Book Description
Without knowing it, Americans eat genetically modified (GM) food everyday. While the food and chemical industries claim that GMO food is safe, a considerable amount of evidence shows otherwise. In Seeds of Deception, Jeffrey Smith, a former executive with the leading independent laboratory testing for GM presence in foods, documents these serious health dangers and explains how corporate influence and government collusion have been used to cover them up. The stories Smith presents read like a mystery novel. Scientists are offered bribes or threatened; evidence is stolen; data withheld or distorted. Government scientists who complain are stripped of responsibilities or fired. The FDA even withheld information from congress after a GM food supplement killed nearly a hundred people and permanently disabled thousands. While Smith was employed by the laboratory he was not allowed to speak on the health dangers or the cover-up. No longer bound by this agreement, Smith now reveals what he knows in this groundbreaking exposé. Today, food companies sell GM foods that have not undergone safety studies. FDA scientists opposed this, but White House and industry pressure prevailed and the agency's final policy--co-authored by a former Monsanto attorney--denied the risks. The scientists' concerns were made public only after a lawsuit forced the agency to turn over internal documents. Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture, describes the government's pro-biotech mindset: "You felt like you were almost an alien, disloyal, by trying to present an open-minded view. . . . So I pretty much spouted the rhetoric. . . . It was written into my speeches." In Seeds of Deception Smith offers easy-to-understand descriptions of genetic engineering and explains why it can result in serious health problems. This well-documented, pivotal work will show you how to protect yourself and your family.
Customer Reviews:
A good reason to eat organic and avoid processed foods.......2007-09-18
Jeffrey Smith has done an excellent job in exposing the truth about genetically modified foods. Seeds of Deception is easily understandable, compelling and well documented. It's disheartening that the people in control of the food supply are so focused on their bottom line and don't seem to care about the long-term health and safety effects of introducing foreign genes into the food supply. Genetically engineered ingredients are already in foods on the grocery store shelves right now. If you care about your health, you need to read this book, avoid processed foods and buy organic.
A must read.......2007-06-22
About three years ago I saw a "debate" about genetically modified food on public television. The panel had two people who were gung ho in favor of GMO food, and one who was on the fence about it, an appalling lack of balance. Just yesterday I was telling someone that, sadly, I no longer eat Hersheys because they've started using genetically modified ingredients, and he replied "what's that?" The lack of news or discussion of this issue in the past decade has left most people completely in the dark about what's going on. This book could save the planet if enough people read it. We are our genes. Humans, animals and plants have survived by our genetic makeup. Our relationships with plants and animals is based on our genetics and theirs. The unadvertised, sadly un-discussed mutilation of the genetic heritage of our natural world is a planetary suicide that has just begun. I recommend this book to anyone who would like to understand the GMO movement, its history, its motivations, its scandals and its dangers.
If you think GM foods are safe, think again........2007-04-12
I have not tracked the genetically engineered food issue carefully, having only seen mainstream media reporting.
BEFORE I started reading this book, I thought that:
1. The genetic engineering technique is very precise and duplicatable, inserting single genes into a plant's DNA that do a precise job.
2. Genetically modified (GM) food is essentialy the same as the non-GM counterpart.
3. There are few if any known serious health risks from eating most GM food
4. GM practices can reduce pesticide use because the plant has its own pesticide. This is an environmental benefit.
5. GM food can increase yields, given the same amount of land for growing - which has been a great benefit in some third world countries.
6. There are considerable environmental risks that have probably not been ade1quately studied. For example, monarch butterflies were being harmed in GM fields.
Overall I felt that the issue was not very clear cut, there were great advantages, but caution is also advised.
AFTER I read this book, I learned that:
1. The GM technique is extremely imprecise, it is like shooting a shotgun of genes at a bunch of DNA strands, and hoping a few stick. Furthermore, the surrounding genes suffer considerable collateral damage that is impossible to predict the effects of.
2. This collateral damage results in GM food often being very different from the non-GM version, especially in increase of toxins and allergens.
3. There are a number of well documented cases of people getting very sick, and some cases dying from these toxins and allergens.
Yet, the FDA and GM biotech industry and mainstream media continues to say that there is little evidence of health risk.
4. One of the most pervasive GM foods is Monsanto's Ready Roundup soy bean. It is specifically designed to be resistant to Monsanto's brand of pesticide. This results in MORE of that pesticide being used.
5. The argument about increased yields to save the planet is often used as a last resort when you point out the truth about GM being an imprecise technique, and that there are serious health risks. It is a way of bringing in a moral dimension that most people will buy. Yet, the planet already has much more food than it needs to feed everyone. This is not the reason for GM foods. Profit is.
6. The environmental risks may be many and unstudied, to be sure. Much more shocking is that there are hardly any careful studies demonstrating that GM food is safe. Basically, scientificaly weak arguments are use to argue that there is no reason to conduct such studies.
This is barely scratching the surface, this book is extremely well written and documented. It tells a sobering story of:
* Corporate greed,
* Rampant conflict of interest with industry being in bed with the FDA, for example:
- Scientists warnings are routinely ignored
- Monsanto officials come to work at the FDA to make policy, then return to Monsanto
- The doctoring of information is much like what the current Bush adminstration has done with scentific reports about global warming.
