The month of May was the second wettest on record for the United States, so it is difficult for farmers to till the fields and plant seeds. Farmers have coined the phrase #noplant19 to describe this year. A small town in Illinois had a prevent plant party. 

The USDA Crop Progress report showed that each state was significantly behind on their planting percentage as of June 10. Farmers are usually done planting all corn by now, but only 83 percent has been planted this year. And it is too late in the season in most states to plant any more.  Corn is used as feed for beef and dairy cattle, pigs and chickens. It is also an ingredient in many foods.  

“The farm-gate price of corn, beans, wheat is such a small percentage of our food cost. Processing, packaging, transportation and handling is the highest percentage. Yes, it will have some impact on the price but for the most part, I don’t think the consumer is going to see any impact,” said Dr. Kim Anderson, a professor and extension specialist at Oklahoma State University with a focus on wheat and export markets. 

Only 60 percent of the U.S. soybean crop was planted compared to the five-year average of 92 percent. Soybeans are used in animal feed, cooking oils and ingredients in many foods. Other crops such as cotton and sorghum are also behind schedule.  

Dr. Anderson explained that not only are the prolonged rains causing problems to be able to plant fields, the humidity that accompanies these storms is also hurting the wheat crop that is growing and needs to be harvested at this time of year. Because of this, there will be about a 15% reduction in wheat production in Oklahoma for farmers.  

Wheat typical to this region is used in baking yeasts and all-purpose flour to make bread. 

“With the high humidity, even if it’s dry enough to get in the field, the wheat is not drying out so that we can harvest it,” he said. The quality of the wheat crop in some areas is so poor, some farmers have basically said they are waiting for the fields to dry out just so they can take a match to their crop.  

The USDA raised its price forecast for corn by 50 cents per bushel to $3.80 and raised the soybean price by 15 cents per bushel to $8.25, according to a Meatingplace article. Smithfield Foods Inc., a U.S. global packaged foods and meat company, imported corn from Brazil because they expect a shortage of corn in the U.S., according to a Rueters report. Livestock producers are going to feel the increased costs more directly than consumers, Anderson said.  

“If we get poor quality wheat — in other words we get sprouting — then that could limit the price increase in corn because they could substitute wheat for corn and we’re going to need to get rid of that feed wheat,” Anderson said in regards to feeding cattle wheat instead of corn.  

Stormy weather and mass flooding have made this year difficult for farmers and ranchers. Some crops will not be planted because of the weather. Consumers may see a slight increase in food prices as a result. 

The post Could Heavy Rains Affect Food Prices? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

We received a question from Rob: “Just saw a report on glyphosate contamination in popular foods. Results were expressed in ppb versus ppm. Should consumers be concerned with this report?”

The report found that foods such as Cheerios, Goldfish Crackers, Oreos and Doritos contain residues of the chemical glyphosate. Also known by the name Roundup, glyphosate is used to kill weeds in crops. Wayne Parrott, PhD, and William Vencill, PhD, professors in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia, provided some insight.

One of the things we wanted to know was how glyphosate could get into these foods. Dr. Parrott explained that the chemical has been used in agriculture since the 1970s.

“They are giving the impression that foods are contaminated with glyphosate, and if the glyphosate was not there, the foods would be otherwise pure, which is false. They found glyphosate in foods because they looked for it. Had they looked for other herbicides used in agriculture, they would probably have found them too,” he said.

Now to the first part Rob’s question. The report stated that Cheerios contained 1,125.3 ppb (or parts per billion) of the chemical. What’s the difference between ppb and ppm?

Dr. Vencill and Dr. Parrott: “Residues in foods are normally measured in ppm (parts per million) with 1 ppm being equivalent to about 7,500 people out of all the people on earth. A ppb is a part per billion, which is a really small unit of measurement, equal to 7 or 8 people out of everyone on the planet.”

The thing Rob and all of us really want to know is if this level of contamination is something to cause concern. The experts said these levels are “way too low” to worry about. The EPA conducts extensive safety tests, which are used to set the maximum level of chemical residues that food can contain and still be safe.

