The Damage GM Foods Can Do To Your Body

For a long while, I've been warning you about the blight of genetically modified (GM) crops on our world's food supply, always concerned about their effect on your bodies and health. Now, we have a clue about their potential dangers, based on a decade-long Australian study to create GM field peas that was recently abandoned.

Aussie researchers combined the gene from a protein equipped to kill pea weevils from beans with that of the pea, with disastrous results. When the protein merges with the pea, researchers theorize its structure changes, causing mice to contract allergic lung damage.

By the way, this isn't the first time such a problem has happened. An experiment in the 90s to create a Brazil nut hybrid was similarly dropped when the mutated nut triggered a strong negative reaction in people with allergies to them.

Luckily, this study – a rare glimpse into Frankenstein-like crop combinations gone bad -- was conducted by a national research organization. Had a private company like Monsanto been involved in this study, we would've never heard a thing about it.

Chances are very good you've eaten GM foods: At least seven out of 10 items at your neighborhood grocery store contain them. That said, there's some steps you can take that will help you steer clear of them.

New Scientist November 21, 2005