* Most funding for research in GM comes from industry.
* People are afraid to do research that might discover inconvenient truths about the safety of GM foods - because they are bullied, threatened and can lose their careers.
* Massive media manipulation filters out virtually all anti-GM stories; books have gone unpublished for fear of lawsuits by pro-GM companies
* Pro-biotech companies and the FDA itself have ample evidence of safety concerns, and they consistently lie about it. It reminds me of the tobacco situation.
Some may complain that this book does not present a balanced view. You be the judge. And anyway, even if it is one one-sided, its about that that this side was aired.
But don't take it from me, or from the author. Read the book, check the references, and reach your own conclusions. Even if only a few things in this book are true, it has major consequences.
I recommend that anyone who cares about their health, and their future read this book right away!!! You are not going to find out about this information from the mainstream media.
No one is harder to teach..........2007-03-29
...than someone whose job depends on not understanding what you're trying to tell them!
Interesting how the only country in the world selling this Frankenfood is the one sufficiently industrialised (that there could be a market for something other than "just plant this seed and eat what grows out of it"), which also happens to have a government wholly bought and paid for by the megacorporations pushing this junk. In the rest of the developed world--where governments (and their regulations) are at least somewhat responnsive to the people and not just their corporate masters--no one will touch the stuff. They won't pay a penny for it. They're literally fighting to keep it fron contaminating their food supply.
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. And yes, what is the "balanced" view? OK, in this chapter we take a look at the benefits of putting untested weird gene-tweaked crap into your body and the biosphere...
What americans don't know..........2007-02-17
...is that biotech companies are stealing your right to decide what you want to eat!
This book reviews - among other subjects - how a handful of multibillion companies are mixing their genetically modified ingredients into the food you and your children eat - without your knowledge. And worse: aided and abetted by the FDA.
If you care about your consumer rights, this book is an eye-opener. In this case the old saying that "what you don't know can never hurt you" proves absolutely wrong.
People in the EU have already given GMO foods the bashing they deserve. But not people in the US. Want to know why? The info is in this book.
Book Description
Eating genetically modified food is gambling with every bite.
The biotech industry's claim that genetically modified (GM) foods are safe is shattered in this groundbreaking book. Sixty-five health risks of the foods that Americans eat every day are presented in easy-to-read two-page spreads. The left page is designed for the quick scanning reader; it includes bullets, illustrations, and quotes. The right side offers fully referenced text, describing both research studies and theoretical risks. The second half of Genetic Roulette shows how safety assessments on GM crops are not competent to identify the health problems presented in the first half. It also exposes how industry research is rigged to avoid finding problems.
This book, prepared in with input by more than 30 scientists, is for anyone wanting to understand GM technology, to learn how to protect themselves, or to share their concerns with others. It is presented in the clear, accessible style that made Jeffrey Smith's Seeds of Deception the world's best-selling book on genetically engineered foods. As the world's most complete reference on the health risks of GM foods, Genetic Roulette is also ideal for schools and libraries.
Customer Reviews:
Great reference on GM foods.......2007-09-18
Genetic Roulette is well organized, well researched and well documented. It's layout makes it easy to pick out the main points of a topic or get all the details. It makes a handy reference and a good resource for plowing through all the specifics.
Jeffrey Smith is a stickler for accuracy. When I contacted him to use some excerpts from his books in my new editon of FOOD ADDITIVES: A Shopper's Guide..., it was very clear to me that he wanted to make sure that I was absolutely accurate with my facts. He demonstrated to me, his commitment to complete and total accuracy and publishing only factual information.
If you want to know the truth about genetically engineered food, I highly recommend this book.
GENETIC ROULETTE is a unique reference not to be missed........2007-08-07
GENETIC ROULETTE: THE DOCUMENTED HEALTH RISKS OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS is a recommended pick for college-level health libraries: it covers everything from genetic transfer issues and risks for children and newborns to safety-related assumptions that have been proven wrong, signs of toxic reactions, and more. Packed with charts, FDA review information, details on regulatory issues and industry studies, and overall health concerns, GENETIC ROULETTE is a unique reference not to be missed.
Food Advice from Flying cultist? Be my guest.......2007-07-27
Jeff Smith purports to present "science" demonstrating the dangers of genetically engineered foods. Rather than deconstruct the hilariously paranoid, non-scientific boogeymen that Smith and others see in GM foods, I think readers should know just exactly who author Jeff Smith is. Then they can decide if this self-published book is worth reading. (yes, Smith published this book himself, as no respected publisher would take it)
Jeff Smith is an ardent and long-time follower of the Maharishi cult that has taken over a small town in Iowa. Over the past decade, the Maharishi cult has meddled in many things (their town only allows the sale/serving of "organic foods."), including attempts to get their members elected into political office.
Jeff Smith was an aide to a Maharishi cult candidate running for the U.S. Senate in Illinois in 1996. During the campaign, Smith and others would demonstrate "yogic flying" on the campaign trail and explain how SCIENCE shows yogic flying reduces crime, etc.
