How does one avoid GM crops at the supermarket?

[Elspeth]

If I don't want Monsanto spawn or mutant tomatoes, how do I avoid them?

[NMDemDist2]

1. damned near impossible

unless you grow your own with heirloom, certified organic seeds

[Elspeth]

2. You gotta be kidding. There's nothing marked?

BTW a nasty Monsanto lawsuit on CBS news tonight

[PDJane]

3. You know those sticky little labels on fruits and veggies?

The numbered ones?

four digits mean it's conventionally grown.
five digits starting with nine means that it's certified organically grown.
five digits starting with eight means that it's GMO.

[NMDemDist2]

5. well I'll be! learn something new every day

thanks

:hi:

[grasswire]

8. thank you -- I had forgotten the code

This is a big help to a lot of people.

[Djinn]

11. unfortunately fruit and veggies aren't really the culprits

it's grain, almost all the food on supermarket shelves contains corn in some form for example. If the product contains ingredients made from GMO, there's no label.

[tavalon]

12. Wow, thanks

That's a nifty piece of knowledge.

[uppityperson]

22. Thanks, I didn't know about 5 digits starting with 8. nt

[NMDemDist2]

4. nope

sucks huh? and all that high fructose corn syrup in everything you eat? it's all franken food too

imported food is fairly safe if it's from Europe, they hate frankenfood over there

[Speck Tater]

6. How to Buy Non-GM Food

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/HowtoBuyNon-GMFoods/index.cfm

[Elspeth]

9. Wow Thanks!

PDFS

[fed-up]

15. and for those that don't click on links-from your link

http://www.responsibletechnology.org/utility/showArticle/?objectID=1324

Genetically Modified Ingredients Overview

Here is a summary of what crops, foods and food ingredients have been genetically modified as of July, 2007:

Currently Commercialized GM Crops in the U.S.:
(Number in parentheses represents the estimated percent that is genetically modified.)

Soy (89%)
Cotton (83%)
Canola (75%)
Corn (61%)
Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%)
Alfalfa, zucchini and yellow squash (small amount)
Tobacco (Quest® brand)

Other Sources of GMOs:

Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH.
Food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) and rennet used to make hard cheeses
Meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals that have eaten GM feed
Honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen
Contamination or pollination caused by GM seeds or pollen
Some of the Ingredients That May Be Genetically Modified:

Vegetable oil, vegetable fat and margarines (made with soy, corn, cottonseed, and/or canola)

Ingredients derived from soybeans: Soy flour, soy protein, soy isolates, soy isoflavones, soy lecithin, vegetable proteins, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu, tamari, tempeh, and soy protein supplements.

Ingredients derived from corn: Corn flour, corn gluten, corn masa, corn starch, corn syrup, cornmeal, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

Some Food Additives May Also Be Derived From GM Sources:

The list may change as we encounter new information: ascorbic acid/ascorbate (Vitamin C), cellulose, citric acid, cobalamin (vitamin B12), cyclodextrin, cystein, dextrin, dextrose, diacetyl, fructose (especially crystalline fructose), glucose, glutamate, glutamic acid, gluten, glycerides (mono- and diglycerides), glycerol, glycerol, glycerine, glycine, hemicellulose, , hydrogenated starch hydrolates, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or starch, inositol, invert sugar or inverse syrup, (also may be listed as inversol or colorose), lactic acid, lactoflavin, lecithin, leucine, lysine, maltose, maltitol, maltodextrin, mannitol, methylcellulose, milo starch, modified food starch, monooleate, mono- and diglycerides, monosodium glutamate (MSG), oleic acid, phenylalanine, phytic acid, riboflavin (Vitamin B2) sorbitol, stearic acid, threonine, tocopherol (Vitamin E), trehalose, xanthan gum, and zein.

Some of the Foods That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Infant formula
Salad dressing
Bread
Cereal
Hamburgers and hotdogs
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Crackers
Cookies
Chocolate
Candy
Fried food
Chips
Veggie burgers
Meat substitutes
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
Tofu
Tamari
Soy sauce
Soy cheese
Tomato sauce
Protein powder
Baking powder (sometimes contains corn starch)
Powdered/Confectioner's sugar (often contains corn starch)
Confectioner’s glaze
Alcohol
Vanilla
Powdered sugar
Peanut butter
Enriched flour
Vanilla extract (sometimes contains corn syrup)
Pasta
Malt
White vinegar

Non-Food Items That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Cosmetics
Soaps
Detergents
Shampoo
Bubble bath

[boston bean]

7. k&r

[Djinn]

10. unless you shop outside the US

you pretty much can't.

