Genetic Roulette: A Documentary Analysis

Journalist and novelist Michael Pollan writes about the trials and tribulations surrounding food in North America and raises questions regarding Western diet, which is mostly comprised of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup and corn in general. He reiterates that chemically generated food is creating disease in North Americans; If we eliminate these factors and adopt the eating habits of less industrialized places in the world will we in our lifetime see rates of heart disease, type two diabetes and obesity decline dramatically? The western diet has evolved drastically in the last sixty years, so much so that people have become codependent on the government, dietitians and food agencies regarding their health and what to consume. The land is suffering from pesticides and singular plant farming, the alternative to this is to buy organic but at a higher price. Media has influenced the consumer to read the label and accept and trust the daily vitamin percentages on the box, as this is what is best for them. Money is the key factor in all of this and the government, scientific research and media know that, therefor the public is in for a shock when they realize that the very labels that are supposed to save them have fooled them.

The article “Not in my fridge” by Jeffery M. Smith elaborately discussed the health hazards of genetically modified (GM) products. This article has opened my eyes and revealed my ignorance of how unmindful of what I have eaten for years. I was very alarmed by many of the things I have learned in this article. After learning the side-effect of GM food, I was certainly concerned for our health. Moreover, learning that the biotech company’s strong stand in advocate of GM products as well as the United States governments and the Food and Drug administration (FDA) cover up of serious safety issues of GM highly disturbed me.

During the Ragtime era Upton Sinclair felt that people should be educated on what happens to their food a social issue that can be found happening today as people are demanding to know what’s in their food. Furthermore, Labeling Genetically Modified food is the best way to educate customers about what they are consuming. Polls conducted by professional news organizations, including the Washington Post, MSNBC and Reuters/NPR consistently show that over 90% of consumers want GMO ingredients labeled. As ABC News stated, “Such near-unanimity in public opinion is rare.” This study shows how many people are adamant to have GMOs labeling. Pam Pinto, owner of Act Natural Health and Wellness in Torrington Connecticut. “I strongly feel that GM food should be labeled.” Pinto said, “We should not be our Government's experiment.”

The novel is a non-fiction piece written by Jeffrey Smith in 2007; published by Yes! It documents on health risk associated with genetically modified food. Jeffrey Smith is a consumer activist fighting for improved health through consumption of healthy food. In his documentary, ‘Genetic Roulette', he documents the health risks of genetically modified foods. The novel explains how genetically modified foods are prepared, how genes are altered, how they affect consumers health and finally how the government has ignored the warnings of scientists. Jeffrey makes 65 claims to prove his point that genetically modified food deteriorates human and livestock health. Since the introduction of GMO into the food supply, which Jeffrey claims untested, has

In the essay “Genetically Modified Food: Watching What We Eat,” by Julie Cooper, she argues against the rampant use of genetically modified food (GMO) without any current form of regulation. Cooper discusses the possibility of health risks to those consuming foods with altered genes and the food’s capabilities to have far-reaching health risks. She continues with a discussion as to how and why the creation and use of the GMOs have become so unregulated. She then discusses the response, which is the public’s cry for their right to make informed choices. Other topics discusses are the political, environmental, and corporate ramifications of the rise of GMOs.

Approximately eighty percent of food eaten in the United States contains GMOs, but not many people know what they are actually consuming from their food sources (Prah). Genetically modified organism, also known as genetically modified organisms engineered in a lab by scientists that alter the genes of plants and animals. By fixating DNA from other organisms into America’s food sources, they create substances that are detrimental to the health of human beings. In addition to this, these genetically modified organisms are completely foreign to the plants and animals they undergo; their genes can become damaged from inserting the genes of the organisms. This unnatural process can interfere with a metabolic pathway in the plant or animal. In addition, studies have shown that on average forty-four percent of people had the “Round-up Ready” herbicide, glyphosate, which is used on genetically modified crops, found in their bodies (Stonebrook). Both, the genetically modified organisms and the chemicals used on them, cause several problems to occur in humans and other organisms which consume GMOs. These include tumors, damaged immune systems, allergies, and infertility; this is dangerous to the health of humans and to their regular body processes. Americans have the right to know what is going into their bodies and how these man-made GMOs are affecting them. By the government

