The Ticciatis briefly define genes and DNA, then explain how genetic engineers insert the genes from one organism into another. Genes from flounders, for example, have been inserted in tomato DNA to produce a tomato that has a longer growing season. They maintain that genetic engineering breaks natural crossbreeding rules because species are combined that would never mate in Nature.

Their primary concern lies in the lack of knowlege of the long-term effects from eating genetically engineered foods. They are especially concerned about children. At the least, they want genetically engineered foods to be labeled so that consumers know what they are buying and eating.

The authors say that "Right now, it is estimated that 60-70 percent of the foods in our stores contain genetically engineered components" with 100-150 more expected to be added by the year 2000. "These foods have not been subjected to thorough pre-market safety testing, nor are they labeled."

Genetically Engineered Foods: Are They Safe? You Decide is must reading for consumers who want to know about the ramifications of modifying foods by artificial gene transfer.

27 of 35 found the following review helpful:


A little book with a big wake up message  May 04, 1999 By Martin Zucker mzucker@lafn.org
Food technology has turned much of what we eat in this country into artificial, processed, chemicalized mishmash. No wonder forty percent of the population is sick! Now comes the latest insult -- genetically engineered food. You won't know that you are eating it because the government doesn't require food manufacturers/producers to specially label GE food nor does it require any independent safety testing. What you are increasingly eating, as this book shockingly reveals, is unnatural food with the potential to create who-knows-what-damage to your health and the environment. This is a small, easy-to-read, and must-read book, about a huge, serious issue that affects all of us. Science is tampering with our food, and we, the consumers, are the unwitting guinea pigs in this mad experiment.


A USEFUL INTRODUCTION TO GENETICALLY ENGINEERED/MODIFIED FOODS  Mar 28, 2012 By Steven H. Propp
The authors wrote in the Preface to this 1998 book, "Genetic engineering is one of those technologies that could compromise the integrity of life as we know it... We believe that genetically engineered foods must be taken off the market until they are proven safe for us and the environment, and until that happens, they must be labeled."

(They also frankly note that "Our understanding of natural law comes from the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Mediation and TM-Sidhi Programs.")

That note that mixing of genes by crossbreeding "is clearly subject to very definite rules"; mules are sterile, for example. "Genetic engineering is not constrained by these rules and crosses all boundaries set in place by natural law." (Pg. 3)

They caution that most of the structure of DNA is little understood, and that, for example, 97% of human DNA is considered "junk" and is ignored. "Nobody has a clue what will happen if these junk elements are changed. The effects of changes may not become apparent for generations." (Pg. 32)

They conclude on the note, "There is an order in the universe, a seamless web that nourishes and connects us all---from the tiniest seed, to the beating of our hearts, to the stars in the galaxies. Every time we act without reference to this underlying intelligence of natural law, we harm ourselves, each other, and our planet. But if we align ourselves and our society with the nourishing power of nature, we will create a civilization that upholds the integrity and dignity of life for all of us." (Pg. 71)

This is an interesting overview of the subject, although there are more extensive treatments available elsewhere.