“On top of that, the EPA sets a safety margin by setting allowable residues at 100 to 1,000 times lower than the level that is considered hazardous,” he said. View the EPA safety levels for glyphosate. All of the foods that were tested showed to be below the EPA safe levels.

We also asked why glyphosate herbicide is used so much in growing crops.

Dr. Vencill and Dr. Parrott: “Glyphosate continues to be widely used because few, if any other herbicides, are as safe, effective, and economical.  By safe, I mean safer than table salt.”

Glyphosate shows up in many foods because it is used by farmers to raise food. The amount detected in foods is very small and well within the range determined to be safe by government agencies.

Originally published Dec. 9, 2016.

The post Glyphosate in Food appeared first on Best Food Facts.

1. Does tryptophan make you sleepy?

It’s true that turkey contains tryptophan, an amino acid that your body uses as a building block to produce serotonin, which does help regulate sleep. However, many foods such as chicken and cheese contain tryptophan, according to Texas A&M.

That after-dinner nap is triggered by eating a big meal and your body producing insulin to digest it.

2. Are turkeys raised and processed humanely?

Many turkeys today are raised inside barns, when in the past they lived outdoors. “Turkeys today are healthier, have fewer diseases and are not left outdoors to be killed by foxes or other predators,” says Dr. Charles Hofacre of the University of Georgia.

When it comes to processing turkeys, all poultry facilities in the United States are regulated by the federal government, explains Dr. S.F. Bilgili of Auburn University. “They must be federally inspected and in compliance with all meat and poultry inspection laws. Each plant has a veterinary medical officer who is in charge of a team of trained inspectors who perform a number of important tasks,” he says. “It’s a highly regulated business. You don’t see this type of oversight in many other industries.”

Find out more about whether turkeys are able to walk, why chickens and turkeys grow quickly and other turkey talk.

3. Is corn a vegetable or a grain?

Both! If your Thanksgiving table includes a dish of corn, it is a vegetable. If you’re having cornbread stuffing, it would be considered a grain.

4. When peeling potatoes, there was a little brown spot in some of the potatoes. Should I be worried about that?

No. The spot is due to the environment in which the potato grew and is due to factors such as high heat or a potato virus. The virus isn’t harmful to people.

5. How can you tell if cranberries are ripe?

Drop them on the floor. If they bounce like a ball, they’re ripe because of a pocket of air inside.

6. What does it mean when dinner rolls are whole grain?

Whole grains foods contain all the essential parts of the entire grain seed. That means 100% of the original kernel – all of the bran, germ, and endosperm – is present.

7. Is it okay to have pumpkin pie?

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without it! Pumpkin is loaded with nutrients like beta-carotene and fiber, says expert Dr. Julie Garden-Robinson. Spices like cinnamon may also have some benefits. The added sugar, however, is not so good for you.

That piece of pie – and potatoes and stuffing and rolls – will make you sleepy, so don’t blame it all on the tryptophan in the turkey. And remember to follow holiday food safety guidelines especially with leftovers.

Happy Thanksgiving from Best Food Facts!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

The post Talking Turkey and Thanksgiving Food Facts appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Corn (field & sweet)
The GM version of field corn protects the crop against corn rootworms and the Asian corn borer. Like GM field corn, GM sweet corn also protects the crop against destructive pests.

Soybeans
The GM soybean plant is resistant to pests and disease as well as being tolerant of herbicides that are most effective, allowing for less herbicide use overall.

Cotton
GM cotton requires fewer pesticides and protects against the cotton bollworm.

Canola
Canola has been modified through biotechnology to make it tolerant to some herbicides. This allows for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control. The modified plant also has resistance to pests and fungus.

Alfalfa
The GM version of alfalfa is tolerant of some herbicides, allowing for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control.

Sugar Beets
The GM sugar beet has increased tolerance to some herbicides, allowing for a reduced amount of chemicals needed for weed control. GM sugar beets also have virus and pest resistance traits.

Papaya
The GM version of papaya makes the plant resistant to the prevalent Papaya Ringspot Virus.