We have some of the best schools, doctors, and technology in this day and age. With that knowledge comes, not just power, but responsibility. People, such as David Zinczenko, author of “Don’t Blame the Eater” argue that the government, not the consumers, should have more of a handle on our food choices, such as warning labels on dangerous foods, similar to those cigarette companies put out. The debate here becomes taking the easy way out versus taking responsibility. Consumers should not need to have the government holding their hand through every meal, but they should independently take the time to read nutritional facts and determine if the minute on the lips is worth the lifetime on the

So many facts presented in the video “ Genetic Roulette “ caught my attention. The background about how GMO began was intriguing. The genetic engineering began in the 1970s to kill weeds. Simply let’s make this special corn that will be resistant to our special spray but the weeds which are behaving in a parasitic manner to our crops won’t be able to survive. At first this sounds innocuous enough. However when it is mentioned that Glyphosate- ten years before the initial usage of genetically modified corn – marked as a compound that causes chelation, you start to wonder if maybe scientist should have searched harder for another compound. Genetic Roulette then explained that Monsanto’s Roundup ready crops, which are then sprayed with Roundup –each of which contains the worrisome chelation agent Glyphosate –, are nutrient deficient of essential minerals such as magnesium.

Every day, millions of Texans spend their money on the one thing they need to survive: food. Whether at a grocery store or a restaurant, food has never been more easily accessible in our history. With this increase in accessibility, the different options of foods to choose from have also increased. But although people now have the ability to choose between fat-free, low-carb, or gluten-free foods, they fail to make the most vital decision in deciding what will go in their bodies; the presence of Genetically Modified Organisms. Although Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, haven’t been scientifically proven to be safe to consume, 70% of the food that Americans consume has had some form of altering by means of genetic engineering. The problem

Controversial issues across the United States don’t stop at civil rights and liberties, instead they work their way up to the white house step by step. While the rest of the nation is watching Congress stress over the issues of same sex marriage and abortion laws, a smaller population of the country is simply fighting for the truth behind their nutrition. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) have been a topic of controversy since before the 1980 court case between genetic engineers and the U.S. Patent Office in which the court ruled in favor of the genetic engineers claiming "Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine,

Since the mid 90’s the number of American’s suffering from at least three chronic illnesses nearly doubled and American’s international ranking for infant mortality and lifespan also climbed. Illnesses like cancer, autism, heart disease, diabetes and obesity are now epidemics. People are getting sicker, and the question has been asked, “What has changed”? The most radical change has been the genetic engineering of our food supply. We have gone from food in its whole food form to food undergoing a scientific experiment.

In 2015, Tim Anderson, a PhD researcher, wrote “GMO Foods are Unsafe”, an article which perhaps sheds light on the mishandling of genetically modified foods, including the lack of testing of said food products, as well as the potential hazards posed to humans and the environment. In the same year, Genetic Literacy Project’s web editor, JoAnna Wendel, wrote a contrasting article “Genetically Modified Foods Have Been Studied and Found Safe to Eat”, and voices her disgust over the false information that constantly belittle GMOs. She believes the allegation that little evaluation has been accomplished to monitor and ensure the safety of these genetic modifications is based on frantic opinions and not accurate facts. Although their positions appear to utterly oppose one

Throughout the United States of America obesity is an ongoing problem for people among different socioeconomic statuses. The government, pharmaceutical, agricultural and food production companies are the leading cause of obesity, resulting in many health issues among Americans. The government wants people to be unhealthy to increase their income from the healthcare industry and Americans are falsely educated on the topic of their health and diet.

I am very glad that people are really trying to figure what they are utting into their bodies, and food is the first place to start. We our a country that has a high percentage in people who are obese and overweight which is somethign that should be change. After reviewig these links i found some really itersting information like there are food products that are genetically modified(GMO). Now when i hear that my food is being put into machines its DNA is being messed with, it makes the food seem less apetizing. And the foods that are gentetically modfied arent even labeled in the stores. This is a major problem because how will peopel know if they are eating something that was grown natural or genetically modified. For a country to tell

The use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) is global, includes plants, animals, microbes, medical, drug treatments, plastic development, oil spill remediation products and usage has markedly increased over the years (Goldbas, 2014; Mueller, Jafari & Roth, 2016). GMO’s involves genetically deleting, adding or changing the organism’s genetics (Goldbas, 2014). The most well-known GMO’s are in food and medicine (Goldbas, 2014). My thoughts are that I am naïve, historically trusting of the government to protect my food/medicine, perhaps, to a fault because, on a daily basis, I do not think about if there is GMO’s in my food or not. I trust the USA government protecting populations food/medicine more than other governments but I know that our governmental protection on GMO’s is not perfect either because there is minimal regulation.