GMO1 Foods—What Are We Eating?

By David Cook

Ever hear of GMO—genetically modified organisms? A lot of you are most likely wondering what these are or have never even heard of them. These GMO are in products where the genetic makeup has been altered through genetic engineering2. radical: 彻底的，根本的。Many Americans including myself are concerned about the spread of genetically modified organisms throughout agriculture, and the fact that there is no current requirement in this country for labeling of GMO foods.

Since the 1990s world agriculture and food production has undergone the most radical3. radical: 彻底的，根本的。transformation in history. With very little public awareness,in just a few short years GMO foods have come to dominate both global agriculture and supermarket shelf space.4. dominate: 在……中占首要地位；shelf: 货架。

I’m not a scientist and not an authority on agriculture. However, I do care about what is in the foods I eat and I think most of you agree and want to know what you’re eating, as well.

In September 2012 French scientists conclude first ever longterm study of GMO on rats; extensive research proving GMO corn causes horrific tumors in rats, killing 70 percent of females early, long before their average two-year life expectancy.5. 大量的研究证实转基因玉米导致老鼠长出了可怕的肿瘤，在实验初期就导致70%的雌鼠死亡，这比它们2年的平均寿命要大大提前。tumor: 肿瘤； life expectancy: 平均寿命。The study which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Food and Chemical Toxicology, revealed for the first time that rats fed Monsanto’s NK603 GM corn treated with glyphosate and herbicide for longer than 90 days developed deadly tumors at a much higher, and much quicker rate than rats not exposed to these products.6. peer-reviewed: 同行评议的； toxicology:毒物学；glyphosate:（农药）草甘磷；herbicide:（农药）除草剂；exposed to: 接触。

面对身边琳琅满目的食品，许多关心健康的消费者发愁，怎么知道究竟是不是转基因？生活中有没有可能完全避免转基因？饱受争议的一项农业新技术——转基因近年来成为人们街谈巷议的话题。在一部分科研人员看来，转基因技术可以改善农产品质量、提高产量，是未来农业的发展方向；而在一部分心存疑虑的公众眼中，转基因技术却是风险难断，安全有待评估。

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine has warned of “serious health risks” indicated by animal studies measuring the effects of GMO foods. Some medical experts have suggested that Morgellons disease, a mysterious disease that produces sores, rashes, and sharp fibers beneath the skin, may be linked with genetically modified organisms.7. 一些医学专家认为莫吉隆斯症 —— 一种会产生溃疡、皮疹和表皮下严重纤维化的怪病，可能是由转基因作物引起的。Morgellons disease: 莫吉隆斯症；sore:溃疡；rash: 发疹。

The side effects of long term GMO food consumption include kidney cancer, prostate cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer (for men too), thyroid tumors, brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease, infertility, birth defects, and autism.8. kidney: 肾脏；prostate: 前列腺；colon cancer: 结肠癌； thyroid tumor: 甲状腺瘤；Parkinson’s disease: 帕金森症；infertility: 不孕症；birth defect: 先天畸形；autism: 自闭症。In over 260 studies worldwide, the diagnosis of cancer has been linked to agrochemicals.9. diagnosis: 诊断；agrochemical: 农药。Yet GMO foods proponents10. proponent: 支持者。claim that it poses no harm to humans or the environment, and that we need the technology to feed the world’s growing population. But United Nations have not embraced GMOs as a way to feed a hungry world, proposing instead more sustainable agriculture methods.11. 不过联合国并不赞同将转基因作物当作应对世界性粮食短缺的办法，而是建议采用更可持续的农业方法。embrace: 接受。

Most vaccines and flu shots contain GMO ingredients.12. vaccine: 疫苗；flu shot: 流感疫苗。Chemotherapy is pushed on the masses as a viable treatment for people who have been steadily consuming pesticide, fluoride,bleach, aspartame and GMO.13. chemotherapy: 化学疗法；viable: 可行的；pesticide: 杀虫剂；fluoride: 氟化物；bleach: 漂白剂；aspartame: 阿斯巴甜，一种人造甜剂，经常使用在低糖饮料中。Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50 countries around the world including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMO foods.14. restriction: 限制；outright: 彻底的，完全的。

Our Federal Food and Drug Administration has denied requests to mandate labeling15. Federal Food and Drug Administration: 联邦食品和药物管理局；mandate: 命令，规定。, saying there is no evidence of the GMO foods / products being unsafe. But many of us are begging the question, if there is no public threat, then what is the harm in labeling it as such? And why are so many companies battling against the labeling of food that has GMO? Here’s a small list of the companies that have publicly admitted they oppose labeling for GMO: PepsiCo, Sunny Delight Beverages, Mars, General Mills, Hormel, Healthy Choice and J.M. Smucker Co.16. PepsiCo: 百事可乐公司；Sunny Delight Beverages: 阳光每日，美国饮料巨头公司；Mars:玛氏公司，拥有德芙（DOVE）、M&M’s、士力架(SNICKERS)、彩虹糖(SKITTLES)等一系列国际知名品牌；General Mills: 通用磨坊，世界财富500强企业，主要从事食品制作业，为世界第六大食品公司；Hormel:荷美尔，美国500强食品公司；Healthy Choice: 美国著名冷藏和冷冻食物品牌；J.M. Smucker Co.: JM斯马克公司，美国食品生产商，主营果酱、冰激淋配料、饮料、起酥油等。

Even if the FDA allows the food industry to continue to use genetically engineered ingredients, that doesn’t mean that we have to eat them if we don’t want to. But we need a mandate on labeling so we know what foods have GMO. Many states are considering legislation that would require labeling of all GMO foods / products. But, such requirements should be issued by the FDA on a national scale, not piecemeal17. piecemeal: 零碎的。by individual states.

While the effectiveness and safety of GMO foods is still being debated, the public must get involved and not concede the outcome to a small number of profit-driven biotechnology corporations,18. concede: 让步；biotechnology: 生物技术。scientists, and federal officials.