Squash
GM squash has traits that improve the plant’s defense against viruses.

Arctic Apple
Developed by Okanagan Specialty Fruits of British Columbia, Canada, this new fruit was developed by turning off the enzyme in apples that cause them to brown when cut, bruised or bitten.

Innate Potato
This new potato that resists browning and has fewer unsightly wasteful bruises has been approved by the USDA for commercial planting.

Aquabounty Salmon
This new salmon is genetically engineered to reach market size more quickly than non-GE farm-raised Atlantic salmon. It is available to consumers in Canada.

Want to learn more about GMOs from the experts? Try these posts:

What does a GMO look like?
GMO FAQs

Lasted edited Aug. 15, 2016
Originally posted  Nov. 13, 2014

_{“Produce” by lukestehr is licensed under CC BY ND.}

The post What Foods are Genetically Modified? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Oktoberfest wouldn’t be the same without beer, and beer can’t be made without grain. Like all food and drink, beer is a product of its ingredients, and each type of beer requires different amounts of the grains that make up the beer. Here’s a summary of some of the grains used to make beer:

Barley is transformed into brew-ready malt by taking a bath in hot water. This causes the grain to create the enzymes that transform proteins and starches into fermentable sugars, which yeast will later feast on to create alcohol. With brewing, top billing on the grain bill usually is reserved for barley malts. Malts compose the bulk of the grain bill. Typically lighter in color, these base malts provide the majority of the proteins, fermentable sugars, and minerals required to create beer. Specialty malts are used to increase body, improve head retention, and add color, aroma, and flavor, such as coffee, chocolate, biscuit, and caramel.

Most barley grown in the United States is intended for malting purposes because of the premium it commands. Approximately three out of every four bushels grown in the United States is used for food/beverage production. The U.S. is also a consistent top-10 exporter of barley, according to the U.S. Grains Council.

Corn provides a smooth, somewhat neutral, sweetness when used in beer. It is utilized to lighten a beer’s body, decrease haziness, and stabilize flavor.

Corn is the most widely produced feed grain in the United States, with 90.5 million acres of corn planted in 2014, according to USDA, resulting in nearly 13.8 billion bushels of corn. While beer is one use for corn, and ethanol to be blended with gasoline is another, most corn is used in livestock feed.

Oats are used in conjunction with barley to create a creamy, full-bodied brew that’s as smooth as satin. Stouts are a natural fit.

U.S. farmers harvested just over three million acres of oats in 2015, with the majority of oats being grown in Northern states. Oats almost never have their bran and germ removed in processing, meaning they are a whole grain. You can read more about the goodness of whole grains here. While oats can be used to make a delicious stout beer, they are more commonly steamed and flattened to produce rolled oats, sold as “old-fashioned” or regular oats, quick oats, and instant oats. The more oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook – and the softer they become.

Rice imparts little or no discernible taste as a beer ingredient, but the grain helps create a dry profile as and lighten a beer’s body.

Rice, the primary staple for more than half the world’s population, is used as more than just an ingredient in beer. USA Rice has information on how rice provides energy, and nutrients with health and other benefits. Eighty-five percent of the rice we eat in the U.S. is grown by American farmers and the U.S. receives nearly half its sales volume from exports. Four U.S. regions produce almost all of the country’s 2.9 million acres of rice harvested in the United States. Three of these regions are in the South and the other is in California, and each area specializes in a specific type of rice.

Rye can sharpen flavors and add complexity, crispness, and subtle spiciness as well as dry out a beer. The grain also can be kilned to create a chocolate or caramel flavor. Its shortcoming: since rye is hull-less, using large percentages of the grain during brewing can cause it to clump up and turn to concrete.

In 2015, U.S. farmers harvested 314,000 acres of rye. The United States is a significant producer of rye, with much of the production taking place in Georgia and Oklahoma. Rye can be used as a livestock feed, a flour in breads and other baked goods, and distilled into alcohol.

