Nanotechnology (nanoparticles) in our foods RIGHT NOW

Originally posted by OnceReturned

Originally posted by concerned190
If it isn't bad enough that over 80% of our foods we eat contain genetically modified ingredients, now we are having nano particles added to our foods and its already been happening.
It is on our fruit, in our salad dressings, sauces, diet beverages, and boxed cake, muffin and pancakes mixes. Its in beer bottles and toddler nutrition drinks.

All of our food is genetically modified. We eat domesticated animals raised on farms or in factories. Every domesticated species is the product of selective breeding, which is genetic engineering.

No. What you are referring to is called 'selective breeding' and it is in no way comparable to genetic manipulation.

feel free to use google, or open a biology textok to confirm.

Originally posted by OnceReturned
reply to post by spikey

 

Right. I'm not sure that that's a very useful analogy. My argument is not that methodological differences never matter. I'm talking about the topic of the thread. Could you make similar statements that address the issue in question?

sigh.

it appears you have already been presented with an ample amont of information outlining the massive difference between selective breeding over generations, and adding fish genes into a tomatoe. if you choose to pretend they are the same, you can. but they arent

Originally posted by OnceReturned

Originally posted by spikey
reply to post by OnceReturned

 

I believe i have addressed your question in a very OT way, although admittedly, in a slightly tongue in cheek manner. However it was designed to highlight the potential for deadly or negative effects on the human body of one extreme methodology over another, more natural one.

Do you believe that human beings operate apart from nature? If that's the case, then why would natural things be good for us?

It's clear to me that human beings don't operate apart from nature. How could we? You talk about genetic engineering as unnatural and then you say, "natural farming techniques." Really? How could one be natural and not the other? They're both technologies.

What I mean is that nothing humans do can be unnatural. We don't have super-natural abilities. We are creatures of the earth. Cities are natural features of the ecosystem. As much as ant hills and bee hives, the products of human beings are the products of nature. Genetic engineering and nanotechnology arose from nature, like it or not. If you think otherwise; at what point do you believe that something outside of nature stepped in and separated us from everything else on earth and in the universe? Every organism affects its environment; every single one. There's nothing unatural at work here, because nothing unatural exists at all.

You can make the case that genetic engineering and nanotechnology in food is being applied recklessly, but I think you would need to talk about specific cases and cite evidence in order to have that conversation. The general notion that technology might be dangerous and that with great power comes great responsibility is no reason to halt the scientific enterprise entirely. You can talk about how dangerous it all might be, but at the same time the scientists who are working on it are talking about how wonderful and beneficial it might be. We don't have a good reason to be skeptical of technology just because it is new; so far science and technology have been a tremendous boon to humanity and done way more good than harm. I agree that some degree of caution is appropriate, but I know that fear of the unknown - just becase it is unknown - is not.

I'm confused? So are you all for GM food? And nano particles in our food? Are you saying you personally love and eat foods that have untested materials coated on them? You don't mind putting garbage in your body as long as it saves a multinational conglomerate money? Are you serious? Your willing to eat crap to save someone else money? Lmao. You want to know what the difference there is between animal husbandry and genetically altering the gene squence of a animal or plant to produce a certain chemical or characteristic?? Humans are not smart enough to predict the outcomes of whole scale genetic modification. There are far too many variables when it comes to gene splicing. Don't take my word for it do your own research. Are you not aware that genetically modified crops with terminator seeds have cross polenated wild grasses and wheat species. This is just one example that we know of. There are too many variables.

Distgusting!

My two cents...

Disclaimer:: Did not have time to read all replies, and therefore what I am going to say may have already been covered. Currently enrolled as a student in a biology Master's program as an environmental toxicologist, so I don't really have a dog in this fight professionally.

I think that the term "nano-technology" has been hijacked in some strange ways. While I absolutely agree that "proceeding with caution" is most generally a good way to go about things, I also do not think that nanotech, at least at this stage of the ballgame is not worth the kind of fear that it receives. There are a good number of technologies that have been around for quite a while that would rightfully elicit the title of "nanotechnology".

Nature functions at all levels almost exclusively with the use of what we would define as nanotechnology. I maintain that if nature were to be so clumsy with chemistry as we are in the lab, nothing... and I mean nothing... would work in terms of biology. So we get enzymes (essentially nanobots) to help put things together. The mighty gecko uses van der waals forces to adhere to all sorts of stuff. Polymerases assemble DNA and RNA one molecule at a time. Etc.

When it comes to food safety, I would be more inclined to go after the preservatives first. Sodium nitrate immediately comes to mind. Trans fats are another one to which we generally cast a blind eye. Synthetic sweeteners, and pretty much anything made out of processed grains (high fructose corn syrup, I am looking at you).

I guess my main point is that there are many benefits to be had from nanotechnologies which will vastly improve our quality of life and create greater equity for all of mankind. It is my strong belief that nanotechnologies will in the end save us from ourselves (at least technologically) and help heal the planet in really elegant and remarkable ways. Healthy caution is imperative, though it should not blind reason either.

Best,

Ryan

I do not think this is surprising. not really as nanotechnology matures as a real science, it will increase in the parts of our lives where we find it. like any technology it can help and hurt... this is a good example however of new technology being misused.... not in application but by not testing properly they are exposing us to potentially harmful technologies... give it up for our infallible government and morally stable USDA

"I'm confused? So are you all for GM food? And nano particles in our food?"