According to the University of Illinois' Daily Illini student newspaper (10/28/1996):
"Jeffrey Smith, a Davis aide and one of the three flyers, explained the idea and effects of yogic flying, which relies on practicing transcendental meditation, to the small crowd.
"Smith presented charts with evidence of a correlation between the presence of yogic flyers and an increase in the quality of life and a decrease in crime. Smith cited limited yogic flying programs in Washington D.C. and near the Middle East that resulted in less crime and more harmony.
"'(This is why) Jim Davis as the Senate candidate for the Natural Law Party believes that any city that has a group of say 7,000 yogic flyers practicing together will not only generate great coherence and cleansing effect for the nation and the entire world, but will enjoy a dramatic reduction in crime rate within the city,' Smith said."
So, please -- if you're into "yogic flying" and believe that science proves "yogic flying" reduces crime, then this book (and author) will be credible. If you have a more "grounded" view of science and food safety, steer clear of this paranoid rant.
P.S. Smith also teaches Swing Dancing if that's builds up his credibility any.
The last word on GM risks.......2007-06-09
What's your response when someone comes out with a statement they've picked up from somewhere to the effect that "There's no evidence that GM food is harmful"?
If you have time and energy, perhaps you manage to scrabble together bits and pieces from memory, the web, or an article. But considering the number of calls that the business of living places on us, perhaps you just shrug your shoulders and muse that the world is going to hell in a handbasket of Bush, Blair, and Monsanto's making and there's nothing you can do about it.
Well, now there is. Just point them in the direction of the latest book from Jeffrey Smith, Genetic Roulette.
A must-read for policy-makers, educators, and journalists, it's also invaluable for anyone who wants to sharpen their weaponry in the battle against the imposition of GM foods. And judging by emails I've received from students asking about the risks of GM food, every educational institution and public library needs a copy.
Those who enjoyed Smith's previous book, Seeds of Deception, should be warned that this isn't the same sort of read. Seeds laid out the fraud of GM through its stories: the honest scientists who were gagged, threatened, and persecuted; the consumers who got sick and died from eating a supplement produced with GM bacteria, only to have their suffering covered up by a government protecting industry interests. Genetic Roulette is not a book of stories, but an easy-to-use reference book of scientific and other documented findings on the risks of GM foods.
Contrary to what the industry would have us believe, a considerable number of findings show GM causes harm, and they are clearly presented in this book. Given the worrying lack of substantial published research, Smith also draws upon unpublished studies, case studies, medical reports, media reports, and eyewitness accounts. Unlike the notorious pronouncements of biotech industry supporters, statements of opinion are never misrepresented as scientific fact. The author has gone to great lengths to maintain accuracy, having each section of the book checked by at least three scientists.
Conspicuous by their absence are follow-up studies to those that show harm from GM foods. The book details tactics that industry uses to bury inconvenient research, including ignoring it, attempting to discredit the research or its authors, and funding competing studies so poorly designed that no meaningful findings can be extracted. If all else fails, industry-aligned researchers discount deaths of experimental animals or claim that statistically significant results have, magically, no significance at all.
The layout of the book is an exemplar of clarity and should serve as the model for any reference book. It is designed to make the material accessible to three levels of reader: scanners, casual readers, and those who want detail. Each double-page spread is devoted to a problem with GM foods, with the left-hand page having the topic heading, a quote by an expert, and a few summarizing bullet points; the right-hand page gives technical detail. You don't need a science background to understand it. While the book is not bedtime reading, terms are defined and the boggle factor is kept low. The table of contents enables the reader to scan the problems with GM food and quickly to access the evidence on each.
Smith has to be the best science communicator alive today, and this book stands as the final word on GM health risks. It's the definitive answer to those who don't know, those who don't want to know, and those who know but don't want anyone else to know.
Book Description
• The book that takes a comprehensive look at the threat to our food supply from genetic engineering.
• 15,000 copies sold in the first six months.
• Includes new studies about the dangers of genetically engineered food.
• Refutes the "feed the poor" propaganda spread by agribusinesses.
• Is both an expose and educational primer on this controversial technology that is already a part of every American's diet.
• Explains the dangers of these foods to ourselves and our environment in easily understood terms.
Picture a world?
• Where the french fries you eat are registered as a pesticide, not a food.
• Where vegetarians unwittingly consume fish genes in their tomatoes.
• Where corn plants kill monarch butterflies.
• Where soy plants thrive on doses of herbicide that kill every other plant in sight.
• Where multinational corporations own the life forms that farmers grow and legally control the farmers' actions.
That world exists
These things are all happening, and they are happening to you.
Genetically engineered foods--plants whose genetic structures are altered by scientists in ways that could never occur in nature--are already present in many of the products you buy in supermarkets, unlabeled, unwanted, and largely untested. The threat of these organisms to human and environmental health has caused them to be virtually banned in Europe, yet the U.S. government, working hand-in-hand with a few biotech corporations, has actively encouraged their use while discouraging labeling that might alert consumers to what they are eating. The authors show what the future holds and give you the information you need to preserve the independence and integrity of our food supply.
What can you do?
First, inform yourself.
Genetically Engineered Food: Changing the Nature of Nature is the first book to take a comprehensive look at the many ramifications of this disturbing trend.