Wheat is packed with proteins and helps create a fuller body and mouthfeel and a foamy head in beer. A large proportion of wheat can result in a smooth, hazy brew such as a hefeweizen or a witbier. Wheat can impart a slight tartness.

U.S. farmers harvested over 48.4 million acres of wheat in 2015. Wheat is the primary grain used in U.S. grain products — approximately three-quarters of all U.S. grain products are made from wheat flour, and is grown in 42 states. About half of the wheat grown in the United States is used domestically. Wheat is a whole grain that can be used for flour, breads, baked goods, pasta and countless other options.

Now that you know more about the grains needed to make your favorite beer, maybe you’ll want to thank a farmer by buying them a beer at your local Oktoberfest or fall festival!

The post Without Grains There is No Beer appeared first on Best Food Facts.

What determines which crops are grown in each area of the country?

Dr. Parrott: “It’s really a combination of traits of the particular crop and the associated economics. For example, coffee and bananas would never survive a winter, so they must be grown in warmer climates. Peanuts or potatoes have to be dug up, so those crops get grown in areas where sandy soil makes this easier. Corn and wheat would both grow well in Iowa, but corn is the more valuable of the two, so it gets preference there. Wheat then gets relegated to the drier areas where corn is more difficult to grow.”

Why can’t oranges be grown in Montana?

Dr. Baenziger: “They can’t take the cold. They’re a tree that can’t take freezes well. How many times do you hear about a frost in Florida killing orange trees? Imagine if that were in Montana. If you buy garden plants, there’s a hardiness zone that indicates whether a certain plant will grow in that zone. It’s a similar situation with crops. It’s important to buy (and plant) with hardiness zones in mind. If you’re in Montana, you never want to buy a plant that can’t take the cold temperatures!”

Where are most of the fruits and vegetables in the U.S. grown?

Dr. Parrott: “These can be grown in many parts of the country. California’s San Joaquin Valley has dry air that helps prevent diseases (as long as there is water for irrigation). As winter comes to an end, vegetable production starts in Florida, then moves northward as spring progresses and the days get warmer.”

Dr. Baenziger: “It really depends on two things – climate and labor force. A lot of vegetables are grown in southern states, where the climate is favorable and there’s access to a labor force. You often hear of migrant workers starting in California or Texas and moving northward. A lot of fruits and vegetables are still picked by hand, and the labor force is following the northward movement of fruit and vegetable production as the weather gets warmer.”

Can crops grown in certain areas change over time?

Dr. Baenziger: “Yes. At one time, Nebraska was the center for apple production, but right around World War II there was a very harsh winter, which killed the trees. No one was around to replant them because they were either fighting in the war or working to aid war efforts.”

What are some of the most commonly grown crops in the country? Where are these crops grown?

Dr. Baenziger: “The number one and two crops are corn and soybeans. Another one that is not often thought of as a crop is turf grass, because it’s in everybody’s yard. Corn is grown virtually everywhere there is enough heat. Corn is a heat-loving crop, so it needs heat to grow. It takes a lot of water in the summer, so sometimes farmers might switch to a more water-conserving crop, like sorghum. Soybeans are similar to corn, but tend to be a little more cold sensitive, so they aren’t grown in areas where freezes are more common. When you get into drought, that’s when you start to see more sorghum and wheat coming in more often. In the corn and soybean areas, wheat is mostly a rotational crop (meaning you rotate crops each year, because rotating crops helps control pests and diseases and improve soil health). In drier areas, wheat becomes the primary crop as it’s much more drought-tolerant. Cotton is grown in the South where it’s hot, and rice is grown mainly in California, Arkansas and some parts of Texas. Rice fields are flooded, and it takes quite a bit of water to grow that crop.”

What about growing seasons? Can most crops be grown year ’round?

Dr. Baenziger: “Most crops can’t be grown year ’round because they are acclimated to the climate, and most crops don’t grow through the winter. Crops can be grown at different times of the year in different areas of the country. For example, strawberries start in California, then move to Oregon, Washington and even into Canada. Then it will be strawberry seasons in South America. So somewhere in the globe fruit is in season, hence you can always have fresh fruit. Growing fruits and vegetables in greenhouses is another option.”

