The enclosed info was written mainly for UK consumers, but is relevant to anyone wishing to avoid GE foods

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USEFUL TIPS TO AVOID GM FOODS

Source: 'GM Foods and How to Avoid Them'
 http://www.btinternet.com/~clairejr

While the demand for organic food has soared in the past year or so, the vast majority of the UK public are still consuming GM-affected foods every day, mainly in the form of GM derivatives and enzymes - which are a potential health risk according to independent geneticists*.

The following tips should help those wishing to avoid GM foods:

1) READ THE PRODUCT LABELS and avoid soya-based ingredients such as soya flour, soya oil, vegetable oil, lecithin and hydrolysed vegetable protein. And avoid maize-based ingredients such as modified starch, cornflour, corn starch, corn oil and polenta. Note: These ingredients are to be avoided simply because there is no way of knowing if they contain GM-soya or GM-maize derivatives (unless of course a particular product is guaranteed free of al GM ingredients and derivatives).

2) BUY YOUR FOOD FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE: Certified organic products are far less likely to be affected by GM. Look for the Soil Association symbol or a label with a UKROFS registration number. Favour organic wholefoods where possible.

3) CUT DOWN ON PROCESSED FOODS because they are more likely to be affected by GM. In addition, many brands of dairy products, cereals, jam, fruit juice, cooking oil, sweeteners, slimming foods, beverages, wine and beer etc. are produced with GM-enzymes. If you have any doubts about a particular product, contact the manufacturer for assurance - or just leave it out..

4) HOME-MADE MEALS, bread, cakes and cottage cheese etc. are obviously far healthier and more nutritious than factory-made equivalents.

5) AVOID "fast food" restaurants and "low budget" products because GM-foods are being introduced into cheaper brands initially. For example: Kwik-Save's No Frills bread and cheese products, and some of Asda's Farm Stores products etc are affected.

6) BAKERY PRODUCTS When buying bakery products such as bread, avoid "flour improver" and "flour treatment agent", which may be a mixture of GM-enzymes and additives. The GM enzyme Alpha Amylase is sometimes listed on bakery product labels and is best avoided. Likewise, "ascorbic acid" may be GM-derived.
(The Village Bakery (UK) now do an excellent range of yeast-free organic breads. Tel: 01768 881515).

7) AVOID margarine. Favour organic butter. For dairy-free diets favour organic sunflower spreads etc - available from wholefood shops.

8) DAIRY PRODUCTS and meat from animals fed GM soya and maize is not be labelled as such - in spite of evidence that modified DNA can cross the gut wall and enter spleen, liver and white blood cells. Favour organic milk, butter, cream and cottage cheese etc.

9) CHOCOLATE can contain GM-soya lecithin, and "vegetable fat" and "whey" which are affected by GM. So favour organic chocolate. Green & Black's have a policy of using GM-free lecithin and avoiding all GM ingredients. Note: All lecithin is soya lecithin. Its E number is E322.

10) SHOP WITH CARE when buying products such as baby foods, breakfast cereals, soft drinks and slimming foods, as these may well contain added vitamins etc produced from GM-organisms. (Weetabix breakfast cereals are apparently OK in this respect)

11) REGARDING HEALTH FOOD SUPPLEMENTS, vitamins and medicines: check with the manufacturer, as some ingredients may be produced by biotechnology. In the USA, the GM food supplement Tryptophan killed 37 consumers and permanently disabled 1,500 more. Boots the Chemist (UK) now admit that their food supplements and pharmaceutical products are affected by GM. All such products are now under suspicion - contact the manufacturer to ensure 'GM-free' status. In addition, for the last ten years there have been reports of a GM version of human insulin causing problems in diabetics who happily used animal insulin for years.

12) IS IT REALLY GM-FREE? When contacting a manufacturer to enquire if a particular product is GM-free, ask them to confirm that the product contains "no genetically modified ingredients or derivatives, and that no GM-derived enzymes were used in it's production". Ask for written confirmation rather than relying on verbal assurances.

13) HONEY. Almost all honey is now suspect, as traces of oilseed rape DNA have already been detected in several brands. Honey sold in the UK can be a mixture of honeys from various countries, including Canada - which has a high-percentage of GM oilseed rape crops. So if the label on a jar of honey states: "Canadian honey", "Imported honey", or: "Produce of more than one country", then it may be advisable to avoid these. Instead FAVOUR LOCAL HONEY (cold pressed is apparently healthier) from areas not affected by GM crops; or organic honey, as attempts are made to preserve wide margins between hives and GM or agrochemical-sprayed crops.

14) DRIED FRUIT. Many brands of dried fruit, including raisins, sultanas, currants, dates - and even dried fruit in some breakfast cereals - can be coated with oil derived from GM soya. Favour organic brands of dried fruit, or brands that don't list "'vegetable oil" on the label (available from wholefood stores).

15) WARNING. Avoid all imported foods from America and Canada because these countries are much further down the biotech road than we are. Products to avoid include all fruit and vegetables, ice-cream, milk, milk powder, butter, soy sauce, chocolate, popcorn, chewing gum, health foods, vitamins, and cotton and denim clothing (which are likely to be derived from GM cotton).

16) WARNING. Holidaying in America or Canada will almost certainly involve consuming GM food on a regular basis (including GM fresh fruit and vegetables). Most hotels, restaurants and theme parks are affected - including Disney theme parks. Favour alternative destinations; go self-catering, and avoid processed and packet foods wherever possible. Most in-flight meals, snacks. sweets and fizzy drinks may be affected by GM. Write to the directors of airline companies, and the large hotel chains; demand food that is free from GM ingredients and derivatives. British Airways need some persuasion to go GM-free. Write to: The Chief Executive, British Airways, Waterside, West Drayton, UB7 OGB. Fax: 0208-759-9597.

Source: GM Foods and How to Avoid Them
www.btinternet.com/~clairejr

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* GM enzymes: the risk to health

quote:

"The unexpected production of toxic substances has now been observed in genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, plants, and animals with the problem remaining undetected until a major health hazard has arisen. Moreover, genetically engineered food or enzymatic food processing agents may produce an immediate effect or it could take years for full toxicity to come to light."

- Dr Michael Antoniou, Senior Lecturer in
Molecular Pathology, London. UK.

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