Authors Martin Teitel and Kimberly Wilson explain what genetic engineering is and how it works, then explore the health risks involved with eating organisms never before seen in nature. They address the ecological catastrophe that could result from these modified plants crossing with wild species and escaping human control altogether, as well as the economic devastation that may befall small farmers who find themselves at the mercy of mega-corporations for their livelihood. Taking the discussion a step further, they consider the ethical and spiritual implications of this radical change in our relationship to the natural world, showing what the future holds and giving you the information you need to act on your own or to join others in preserving the independence and integrity of our food supply.
Customer Reviews:
these reviewers blindly regirgitate antiscience gibberish.......2004-05-14
This book is garbage. Tell me of one documented case of human ill-effects from GMO's and maybe I will sway. Recently the Zambian gov't turned down 18000 tons of emergency grain from the US because it was GM. People died of starvation as a result. At least take the time to get the other side of the story before taking this book as the gospel truth. I respect Nader for alot of the things he has done. This book is certainly not on that list.
Explore genetically modified food and its dangers..........2001-06-12
I first heard about the issue of genetically modified (GMO) food a few years ago when the protest movement against it began in Great Britain and then spread to the rest of Europe. However, I did not know the issues involved...
After reading this book, I think I have a better grasp on the problems with GMO foods as contrasted to traditional food. The most shocking assertion I found in the book is that GMO foods do not offer any benefits (whether it be higher yields, higher nutritional value etc...). I have not done enough research to verify this either way but if true that would be quite shocking.
Some of the interesting things I learned in the book:
- GMO science is quite imprecise. Researchers are often not sure if the insertion of foreign genes into a host (e.g. a plant) will have the predicted results or not.
- The immense size of some GMO companies, notably the American firm Monsanto. (To give some perspective: Microsoft is to the software industry as Monsanto is to the GMO industry)
One of the most pressing concerns for me was the commercialization of agriculture. For example, Monsanto spent $8 billion US in the first half of 1998 buying out seed companies (a few companies may end up owning patents to all the seeds in the world if this is left unchecked). The new trend of patenting seeds is also creating a dependency on the part of the farmers. Prior to GMO, farmers would save the seeds from their better crops and plant those next years. GMO companies, through contracts and other legal instruments, now insure that farmers buy from them EVERY year and they penalize the farmers if they attempt to save seeds. The whole concept of OWNING plants and organisms was very disturbing (it was interesting to note that a little known US Supreme Court decision Diamond v. Chakrabarty 1980 set a precedent in patenting life)
There was also some discussion of whether GMO foods should be labeled as such (the authors argue that GMO foods should be labeled). Of course, this is done in Western Europe, so there is no question of whether this is possible. GMO companies are vigorously fighting this, fearing that the public will immediately stop buying their products.
The main content of the book consisted of documenting various cases where GMO foods have caused problems of some sort or another. There was an interesting point made on how much of an influence GMO companies have on the Food and Drug Administration in the US. There was also an introductory section on genetic engineering, so the beginner will not get lost.
The authors offered a personal strategy whereby one can try to publicize the issue, find alternatives to buying and eating GMO foods and so on. The authors are clearly of the view that GMO foods are, at best, a strange unknown and, at worst, a foolish risk.
I took off a star off because the writing could have been better and the authors made their agenda a little too obvious. It would have improved the book if they had included and responded to some of the pro-GMO counter-arguments.
Essential Reading.......2001-03-13
The authors have succeeded in putting forward a well-researched and well-argued overview of genetically modified food which the layman can understand. It deals not just with the science, but with the moral, ethical and political debate. With one of the agri-giants reputed to be developing a courgette with a human conscience, this book examines the far reaching implications of genetic engineering.
A must read for anyone who eats (and thats everyone!).......2001-03-11
This is a well written book that provides the facts about modern genetically modified foods such as corn and soy and explores the different avenues by which these foods can be harmful to us as well as other animals.
The book does not tell you what you should do, but it really does not have too because the evidence the authors provide is so compelling, that anyone who reads this book will think twice about their next purchase at the store.
The book also explores the nature by which large corporations such as Novartis and Monsanto are able to saturate the market with their products before ample (or any kind of) testing is performed. Monsanto is also on the path to a closed loop business whereby they sell the farmers the GMO seeds which in turn require the pesticide (or other chemical) also manufactured by saiid company and the farmer must also pay a technology fee for using the seed!
A must read!
Please read this for yourself and your loved ones!.......2001-02-21
Did you know that there are tomatoes on the market right now that have been engineered to contain the genes of arctic fish? Know anyone with a fish allergy? Or that the proliferation or GM foods threatens the existence of "organic" foods and your right to choose? Cross-pollenation and genetic pollution of soil threaten the health of you, your family and our environment. This slim volume is a fascinating (if horrifying) read and contains a comprehensive and realistic list of things you can DO ABOUT IT, in your kitchen, in your neighborhood and in your country. I'm buying copies for several friends.
As consumers, we need to say that we WILL NOT STAND for this!