How do the limitations on crop growth affect food trends, like buying local foods?

Dr. Parrott: “As Dr. Baenziger mentioned, there is a seasonality to what crops can be grown locally. Cities out West must use lots of irrigation to grow locally, and they don’t always have it. Very large cities are unlikely to have enough open land around them to feed themselves locally.

I should point out that my grandmother in Kentucky ate local all her life, but it meant she spent long hours in the summer canning produce for the winter months. Fresh produce during the winter was out of the question. In this day and age, it can take less energy to grow the produce far away and ship it to areas where it is out of season, than to grow it locally and preserve it for the winter. It’s important to not automatically assume that because something is not local it is not sustainable. Many factors come into play that can affect the answer.”

The post Why Oranges Don’t Grow in Montana appeared first on Best Food Facts.

We recently published a post where we distinguished between the different types of corn as well as discussed the various health benefits of consuming corn. As a follow up, we received this question: if corn is good for you, how come your body does not digest it?

To accurately answer this question, we reached out to Dr. Joanne Slavin, a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota. Here’s what Dr. Slavin had to say about the way we digest corn:

Starch in corn can be less digestible if the corn is not ground up, either in food processing or the digestive tract. When sweet corn is consumed and not completely chewed, some will pass through the digestive tract and escape digestion and absorption. Resistant starch is considered similar to dietary fiber – and is under-consumed in the U.S. diet. So the lack of digestibility of corn would be considered a positive rather than a negative, generally.

Do you have a question about food? Submit your question here!

_{“two-color corn” by Rosana Prada is licensed under CC BY 2.0.}

The post Why Doesn’t Your Body Digest Corn? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

First, we reached out to Jen Haugen, RD, LD, from the blog Down-to-Earth Dietitian to get a basic overview of all three types of corn.

What’s the deal with corn? Is it a grain or a vegetable?

Haugen: “That depends on which type of corn you are talking about! Fresh corn, like sweet corn, is a vegetable. You can find it in the produce aisle in the summer when sweet corn season is in full swing, as well as canned and frozen year-round. Sweet corn is picked at an immature state, which is known as the milk stage. Because of this, sweet corn is sweet, rather than starchy, which reflects a higher percentage of sugar. Yet, this quickly reverses to more starch than sugar after it is harvested from the stalk, which is why eating sweet corn soon after it is picked is necessary for the best flavor.

Field corn, the primary corn planted in the United States, is also known as “dent corn” because a dent forms in the top of the kernel as it begins to dry on the stalk. Field corn is primarily used for animal feed. We also consume it in the forms of corn meal, corn starch and corn syrup. If you use corn meal, corn flour, grits or polenta, make sure it says “whole corn” or “whole grain corn” on the label to ensure it is a whole grain. Otherwise, it has just been “degermed,” which means the germ portion of the grain has been removed and therefore is no longer a whole grain.

Popcorn is yet another variety of corn that has a hard, moisture-resistant hull that surrounds a dense pocket of starch that will pop when heated. Popcorn is a whole grain.“

Are there health benefits from corn?

Haugen: “Corn is generally known for its vitamin A content, having more than 10 times the vitamin A when compared to other grains. It is also a major component in gluten-free products, because corn is gluten free. And recent research has found the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in corn to be beneficial for eye health. In one ear of sweet corn, you will find about 90 calories, 18 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of fiber.”

Can corn become unhealthy?

Haugen: “Corn is the most consumed grain in the world. It is filled with nourishing nutrients, whether you consume it as a whole grain or as a vegetable. And there are a lot of myths that may persuade one to think that corn is unhealthy. Yet, whether you are trying provide healthy meals for your family, maintain a healthy weight, manage your blood sugars for diabetes or take care of your heart, corn is a healthy choice.

You may wonder about corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup – very simply, these are both sugar sweeteners made from corn. You might be surprised to know that our bodies process and metabolize corn syrup in the same way we process sugar or honey. And there is no difference in calories when comparing corn syrup and table sugar. As with all sweeteners, it is best to consume them in moderation and in conjunction with a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy.”

