I don't know what to believe about GMOs anymore. GMOs are Genetically Modified Organisms.
In the 1980s a ringspot virus was threatening to devastate the papaya industry in Hawaii. The University of Hawaii developed a new genetically modified papaya that would be resistant to that virus.
I attended a class at Kapiolani Hospital and the speaker was against GMO products. We were careful about avoiding GMO papayas for awhile, but then gradually forgot about it.
Recently, I've heard more advisories from friends about GMO papayas and looked up which varieties are GMOs. However, they say 75% of the Hawaiian papaya crop are GMOs. Japan is now OK with importing GMO papayas but Europe is not.
One of the NON-GMO papayas I've heard about is the Kapoho Solo. However, they tell me that sometimes there's cross pollination, so what do you do?
There might be a sticker number on the papaya showing how the papaya was grown:
Arrrghhhh!
POSTSCRIPT: I just talked to the owner of Honda Tofu where we buy our tofu every week. He told us that all tofu made in Hawaii are from NON-GMO soybeans.
I attended a class at Kapiolani Hospital and the speaker was against GMO products. We were careful about avoiding GMO papayas for awhile, but then gradually forgot about it.
Recently, I've heard more advisories from friends about GMO papayas and looked up which varieties are GMOs. However, they say 75% of the Hawaiian papaya crop are GMOs. Japan is now OK with importing GMO papayas but Europe is not.
One of the NON-GMO papayas I've heard about is the Kapoho Solo. However, they tell me that sometimes there's cross pollination, so what do you do?
There might be a sticker number on the papaya showing how the papaya was grown:
- Conventionally grown: Four numbers, for example — “1034″
- Organically grown: Five numbers, starting with the number 9 — “90123″
- Genetically Modified: Five numbers, starting with the number 8 — “80123″
Arrrghhhh!
POSTSCRIPT: I just talked to the owner of Honda Tofu where we buy our tofu every week. He told us that all tofu made in Hawaii are from NON-GMO soybeans.
its all so confusing, a person needs to be a scientist to understand what is safe and what is not, and most important of all who we can trust!
ReplyDeleteMy soymilk and tofu are all grown from non-GMO soybeans, but I have to pay more for them, and I pay attention to the labels. Anything that says it's Organic is non-GMO.
ReplyDeletescience has taken control of the growing world...
ReplyDeleteI eat both organic and GMO foods. I think consumers who object to GMOs have lost the battle against GMOs. Medicine makes genetic modifications to humans. Its all science, and we have little say. I did prefer the smaller better tasting organic papays from Hawaii. Sometimes I can find them at our local organic market, but not often. Dianne
ReplyDeleteMonsanto has modified most food and now there is a bill coming up that says they won't have to be identified and a small item added and not talked about, is if someone gets ill "they" are not responsible.
ReplyDeleteon a bit of a sidenote, all organic produce item's PLU will start with 9.
ReplyDeleteHI Kay, choosing what to eat can be pretty complicated. What are you concerned about for genetically engineered papaya?
ReplyDeleteYou may find that a lot of your questions are answered here: http://www.biofortified.org/2012/06/rainbow/ in an interview with Dr. Gonsalves the man who developed virus resistant papaya.
Another source for information would be the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) where they conduct health and safety reviews of genetically engineered plants before they are allowed on the market. This includes testing for allergenicity, toxins, etc. and making sure that the nutritional quality of the genetically engineered plant is the same as the non-genetically engineered one. Their summaries can be found here http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=bioListing&id=71 and here http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=bioListing&id=32
There isn't any evidence that genetically engineered plants are less healthy for us to eat than non-genetically engineered plants. But it can be really hard to find reliable science-based information that isn't written in a way that's impossible to understand! And, unfortunately, it's really easy to find information that isn't science based or that's been altered to fit someone's agenda. That's why I helped found a website called Biology Fortified where independent scientists do our best to translate the science. If you ever have any questions about genetic engineering or agriculture, I hope you'll visit Biology Fortified's forum where anyone can post questions and get answers http://www.biofortified.org/community/forum/ We also have lots of blog posts that you might find helpful.
Ever since Mendel studied the growth of plants and selected for better strains we have benefitted from modifications to our food. Some animals have not benefitted from selective breeding - look at some of the cattle and pig breeds and some domestic pet breeds. Nothing ever stands still. Legislation is there to try and ensure dangerous/harmful strains are not developed.
ReplyDeleteI don't know which is better to have....GMO or virus infected crop, Currently the problem is the black spot fungus. How safe is eating those papayas? If there was genetic modification to prevent it from infecting I might be in favor of that too. But the long term effects are still a question. Over twenty years since the ringspot virus GMO is a fair amount of time though in the big picture not long at all. One day we may have to do genetic modification on humans for continuity of the human race. Would we choose not to do GMO on ourselves? World food production would be much lower today without GMO.
ReplyDeleteL...w
Wow! You've opened up a whole new can of interesting thoughts.
DeleteOooo, I love papaya. During my first time to Hawaii, (in '83) papaya was readily served everywhere and in jars at my mainland grocery. Since the virus attack, it isn't so freely served at restaurants, and no longer jarred. I tried various types: (one from South America that is a huge, football shape) that had no flavor.
ReplyDeleteI was so glad to buy papaya from the ABC stores for my morning Hawaii breakfast. "Take Home Maui", (and their website,) is a wonderful, old store in Lahaina. Their Maui Gold pineapples are like candy, and they also ship boxes of papaya grown in the Puna district of the Big Island. I don't know if those are non-GMO, but they must be shipped by the box, instead of individual papayas, as the agricultural rules require them to be briefly dipped in hot water two times before shipment. This area grows 97% of Hawaii's papaya. They are wonderful bites of sunshine, even when cut and frozen.
If I die because of GMO, I hope it's with a papaya! DrumMajor
GMO doesn't scare me one tiny little bit. It's all a tempest in a teapot. In fact, I believe we should be using science to combat disease. There's a lot of CRACKPOTTERY GOING ON WITH THESE CONSTANT HEALTH SCARES. One local group even thinks they are descended from taro plants, so no GMO permitted there. I'm on the liberal end of the spectrum and I hope I have some wisdom and commonsense derived from my 77 years on this planet. I'm not a fanatic, but I could lose liberal friends over this issue. Looks like today's comments have a lot of common sense, so maybe I'm not alone, I hope.
ReplyDeleteMr. Chapin --
DeleteLOVE your diagnosis of "crackpottery" for the constant stream of health spooks. Your wisdom and 77 years seem to be outliving the safety "trends."
Cheers, DrumMajor
I've heard about corn being GMO....it's hard to find food that isn't in some form I think.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know enough about GMO to be frightened. Guess we have to grow everything we eat ourselves to be sure. Even then, cross pollination could take place. I'm kind of glad I am old.
ReplyDeleteBTW, my grandmother ate papayas every day in Key West and lived an active life till 93. She swore by them.
I have yet to understand how GMOs are much different from hybridization. It's just not something I worry about.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Hank Chapin. Well put.
ReplyDeleteI like Mr. Chapin's response too.
ReplyDelete