Book Description
Stormy debates about genetically engineered (GE) food have raged throughout the world in recent years, and the issue is now more potent than ever. Seventy to eighty percent of processed foods now sold in supermarkets contain genetically engineered ingredients, and the trend is growing at a startling rate. This second, completely revised edition of Genetically Engineered Food is an all-in-one guide written specifically to help consumers educate themselves about the risks posed by GE foods. Ronnie Cummins and Ben Lilliston, both leading consumer advocates, provide comprehensive, up-to-the-minute, action-inspiring information, including how to identify GE foods, products to avoid, brands that are GE-free, and how to shop and act with a purpose. They discuss all of the ethical, environmental, and health arguments against GE food, how these foods are being regulated in the United States and abroad, and why consumers are right to oppose them. Genetically Engineered Foods is the first and still one of the few consumer-oriented guides addressing this important subject.
Customer Reviews:
Another Point of View.......2006-08-08
Interestingly, I look at this issue in quite a different way. GM food is tested and has been shown to be safe. I try my best to search out GM products and avoid untested organic stuff!
DECIDE BEFORE YOU EAT IT !.......2006-02-04
Genetically engineered food has not been proven that causes obvious dangerous results.This is what the major food companies claim to be true and this is what they use as a strong argument for not labeling the products that contain genetically engineered ingredients. This book does what governments should have done around the world years now uncovers all the companies that use such ingredients after have been tested. Explains why the dangerous disinformation we get from the promoters of the gene foods can be dangerous not only for our health but for the future of humankind and goes even deeper analyzing the structure of this propaganda and how it works. At the end includes a list of companies with real organic foods and many sources like books lists catalogues web sites were you can find the informations you need to find what we should eat.
I must mention that i had really good time reading this book and specially the part that mentions the six myths that the companies use to present us the genetically engineered food as the panacea that is going to save the world. I doubt that your life is going to be the same after you will gather all these information.
P.S. it deserves five stars because it makes you feel much safer after you read it.
A Resourceful Book.......2005-01-09
This is a wonderful, resourceful book that captured my attention as I read all about genetically engineered food and the companies that deal with them.
I particularly liked the resources found in the back, ranging from the CSA's to listings of Organic Seed Companies. I also appreciated reading about the names of companies that do not produce genetically engineered food. Excellent!
I wish there was more information.............2003-01-27
As far as it goes, GENTICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS is an excellent book. My only complaint is that the research to date on this topic is pathetic. Of course this is exactly what Ronnie Cummings says. For whatever reason, the Clinton administration and the current administration don't seem to be overly concerned about what is happening to our food supply. The amazing thing is that most GMOs hit the market in the past 10 years. If you weren't paying attention in the 1990s, you need to know that you probably were not alone. The bottom line is that the food you are eating today is not what we ate as recently as 15 years ago.
We all heard about the Monarch butterflies and the bovine growth hormone, but most of us had no idea just how many organisms--plants and animals--had been altered and were now part of the food chain. Cummins book describes just what we missed and although he writes somewhat provocatively, much of what he has to say is being said by others. In fact, the Monsanto potato has been discussed in many books and articles. Fortunately, big businesses like McDonald's are beginning to pay attention.
Since the government can't or won't act, bringing about a difference will be up to the public. You can vote with your food dollars. Although you may not be ready to go completely organic (you really should for your health's sake) you can at least avoid the worst kinds of foods. The bottom line is that we really don't know what GMOs will do to the human body. I for one am not ready to be an experimental subject and I certainly don't want children to become subjects either. Read this book and act.
A Book that Needed to be Written.......2000-11-11
I knew instinctively that I was against GE foods, and absolutely in favor of mandatory labeling of GE foods, but I did not know the actual facts behind the argument against GE foods. This book lays out those facts clearly. The authors make no attempt to hide the fact that they are against GE foods, but they do not let their bias get in the way of their reporting of the facts. There's no ranting and raving or kook-talk going on here. True, there are not enough facts to go around on this issue, but what few *independent* studies have been done have produced alarming results. The book also does an excellent job of illustrating how so many other countries around the world have absolutely rejected GE foods. The costs paid by the American farmer are also discussed. And there is a ton of consumer-related info. If you eat food, you need this book.
Amazon.com
Genetically modified food is in the news and on our plates. And while consumers may not have known they were being used as lab rats, America's uncontrolled experiment with such "inventions" as StarLink corn, with its built-in insecticide, is already well under way. In Eating in the Dark, environmental journalist Kathleen Hart examines the battles being fought in boardrooms, grocery stores, and government agencies over the creation, distribution, and regulation of genetically engineered organisms. The truth is quite disturbing. Companies like Monsanto began releasing modified seeds to farmers in the 1990s, but consumers weren't informed. From baby formula made from engineered soybeans to taco shells that cause dangerous allergy attacks, the stories here are well-researched and frightening. Hart accuses the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of aiding and abetting what she calls a public health "nightmare," and she calls for both intense research and strong legislation as a way of getting the experiment under control. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Most Americans eat genetically modified food on a daily basis, but few of us are aware we’re eating something that has been altered. Meanwhile, consumers abroad refuse to buy our engineered crops; their groceries are labeled so that everyone knows if the contents have been modified. What’s going on here? Why does the U.S. government treat engineered foods so differently from the rest of the world?