[cali]

24. I can here- and believe it or not, not just in the summer

In the summer it's a breeze. There are 6 organic farms within a a 5 mile radius. I can get grass fed beef right down the road. Same with chickens and eggs. In the winter, there's a guy who grows organic greens in greenhouses. I can buy non GMO products at the co-op. You can indeed buy healthy non engineered food in this country. The problem is cost, of course.

[drmeow]

26. "The problem is cost, of course."

The problem is also location. Not all of us have 6 organic farms within a 5 mile radius, someone who will sell us meat and eggs just down the road, or a co-op.

[cali]

27. but there are a lot more resources than people avail themselves

of. True I live in Vermont where organic farming, organic cheesemaking and sustainability are hugely valued, but there are co-ops and natural food stores all over this country. Being mindful about food does take more effort, but it can be done. The main problem for many people is the expense.

[Djinn]

31. Must be nice

for most people organic farms aren't so readily accessible (for me for example reaching ANY farm would require a 100 km drive) and if they are nearby their prohibitively expensive

Many people have no desire to buy organic given the spurious benefits and high cost - non GMO doesn't have to equal rip off organic food (at least in Europe/NZ/Australia)

[crimsonblue]

13. Grow your own.

[formercia]

16. That reminds me.

Have to go water the seedlings. :hi:

[proud patriot]

25. I'm eating artichokes from my garden tonight

with baked chicken w/ fresh (homegrown) rosemary .

[Djinn]

32. can all of us apartment dwellers

use some of your land to do so?

These threads always demonstrate the overwhelming demographic of DUers. Relatively high earning, home & car owning suburbanites.

Plant your own food, drive hundreds of miles to a co-op or pay through the nose for organic are great ideas for monied liberals but it still leaves the working poor eating shit.

[crimsonblue]

33. Then move.

[fed-up]

14. corn (and corn syrup), soy, canola and cotton are top GMO crops-below is complete list

if you don't buy or eat processed foods which most likely contain corn syrup you can avoid most GM ingredients
start educating yourself by reading the ingredient list on packaged foods, you will be shocked at some of the ingredients

look for organic corn, soy and canola at your supermarket or when buying corn from your farmer's market

the only way to have production of these franken crops curtailed is to QUIT BUYING them and to quit buying food that has GMO ingredients

there was a BS article in the news the other day about farmers turning to GM wheat because of higher prices/demand


http://www.organicconsumers.org/gelink.cfm

http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/genetic_engineering/engineered-foods-allowed-on-the-market.html

guides
Genetically Engineered Food and Feed Allowed on the Market

Product Institution(s) Engineered Trait(s) Sources of New Genes Name Date Allowed on Market

Alfalfa Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Roundup Ready 2005

Canola Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus LibertyLink 2000
Canola Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus Roundup Ready 1999
Canola Monsanto Altered oil (high lauric acid) for soap and food products Calif bay, turnip rape, bacteria, virus Laurical 1995
Canola Bayer Male sterile to facilitate hybridization; resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria SeedLink 2000

Chicory (radicchio) Bejo Zaden Male sterile to facilitate hybridization Bacteria SeedLink 1997

Corn Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds/male sterile to facilitate hybridization Bacteria, virus SeedLink Date unknown
Corn Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus LibertyLink Date unknown
Corn Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Bacteria, virus StarLink
1998 (approved only for animal feed)
Corn Dow/Mycogen Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Corn, bacteria, virus NatureGard 1995
Corn Dow/Mycogen Bt toxin to control insect pests (corn rootworm)/Resist glufosinate herbicide Bacteria, virus Herculex Rootworm 2005
Corn Dow/Mycogen DuPont/Pioneer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (Lepidopteran)
Corn, bacteria, virus Herculex I 2001
Corn DuPont/Pioneer Male sterile to facilitate hybridization Potato, corn, bacteria, virus Name unknown 1998
Corn Monsanto/DeKalb Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Bacteria Bt-Xtra 1997
Corn Monsanto/ DeKalb Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Name, date unknown
Corn Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Bacteria YieldGard 1996
Corn Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus Name unknown 1998
Corn Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (corn rootworm) Bacteria Name unknown 2006
Corn Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus Roundup Ready 1998
Corn Renessen (Monsanto and Cargill) Higher levels of lysine to enhance animal feed Bacteria Mavera High Value Corn with Lysine 2006
Corn Syngenta Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Bacteria Bt11 1996
Corn Syngenta Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Corn, bacteria, virus Knock Out 1995
Corn Syngenta Bt toxin to control insect pests (corn rootworm) Bacteria Name unknown 2007
Corn (pop) Syngenta Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer) Corn, bacteria, virus Knock Out 1998
Corn (sweet) Syngenta Bt toxin to control insect pests (European corn borer Bacteria Bt11 1998