Read on about facts for high fructose corn syrup.

For insights from a popcorn farmer, we reached out to Lauren Shissler from the Growing on Goofy blog.

How did you get started in the popcorn production business?

Shissler: “I got started when I married into a family of farmers! My husband is a 7th generation farmer and his grandpa got started in the popcorn business by simply buying popcorn seed and growing it, then packaging it after harvest. Today, we grow popcorn for Weaver Popcorn and Great Western Popcorn.

In this area, popcorn is a perfect crop – and we grow yellow popcorn. We have many irrigators and this is very conducive to popcorn growing, as the popcorn companies look for very specific amounts of water being available to the plants.”

Can you tell us about your growing and harvesting process, and how it would compare to growing other types of corn like field corn, or sweet corn?

Shissler: “The growing and harvesting processes are the same for popcorn and field corn. The main difference is that we have a very particular moisture level at which the popcorn is harvested. It’s important that it’s not too wet or too dry – as with either extreme, it won’t pop.”

How do you manage weeds and other insects?

Shissler: “We manage weeds and other insects by spraying herbicides and insecticides, if needed.”

How do you store the popcorn?

Shissler: “It’s stored in a bin, just like field corn, and it will stay fresh for up to one year.”

What food group would you classify popcorn in?

Shissler: “Popcorn is classified as a grain.”

Lastly, we reached out to John Comerford, PhD, to hear his input on whether corn is a grain, a grass or a vegetable. He explained that corn is all three; the corn plant is a grass, the seed is a grain, and in the human diet corn would be classified as a vegetable.

Taking a look from a different perspective, Dr. Comerford explains that corn is a staple of livestock and poultry feed because it can produce the most feed energy per acre. The primary use of corn in animals is poultry, followed by hogs, then cattle.

Comerford: “I can legitimately sit on the fence on this one!”

_References:

_{//www.bestfoodfacts.org/true-or-not/true_not_highfructosecornsyrup
http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/types-of-corn
“indian corn” by Phera Laster is licensed under CC BY.}

The post Sweet corn. Field corn. Popcorn. What’s the difference? appeared first on Best Food Facts.

• Dr. Bruce Chassy – University of Illinois
• Dr. Wayne Parrott – University of Georgia
• Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam – University of California-Davis

Is genetically engineered sweet corn safe for human consumption?

Dr. Van Eenennaam:

The National Academy of Sciences and other leading research institutions agree that GE foods present no unique risks, or greater risks, than non-GE foods. In fact, because GE foods are intensively tested for safety while most other foods are not, GE foods are probably safer than most foods on the market today.

Dr. Chassy:

Genetically-engineered foods are rigorously tested before marketing. These tests are designed to ensure there are no adverse effects on human health now or in the future. The Huffington Post’s blog fails to recognize this. There is an abundance of scientific evidence and published research, as well as more than 15 years of experience with GE crops that provide strong evidence of their safety. There is no credible scientific evidence that they cause allergies or that they would have any long-term health effects.

Dr. Parrott:

GE sweet corn is every bit as safe as conventional sweet corn. It uses a protein that has been used in agriculture since 1937. Not only does it have a history of safe use, it has been extensively tested by HealthCanada, the European Food Safety Authority, the Korean FDA, Food Standards Australia & New Zealand, & the Japan Food Safety Commission, among others. All reports to the contrary do not hold up under close inspection.

The blog post states that “superweeds and pests have become resistant to GE-affiliated herbicides and pesticides and require many more toxic chemicals to be applied to crops.” Is this true?

Dr. Chassy:

I’ll address this in two parts – first: superweeds. It is inaccurate to call emergence of a single herbicide resistance a “superweed.” A superweed (by definition) would actually be resistant to all or at least many herbicides. Resistance has occurred with many herbicides used on non-GE crops. Fortunately, that has not yet occurred with GM crops; multiple herbicide-resistant weeds have emerged in conventional crops through poor stewardship of herbicides. Where we have seen resistance to herbicides used in GE crops, (less than 1 percent of land planted with GM herbicide tolerant crops), alternative herbicides are still effective. The key requirement to minimize the emergence of resistance to the herbicides used on crops is careful management.