Eating in the Dark tells the story of how these new foods quietly entered America’s food supply. Kathleen Hart explores biotechnology’s real potential to enhance nutrition and cut farmers’ expenses. She also reveals the process by which American government agencies decided not to label genetically modified food, and not to require biotech companies to perform even basic safety tests on their products. Combining a balanced perspective with a sense of urgency,
Eating in the Dark is a captivating and important story account of the science and politics propelling the genetic alteration of our food.
Customer Reviews:
Do you know what you're eating?.......2007-03-15
I read Seeds of Deception prior to reading this book and subsequently found Ms. Hart's work to mostly review of what I already knew. Some of her interviews brought new faces and personalities to the stories of protestors and farmers embroiled in the conflict.
It amazes me that with all the evidence and scientific uncertainty surrounding GMO's, America still does not have labeling laws! Pass this title and others like it along to your friends and family. Know what you're eating!
Eating In The Dark Review.......2005-05-02
Eating In The Dark, written by Kathleen Hart was an interesting book and gave me lots of information but it flowed really slowly. I'm scared to eat a lot of foods after reading this book. Most Americans eat genetically modified food on a daily basis, but few of us are aware we're eating something that has been altered. Meanwhile, many consumers refuse to buy our engineered crops and their groceries are labeled so that everyone knows if the contents have been modified. Eating in the Dark tells the story of how these new foods quietly entered America's food supply. Kathleen Hart explores biotechnology's real potential to enhance nutrition and cut farmers' expenses. She also reveals the process by which American government agencies decided not to label genetically modified food, and not to require biotech companies to perform even basic safety tests on their products. Eating in the Dark is a captivating and important story of the science and politics propelling the genetic alteration of our food. Kathleen Hart has talked to farmers and scientist to gain the information in which she wrote about. Her style in this book is very professional and tells the truth and doesn't leave your mind wondering about our food supply. Kathleen Hart obviously had a major interest in the genetically engineered food industry to write this book and you ca tell this by the voice that was presented in this book. I recommend anyone who has some questions about genetically engineered foods to read this.
Be very, very afraid.......2003-09-26
Kathleen Hart's "Eating in the Dark" documents how genetically engineered (GE) foods have been widely introduced without the American public's knowledge or consent. As such, the book is a sobering story of deeply-entrenched corporate interests and the trampling of consumer rights.
Ms. Hart is an experienced journalist who has done an excellent job documenting the activities of the biotech industry and its opponents. The author shows that much of the so-called debate that has played out in the media has been mostly pro-industry propaganda and public relations, with most Americans remaining blissfully unaware of the risks they may be taking by eating GE food products. This contrasts sharply with Europe, Japan and elsewhere, where the public has prevailed upon their representatives to enact labeling laws and keep most biotech food out of their countries.
Ms. Hart discusses scientific studies that are critical of GE products to make the case that more study is needed before approval is granted. The protestations from the biotech industry that these studies represent "junk science" are beside the point. It is not unreasonable to demand that radical food products -- such as potatoes and corn that produce their own pesticides -- are thoroughly tested before being released into the environment; this would seem especially true when one considers that there is absolutely no nutritional benefit for the consumers who ingest these products. But of course a strict regime of testing does not serve the interests of capital, which must recoup its investment and earn profits as quickly as possible. Hence the pressure on U.S. government agencies filled with powerful ex-industry executives to hastily approve these dubious products for sale.
Ms. Hart provides abundant evidence that consumers and environmentalists should be very, very afraid of the captains of biotech and their products; their penchant for mischief could hardly be imagined by the most talented writers of fiction. For example, Monsanto's aborted "terminator" seed project threatened to introduce crops that would produce sterile seeds in a corporate scheme that would have made the world almost totally dependent on its products for the maintenance of the food supply. Another example is "bio-pharming", which is the insane idea of using food crops to grow pharmaceutical products in an open-air environment. Unfortunately, bio-pharming could result in cross-pollination with native plants and might ultimately ruin staples that humanity has depended on for thousands of years. Ms. Hart makes it clear that such risks are totally unnecessary and deserves much greater attention from the public if we are to avert disaster in the future.
On the positive side, the book helps us understand that the new science of genomics might render GE techniques obsolete, providing researchers with tools that merely enhance age-old plant breeding practices and deliver on the promise of more healthy and nutritious foods. Let's hope that this is the case. But in the meantime, the evidence presented in this book suggests that GE products should be labeled and the industry regulated much more closely than it is today, if not banned outright.
I strongly encourage everyone to read this book.
An inadvertent apology for organic foods.......2003-09-07
The current conflict between the advocates of non-GM and GM foods shows no sign of abatement. The arguments on both sides of the debate can reach levels of vituperation that are reminiscent of those that took place between the advocates of AC and those of DC power early in the twentieth century. The author of this book, by attending hundreds of meetings and conducting many interviews spanning a four-year period from 1997 to 2001, has given the reader a fairly good historical account of the GM debate. She is clearly not an advocate of the marketing of GM foods (at least without labeling them as such), and this gets in the way of presenting a book that is "fair and balanced" from a scientific point of view. Readers should not expect any kind of detailed scientific argumentation in this book, but they will gain some insight into the contentious political issues that have arisen in biotechnology. Those readers, like myself, who advocate the practice of genetic engineering will perhaps, after the reading the book, become somewhat concerned about the lack of zeal among the executives of the major biotechnology companies in backing up their products. This lack of enthusiasm should be replaced by unashamed pride in their accomplishments, and they should stand behind their products, instead of cowering to groups who lack scientific credentials in biology and chemistry. It is readily apparent, when reading the book, that it is the organic food industry that stands the most to lose if GM foods are accepted by consumers. It is thus not surprising to learn that their objections are detailed throughout the book.