Cotton Bayer/Aventis Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Virus Name unknown 2003
Cotton Monsanto/Bayer Resist bromoxynil herbicide to control weeds/Bt toxin to control insect pests (cotton bollworms and tobacco budworm) Bacteria Name unknown 1998
Cotton Monsanto/Bayer Resist bromoxynil herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus BXN Cotton 1995
Cotton Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (cotton bollworms and tobacco budworm) Bacteria Bollgard 1995
Cotton Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Arabidopsis, bacteria, virus Roundup Ready 1996
Cotton Mycogen/Dow Bt toxin to control insect pests/Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Bollgard II 2002
Cotton Mycogen/Dow Bt toxin to control insect pests/Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus HerculexT I 2001

Flax Univ Saskatchewan Resist sulfonylurea herbicide to grow in soils with herbicide residues Arabidopsis, bacteria CDC Triffid 1999

Papaya Cornell Univ/Univ Hawaii Resist papaya ringspot virus Bacteria, virus Sunup, Rainbow 1997

Potato Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (Colorado potato beetle) Bacteria NewLeaf 1995
Potato Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (Colorado potato beetle)/resist potato virus Y Bacteria, virus NewLeaf Y 1999
Potato Monsanto Bt toxin to control insect pests (Colorado potato beetle)/resist potato leafroll virus Bacteria, virus NewLeaf Plus 1998

Rice Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus LibertyLink 2004

Soybean Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Name unknown 1998
Soybean DuPont Altered oil (high oleic acid) to increase stability, reduce polyunsaturated fatty acids Soybean, bean, bacteria, virus Name unknown 1997
Soybean Monsanto Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Petunia, soybean, bacteria, virus Roundup Ready 1995

Squash Seminis Vegetable Seed Resist watermelon mosaic 2 and zucchini yellow mosaic viruses Bacteria, virus Freedom II 1995
Squash Seminis Vegetable Seed Resist watermelon mosaic 2, zucchini yellow mosaic, cucumber mosaic viruses Bacteria, virus Name unknown 1997

Sugarbeet Bayer Resist glufosinate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Name unknown 2000
Sugarbeet Monsanto/ Syngenta Resist glyphosate herbicide to control weeds Bacteria, virus Name unknown 1999

Tomato (cherry) Agritope Altered ripening to enhance fresh market value Bacteria Name unknown 1996
Tomato DNA Plant Technology Altered ripening to enhance fresh market value Tomato, bacteria, virus Endless Summer 1995
Tomato Monsanto/Calgene Altered ripening to enhance fresh market value Tomato, bacteria, virus FlavrSavr 1994
Tomato Monsanto Altered ripening to enhance fresh market value Bacteria Name unknown 1995
Tomato Zeneca/PetoSeed Thicker skin and altered pectin to enhance processing value Tomato, bacteria, virus Name unknown 1995

Notes

[Fla Dem]

17. Very depressing article in May issue of Vanity Fair re: Monsanto

Monsanto’s Harvest of Fear
by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele May 2008

Monsanto already dominates America’s food chain with its genetically modified seeds. Now it has targeted milk production. Just as frightening as the corporation’s tactics–ruthless legal battles against small farmers–is its decades-long history of toxic contamination.

much more at

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805

[Elspeth]

20. How does one get around Monsanto?

:grr:

[ensho]

18. you can't and if you ask the store people they will lie

nt

[Phoonzang]

19. Is there really any verifiable, unambiguous proof

that GM foods are harmful to the human body? I'm really looking for any chance to stick my head in the sand about the whole issue. Someone stop me please.

[uppityperson]

23. Check in here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=132

[Phoonzang]

35. LOL

They've definitely been consuming something harmful.

[drmeow]

29. Even if there are

I'd like to avoid them because I object to Monsanto's business practices.

[dysfunctional press]

34. of course not. same goes for irradition.

but people LOVE to be freaky-scared of stuff that they don't understand.
(it's generally A LOT easier than educating themselves)

[roody]

21. Buy organic whole grains and cook at home.

Processed "health food" is extremely expensive.

[Greyhound]

28. Can't do it. Just another completely ignored world-wide event that might

change the course of world history, or end it (as far as we're concerned). Frankenfood DNA is popping up in crops all over the globe, regardless of that nation's laws or standards. You can find a fascinating seminar on it at ted.com .

So avoiding it completely is impossible, but I still try my best to avoid them. Try shopping at Trader Joe's, they do about as good a job as possible in keeping the additives, hormones, etc. out of their stores.

[kestrel91316]

30. Buy organic tomatoes, or grow your own.

No way of knowing if the non-organic tomatoes out there are GMO or not.......