Second: toxic chemicals. Comprehensive data from all over the world demonstrates that planting GE crops has significantly reduced the amount of pesticides used on crops (Brookes and Barfoot, 2010). In addition, it has allowed a shift to far less toxic herbicides that are not persistent in the environment. The claim that more toxic chemicals are used because of GE crops is not supported by the evidence. One of the major reasons that farmers choose to pay more for GE seeds is that they end up paying less for chemicals, fuel, and labor. They also suffer less soil compaction in their fields, less soil erosion and water loss, and there are far less greenhouse gas emissions from their fields. If no-till methods that are facilitated by planting GE crops are used, it also improves soil organic carbon content.

Dr. Parrott:

There is evidence that rootworms are becoming resistant, but they are not there yet, and they may never get there. The other pests are not showing such signs.

Superweeds’ is a term coined to purposely exaggerate a problem, and it refers to a weed that has become resistant to an herbicide. By that definition, herbicides have been creating “superweeds” since they came into use after WWII. Any given herbicide has a lifespan of some 10 years before the weeds catch up. The worst case scenario is we go back to the chemicals we have used before. The claim that we will go to a more toxic agriculture than we had before is not valid.

Based on previous Best Food Facts coverage of this topic, we were under the impression that GE foods undergo extensive testing. Does this not include human safety tests?

Dr. Chassy:

It is correct that extensive compositional testing is done to assure that there is no loss of nutrients and no introduction or increase in potentially toxic compounds, anti-nutrients, or allergens. The safety of the new trait introduced into the crop is also carefully tested in the laboratory and in animals. Human safety tests are not used on whole foods because they lack sensitivity – just try to get a human to eat a diet that is 30 percent soybeans or 30 percent corn. Food safety experts, nutritional scientists and toxicologists have developed very effective methods for evaluating the safety of foods that are used for all novel foods and ingredients independent of whether they are GE. FDA concluded in 1980 that whole food studies in humans and animals are not recommended since they are of little value in predicting safety.

Dr. Parrott: 

It turns out there are much better ways to test for safety. Working with humans is difficult: first, we do not have inbred laboratory strains of humans the way we have rats and mice. Getting humans to eat the same meal for days on end is difficult, and humans have lots of bad habits (ranging from lack of exercise to getting to bed too late) that can throw results off.

What about environmental health effects?

Dr. Parrott:

We have gone from using insecticides that killed any animal that happened to be there, to ones that just kill the pest. Likewise, when we monitor other indicators of sustainability, such as water use, greenhouse gas production, etc., GM crops have a lower environmental footprint.

Food allergies are mentioned in The Huffington Post blog. Is there any reason for concern over allergies to this sweet corn?

Dr. Chassy:

All GE crops are subjected to a thorough pre-market safety assessment which includes a systematic analysis of any potential to produce allergies before they come to market. There is no reason to believe that GE crops would give rise to allergies. The claim that they might produce, or have produced allergies, is misleading. There are no valid scientific reports that support this claim.

Dr. Parrott:

Remember that the active ingredient here has been used in agriculture since 1937. We have not found any allergy to it; no reason to think that it will act different in sweet corn than in regular corn or on other crops. Although The Huffington Post blog claims this is the first GM corn meant to be eaten on the ear, that is not the case. Field corn is consumed on and off the ear in many countries of Latin America.

Monsanto’s new sweet corn combines three genetically-engineered traits approved in 2005 and 2008 (corn-borer resistance, rootworm resistance and Roundup tolerance). The blog post states the sweet corn “…flew through the approvals process even though a vegetable with these three traits has never been consumed directly by people.” Should we be concerned about the approvals process?