The reference to consumers as being "force-fed", as chapter one is titled, already serves to bias the discussion against GM foods. The omission of information or labels does not by itself force people to purchase any food products, organic or otherwise. If consumers suspect that any of the foods they purchase are contaminated in any way, they are free not to purchase them. In addition, the dialog in this book, as in many others (both for and against GM foods), is targeted toward an abstraction called the "public". The members of the "public" never seem to be characterized explicity, but instead the "public" is used to justify social and political policy that must be put into place to protect the "public".
The author quotes individuals in the book who consider the genetic engineering of foodstuffs as "unstable" or "unpredictable". These terms are not defined explicitly, but instead examples are given, such as petunia coloration and growth hormones in farm animals. None of these examples though serve to illustrate what unstable or unpredictable means in the context of genetic engineering, which makes heavy use of statistical analysis and probability theory. Clarity of formulation is essential in any debate, but even more so in the context of genetic engineering, due to its enormous societal impact.
The author seems to express surprise that government agencies, such as the FDA and the USDA, are supportive of biotechnology, and not being aggressive enough in insuring that GM foodstuffs are safe. But inactivity on the part of government agencies is not a sign that they are "in bed" with the biotech industry. It might merely mean that their competence lags behind the science. Bureaucracies, with their characteristic inertia, are fine examples of Newton's first law.
The chapter on "lethal" corn pollen was not convincing, and I was hoping that the author would have given more insight on the controversy that arose regarding monarch butterflies and their reaction to Bt corn. Although the author gives good details on what was said in the monarch problem, she still leaves open the question as to whether or not monarchs indeed react adversely to Bt pollen. The study the author quoted, by the entomologist John Losey, is still incomplete in this regard. A rigorous risk assessment study is in order here, supported by painstaking experimental research. Modeling efforts could also assist in clearing up issues that cannot be studied in the field or laboratory.
There are many other books that have appeared in the last few years that take the anti-biotech stance that the author of this book does, and no doubt many more will appear in the future. There have not been many books however that serve as apologies for genetic engineering. This asymmetry in representation of the issues in GM foods needs to be rectified, but it must be done with calm, rational discussion, and supported by careful scientific experimentation. It does not serve the biotech industry at all to dismiss books like this and other studies as being "junk science". The optimal approach is for biotech CEOs, scientists, and spokespeople to be completely honest in their assessements of their products, supporting vigorously the good ones, and withdrawing completely those that are not. A passive attitude among the supporters of genetic engineering might encourage the dismissal of products that could be of enormous importance to the world's populations.
A stunner that will have you eyeing groceries in a new way.........2002-12-21
This book is an excellent introduction to anyone looking to learn more about genetically modifyed food. I asked my husband what he thought of genetically modifyed food, he answered that "It's good isn't it? Aren't they developing food with more vitamins that will grow with fewer pesticiedes?" This would have been my answer had I not read this book. According to the author, and this reviewer, the American public doesn't realize that they're eating genetically modyfied food NOW. It's in your "Betty Croker" mix and in a bag of potatoes, it's in your polenta corn meal mix and milk. This author carefully chronicles how the EPA, FDA and USDA have failed to inform the public of this change in our food chain and worse -- the have utterly and completely failed to ensure that it's safe to both eat and grow despite public opinion to the contrary. While other industirlized nations (European Union, Japan, etc.) have instituted lableing the US has not. The documented disregard for the public's safety will have you wondering who's money is in who's pocket and exposes the biggest loophole in federal regulation.
Average customer rating:
- Genetically Engineered Foods: Are They Safe? You Decide
- A little book with a big wake up message
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Genetically Engineered Foods
Laura Ticciati , and
Robin Ticciati
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Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're Eating
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Dinner at the New Gene Cafe: How Genetic Engineering Is Changing What We Eat, How We Live, and the Global Politics of Food
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Eating in the Dark: America's Experiment with Genetically Engineered Food
ASIN: 0879839678 |
Book Description
Examines the impact of this potentially dangerous technology on food sources, animals, and our own bodies.
Customer Reviews:
Genetically Engineered Foods: Are They Safe? You Decide.......2001-03-01
Genetic engineering "is probably the largest nutritional experiment the world has ever seen, and we are the guinea pigs" say Laura and Robin Ticciati in their book, Genetically Engineered Foods: Are They Safe? You Decide. They answer with a resounding "No!" to the question of whether genetically engineered foods are safe.
The Ticciatis briefly define genes and DNA, then explain how genetic engineers insert the genes from one organism into another. Genes from flounders, for example, have been inserted in tomato DNA to produce a tomato that has a longer growing season. They maintain that genetic engineering breaks natural crossbreeding rules because species are combined that would never mate in Nature.