Why confused?.. some people are, others are not, and even using the words "nano particles" is akin to saying do I want molecules in my meal (not very descriptive)..

If your referring to black listed technologies that utilize nano-filaments, and artificial carbon chains called "bucky balls" to trap a specific atom for transference to organics, then the answer (for myself that is) is no, unless it is to remove a damaged molecular chain from my body to improve my health, through a "temporary" infestation..

Now the whole topic of GM foods, is simply apples & oranges, we genetically modify many fruits and vegetables.. it's called "cross breeding", which includes all forms of organics..

Now trying to crossbreed between "species", may be what your referring to, and in this case, I still could care less.. Humanity will always repeat it's mistakes, until either we no longer exist in the same form we are in, or we stop before it becomes a case reaching the "flash point" of no return..

We either learn the right way by experience (past mistakes), or we accept the teachings of the past to prevent future issues through the elders we have learned to greatly ignore...

reply to post by spikey


that post was completely off topic, what does taking a dump and various methods of taking dumps, have to do with nano particles. i just took a dump, should i start a thread.

Originally posted by KringleFantastico



When it comes to food safety, I would be more inclined to go after the preservatives first. Sodium nitrate immediately comes to mind. Trans fats are another one to which we generally cast a blind eye. Synthetic sweeteners, and pretty much anything made out of processed grains (high fructose corn syrup, I am looking at you).

Yes, I believe I have already mentioned the high fructose corn syrup. Read my post on page 2. We are pretty much made of corn....

reply to post by nightbringr


You are so wrong !!!!

I think you need to do your homework when it comes to these issues....

Maybe you don't have to live with chemical sensitivities, if you did you would be telling a whole different story....
Educate yourself my friend !!!

Originally posted by OnceReturned


All of our food is genetically modified. We eat domesticated animals raised on farms or in factories. Every domesticated species is the product of selective breeding, which is genetic engineering. The plants we eat also come from farms, and are also the product of selective breeding. Unless you're getting your food from the wild, it is without a doubt the product of genetic engineering. Selective breeding in plants and animals has been practiced for thousands of years and is totally ubiquitous. When species are bred in such a way that their genetic makeup is directed intentionally to have attributes that are more favorable to human beings, that is unarguably genetic engineering, even though it doesn't involve scientists in a lab.

I thought there was a difference between selective breeding and actually going in and splicing genes from different species, plant to animal, etc. Sounds like some dis-info here...or am I missing something?

reply to post by S1J1A1

Do you not have an organic store anywhere near you ? I live out in the boonies and we still have a few stores in town where I can find a wide selection of Organic products. I myself have no choice, I HAVE to eat organic and cannot have any toxic chemicals anywhere around me or in my house, I have been very ill, I have MCS. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Like a couple of people have stated on this post, if the consumers would stop buying the crap food the stores would stop selling it.
I have actually seen some stores go from No Organics to almost all organics just because their customers wont buy anything that is UNSAFE.... it works.

I also grow most of my own vegetables and I freeze or can them for the rest of the year. I only have a very small area where I grow them so this is not an issue, you don't need a lot of room. I also have friends that exchange eggs with me and I eat only meat that has been either raised naturally or get it from friends that hunt.

I guess since I HAVE to do this it just comes easier to me because if I don't, I will die !!!
Good luck to you....its nice to see people that are trying to improve their health and environment !!!

allergies.about.com...

I honestly can't remember a time when my produce did not have some kind of "wax" coating on it. Things I get from local farmers around here are void of the coating and overall just a much better product. I do know that the "wax" comes off easily but who knows for sure if it is absorbed by the fruits/vegetables etc.

Food in general these days are scary. They are processed beyond belief and who knows what the hell is really in them.

I showed my son an article about the ingredients in Chicken McNuggets and he refuses to eat them now. Anti foaming agents as seen in silly putty. It may be non toxic and safe to eat but I will take a pass.

So they lie to you about your food. What else do they lie to you about? Would your leaders lie to you, your teachers? What of your clergy? Yes they all lie to you. You have been programed to believe their lies. By their lies they have kept you uninformed and in darkness. Now that the light is being shown, what will you do? Do you yearn with every fibre of your being for more light? Or will you recoil back into the darkness? Join the light! We will create something beautiful.reply to post by concerned190

Yet another thing to add to the "Things that cause cancer" list. Seriously, there are literally more things that cause cancer in our foods than don't. I'm willing to bet that cancer will surpass heart desease as the number one killer in a decade or so.

Originally posted by Dr Cosma
What a great thread. S&F. This is something that needs to be tested and stopped!

My friend has a farm and i get my tomatoes from him, which are exellent by the way.

I want to start and buying everything from small family farms.

This is the best thing to do, unfortunately you still can't know if the seeds he is using come from genetically modified fruits or vegetables.

Originally posted by Kargun
Wow, this is alarming. We trust huge companies to do their due dillagence on food safety? Scary thought.
People need to start taking their power back from a corrupt government that caters to corporations.

Trust companies? Don't think so. They only care about the profit, screw how the profit is made.
Try supporting your local producers/farmers and buying seasonal produce.
I really don't need lettuce in Winter if it means it has travelled further than I will in my life-time.