GMOs or bioengineered ingredients. You can look for the Butterfly label on foods if you want to be sure the food is GMO-free. The organization has stated: “Bioengineered Food labeling law is ineffective at finding GMOs and avoiding GMOs, largely because of restrictions, loopholes and exemptions. Too much falls outside of the law’s purview for it to be effective. That’s why the Butterfly remains the most rigorous, transparent and trustworthy label for GMO avoidance.” Here are steps you can take to avoid bioengineered/GMO foods: Buy food that is labeled 100 percent organic. Purchase products with the Butterfly/non-GMO label. Opt for unprocessed, whole foods that contain minimal ingredients (or only one). Purchase grass-fed beef and organic dairy products. Shop at local farmers markets, and purchase more food from small producers. Conclusion What is bioengineered food? The USDA defines it as foods that contain detectable genetic material that has been modified through lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature. Bioengineered food ingredients include corn, canola, soybeans, sugarbeets and some others. These are found in many processed and refined foods. Food producers are now required to use two logos approved by the USDA to label bioengineered food under the new national standard that took effect on Jan. 1, 2022. These labels will replace GMO labeling in most cases. While it hasn’t been proven that GMO/bioengineered foods are harmful, they are mostly highly processed products that are lacking nutrients in most cases. To read the original article click here.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup Damages the Brain Like Cocaine

AHA Publisher — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 08:00:25 +0000

Jonathan Landsman via NaturalHealth365 – The latest research shows that high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is not only addictive but can cause behavioral reactions similar to those produced by drugs such as cocaine. The results of these studies were presented by addiction expert Francesco Leri, Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Applied Cognitive Science at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. These results clearly suggest that the current (global) obesity epidemic, violent crimes, and disease largely stem from poor quality food laced with HFCS, MSG, plus many other additive ingredients. Yet, the lame-stream media continues to focus on promoting greater governmental control over our lives to “save us.” How Does HFCS Alter (Damage) Brain Function? Did you know that drug addicts and high fructose corn syrup users – use the same (overused) brain circuits? There is significant activity in all areas of the brain, especially in the hippocampus, when consuming potent sweeteners. When addicted to powerful substances – you can literally burn out the brain from over-simulation. So, when you consider that a healthy brain is essential for learning, memory, and emotional wellbeing – it’s no wonder we have so many health problems from these unnatural sweeteners. Dr. Leri stated, “We have evidence in laboratory animals of a shared vulnerability to develop preferences for sweet foods and cocaine.” Dr. Leri investigated the behavioral, chemical, and neurobiological changes induced by the consumption of “addictive foods” in the body and brains of lab animals. Though we don’t always equate human studies with animal ones, there is one thing we surely have in common – humans (and animals) are being used experimentally. HFCS, aspartame, and GMOs do not have adequate safety testing – yet soulless politicians have approved them, and the health consequences are devastating. We Are What We Eat – Literally Our diet can modulate numerous pathways that can cause all types of inflammatory diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. And, let’s not forget, food significantly influences our moods and behavior. If you’re feeling a little depressed – clean up your diet! Food can switch critical genes off and on, modulate cell-signaling molecules and target different organs. When we consume unnatural (toxic) substances – we make it easy for the “wrong” message to get into our cells. What do you think – could all of this toxic food be causing the rise in autoimmune disorders? In a small human study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), scientists used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to track blood flow in the brain of young normal-weight individuals. The scans showed that drinking plain glucose “turns off the areas of the brain that are critical for reward and desire for food,” according to Dr. Robert Sherwin, Chief of Endocrinology at Yale University School of Medicine. According to Dr. Sherwin, it also showed that with fructose, “we don’t see those changes” and “as a result the desire to eat continues – it isn’t turned off.” The researchers saw these changes in the hypothalamus, insula, and striatum, which are regions in the brain that regulate appetite, motivation, and reward processing, in addition to increasing connections in certain brain pathways linked to satiety. Clearly, multinational food producers are profiting from metabolic “dis-ease.” More and more people (literally) don’t know how to stop eating. Millions of people (aimlessly) purchase billions of dollars in processed foods, and it’s slowly killing off humanity. Is HFCS Worse Than Sugar? Researchers found that fructose was more potent than glucose in bringing about changes within the central nervous system. We all know that excessive sugar intake can produce opiate-like effects similar to psycho-stimulants. Well, HFCS is no different – causing all kinds of food cravings, binging, and withdrawal issues. High fructose corn syrup may take longer to produce a cocaine-like reaction – but it’s real and quite harmful. In addition, HFCS will cause you to experience less focus and mental clarity, more drowsiness, and a higher level of anxiety. If you’re having difficulty concentrating or being productive – remove processed sugar (and artificial sweeteners) from your diet. We all want the same thing for ourselves and future generations – freedom, great health, and happiness. If we really want to improve our society by eliminating senseless violence and avoiding disease, we must improve humanity’s diet. Our future depends on it. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov ScienceDaily.com NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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