Their primary concern lies in the lack of knowlege of the long-term effects from eating genetically engineered foods. They are especially concerned about children. At the least, they want genetically engineered foods to be labeled so that consumers know what they are buying and eating.
The authors say that "Right now, it is estimated that 60-70 percent of the foods in our stores contain genetically engineered components" with 100-150 more expected to be added by the year 2000. "These foods have not been subjected to thorough pre-market safety testing, nor are they labeled."
Genetically Engineered Foods: Are They Safe? You Decide is must reading for consumers who want to know about the ramifications of modifying foods by artificial gene transfer.
A little book with a big wake up message.......1999-05-05
Food technology has turned much of what we eat in this country into artificial, processed, chemicalized mishmash. No wonder forty percent of the population is sick! Now comes the latest insult -- genetically engineered food. You won't know that you are eating it because the government doesn't require food manufacturers/producers to specially label GE food nor does it require any independent safety testing. What you are increasingly eating, as this book shockingly reveals, is unnatural food with the potential to create who-knows-what-damage to your health and the environment. This is a small, easy-to-read, and must-read book, about a huge, serious issue that affects all of us. Science is tampering with our food, and we, the consumers, are the unwitting guinea pigs in this mad experiment.
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The Debate over Genetically Engineered Foods: Healthy or Harmful? (Issues in Focus)
Kathiann M. Kowalski
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High-Tech Harvest: A Look at Genetically Engineered Foods (Impact Books: Science)
Elizabeth L. Marshall
Manufacturer: Franklin Watts
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Great book for middle-high schoolers.......2000-05-03
This book is a fantastic book for kids. It Makes the complicated science of genetic engineering seem as clear as possible while giving examples of foods that would capture a teen's attention (such as potatoes that are scientifically engineered to absorb less oil when made into french fries.
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2005 Biotechnology Encyclopedia: Federal Research and Regulation, Bioengineered and Genetically Modified (GM) Crops, Seeds, Foods, and Drugs, Genetically Engineered (GE) Organisms, Agricultural Biotechnology, FDA, USDA, EPA, NIH, DOE (DVD-ROM)
U.S. Government , and
U.S. Government
Manufacturer: Progressive Management
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: DVD-ROM
ASIN: 1422000370 |
Product Description
This important and up-to-date electronic book on DVD-ROM provides a comprehensive guide to biotechnology and federal government research and regulation activities involving this vital field. This collection of documents and papers from federal agencies, departments, and laboratories provides in-depth knowledge about ongoing research activities and highlights the potential of this amazing new technology. There is extensive material from every important agency and department involved with biotechnologies: * Energy Department (DOE) Biological and Environmental Research Program (BER) * Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Biopesticides, including pesticidal substances produced by plants containing added genetic material, plant incorporated protectants * EPA Biotechnology regulations under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), final rules, microbial products of biotech, Pseudomonas putida and others * EPA oil program biological agents * EPA Science Coordination and Policy Biotechnology Plan * Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food safety programs, bioengineered corn, Pharmaceutical material, StarLink Corn, Traceback investigations, premarket reviews of bioengineered foods * GAO report on the evaluation process of genetically modified foods * Center for Biological Informatics of the U.S. Geological Survey, National Biological Information Infrastructure * National Cancer Institute, Frederick * Microbial Biogeochemistry and Biotechnology at the Department of Energy Oak Ridge! National Laboratory (ORNL) * U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) * USDA Food Safety Inspection Service * USDA Veterinary Biologics * Economic Research Service * Adoption of Biotechnology and Its Production Impacts * Marketing, Labeling, and Trade * Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration * National Agriculture Library (NAL) Biotechnology Information Resource The Federal Government has a coordinated, risk-based system to ensure new biotechnology products are safe for the environment and human and animal health. Established as a formal policy in 1986, the Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology describes the Federal system for evaluating products developed using modern biotechnology. The Coordinated Framework is based upon health and safety laws developed to address specific product classes. The Government has written new regulations, policies and guidance to implement these laws for biotechnology as products developed. This framework has allowed the US to build upon agency experience with organisms and products developed using conventional techniques. This incredible DVD-ROM is packed with over 86,000 pages reproduced using Adobe Acrobat PDF software - allowing direct viewing on Windows and Macintosh systems. Advanced search and indexing features are built into our reproduction, providing a complete full-text index. This enables the user to search all the files on the disk at one time for words or phrases using just one search command! The Acrobat cataloging technology adds enormous value and uncommon functionality to this impressive collection of government documents and material. Our news and educational CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs are privately compiled collections of official public domain U.S. government files and documents - they are not produced by the federal government. They are designed to provide a convenient user-friendly reference work, utilizing the benefits of the Adobe Acrobat format to uniformly present thousands of pages that can be rapidly reviewed, searched by finding specific words, or printed without untold hours of tedious research and downloading. Vast archives of important public domain government information that might otherwise remain inaccessible are available for instant review no matter where you are. This book-on-a-disc format makes a great reference work and educational tool. There is no other reference that is as fast, convenient,
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