Dr. Parrott:

Rootworm and corn-borer resistance come from Bt protein, which has been sprayed on vegetables for the past 80 years, and engineered into crops more recently, meaning their safety has been extensively reviewed around the world. As far as Roundup goes, all that was done is add a version of a gene that is already there; versions of this gene are naturally present in every single plant we eat. The fact they are in a vegetable will not make these traits behave differently than when they were together in field corn.

Dr. Chassy:

As stated before, we don’t do safety testing of whole foods in humans. Plant breeders frequently cross plants to combine traits. Years of experience have shown that if two safe to consume plants are crossed, the progeny will be safe too. The GE plants that were conventionally crossed to produce the new sweet corn variety were carefully scrutinized by the Environmental Protection Agency, the USDA, and the Food and Drug Administration before they were introduced into the market. The new corn is, in fact, not a new GE variety, since no new DNA was introduced into the plant. The most important fact to remember here is that there is no reason to expect that these traits will do anything different when combined than they did when they were present in three different safe and approved GE plants.

What about the statement that public opinion polls show a majority of consumers asked would not eat GE food if they had a choice and that 95 percent think GE foods should be labeled so they can make informed choices?

Dr. Van Eenennaam:

Although public opinion polls suggest that most Americans favor mandatory GE labeling in the abstract, this majority disappears when respondents learn the significant costs associated with labeling requirements. The burdens and disruptions that mandatory labeling imposes on the global food trade can cost millions of dollars per year. This leads to an unjustified and unnecessary tax on the entire food distribution chain, from farmers to consumers. Taking into account the costs of labeling laws, a strong majority of Americans opposes mandatory labeling.

Dr. Chassy:

If you really want to know what consumers think, you have to watch what they buy and eat. Very, very few Americans are seeking out and buying GE-free food. The International Food Information Council (IFIC) uses a much better technique (than was used in the Johns Hopkins research) in their surveys of consumer attitudes. They have consistently found over the years that when they ask consumers if there is anything not presently on labels that they would like to see on a label, less than 1 percent mention GE content or biotechnology; similarly, when asked what foods they were avoiding, GE foods are not mentioned.

Dr. Van Eenennaam:

Mandatory labeling does not offer consumers a choice between GE and non-GE foods. Instead, in every jurisdiction that has adopted mandatory labeling, GE foods have been pushed off the market by requirements that are expensive, burdensome, and stigmatizing – removing the option of choice. Furthermore, the authors argue that customers who wish to avoid GE foods can do so easily by purchasing food voluntarily labeled as “organic” or non-GE. Mandatory labeling is therefore unnecessary to ensure consumer choice.

What is the economic impact of labeling?

Dr. Van Eenennaam:

The cost of labeling involves far more than the paper and ink to print the actual label. Accurate labeling requires an extensive identity preservation system from farmer to elevator to grain processor to food manufacturer to retailer (Maltsbarger and Kalaitzandonakes, 2000). Either testing or detailed record-keeping needs to be done at various steps along the food supply chain. Estimates of the costs of mandatory labeling vary from a few dollars per person per year to 10 percent of a consumer’s food bill (Gruere and Rao, 2007). Consumer willingness to pay for GE labeling information varies widely according to a number of surveys, but it is generally low in North America. Another potential economic impact for certain food manufacturers is that some consumers may avoid foods labeled as containing GE ingredients.

From your unique standpoint, would there be any benefits to labeling genetically engineered food ingredients?

Dr. Chassy:

None whatsoever. It provides no meaningful or useful information to consumers. The label doesn’t say where the GE content came from, how much is there, or in what form it is in. It would be a statement void of scientific information. Studies show that consumers would interpret such a label as a government-mandated safety warning. Data also shows that localities and regions that have mandatory GE labels don’t have GE foods on supermarket shelves – instead, they have much more expensive GE-free foods, thus limiting choice for consumers.

Dr. Parrott:

It would be of great benefit to the food-testing industry, which would have a great market for its testing products all of the sudden, and which will have to pass its costs on to the consumers.

_{“corn” by Liz West is licensed under CC BY 2.0}

The post Genetically-Engineered Sweet Corn – Is It Safe? appeared first on Best Food Facts.