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Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods
Eating genetically modified food is gambling with every bite. The biotech industry's claim that genetically modified (GM) foods are safe is shattered in this groundbreaking book. Sixty-five health risks of the foods that Americans eat every day are presented in easy-to-read two-page spreads. The left page is designed for the quick scanning reader; it includes bullets, illustrations, and quotes. The right side offers fully referenced text, describing both research studies and theoretical risks. The second half of Genetic Roulette shows how safety assessments on GM crops are not competent to identify the health problems presented in the first half. It also exposes how industry research is rigged to avoid finding problems. This book, prepared in with input by more than 30 scientists, is for anyone wanting to understand GM technology, to learn how to protect themselves, or to share their concerns with others. It is presented in the clear, accessible style that made Jeffrey Smith's Seeds of Deception the world's best-selling book on genetically engineered foods. As the world's most complete reference on the health risks of GM foods, Genetic Roulette is also ideal for schools and libraries.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
25 people are currently reading
554 people want to read
About the author
Jeffrey M. Smith
26 books24 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
International bestselling author Jeffrey M. Smith is the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). He documents how the world’s most powerful Ag biotech companies bluff and mislead critics, and put the health of society at risk.
His first book Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating became the world’s best-selling and # 1 rated book on GMOs. His second book, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, is the authoritative work that presents irrefutable evidence that GMOs are harmful. It includes 65 health dangers, linking GMOs to toxic and allergic reactions, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. The book expertly summarizes why the safety assessments conducted by the FDA and regulators worldwide are built on a foundation of outdated science and false assumptions, and why GM foods must become the top food safety priority. Former UK environment minister Michael Meacher says the revelations in Genetic Roulette may “change the global course of events this century.”
Mr. Smith has counseled world leaders from every continent, campaigned to end the use of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH or rbST), and influenced the first state laws in the United States regulating GMOs. A riveting keynote speaker and popular guest on TVshows worldwide, he has lectured in more than 30 countries and has been quoted by government leaders and hundreds of media outlets including, The New York Times, Washington Post, BBC World Service, Nature, The Independent, Daily Telegraph, New Scientist, The Times (London), Associated Press, Reuters News Service, LA Times, Time Magazine and Genetic Engineering News.
Former US National Institutes of Health scientist Candace Pert describes Mr. Smith as “the leading world expert in the understanding and communication of the health issues surrounding genetically modified foods.”
Mr. Smith has united leaders to support The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, a revolutionary industry and consumer movement to remove GMOs from the US food supply. He is the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, producer of the films Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals and Your Milk on Drugs—Just Say No!, writes an internationally syndicated column, Spilling the Beans, has a regular blog on the popular Huffington Post, is well represented on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. He lives with his wife in Iowa, surrounded by genetically modified soybeans and corn.
from seedsofdeception.com
International bestselling author Jeffrey M. Smith is the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). He documents how the world’s most powerful Ag biotech companies bluff and mislead critics, and put the health of society at risk.
His first book Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating became the world’s best-selling and # 1 rated book on GMOs. His second book, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, is the authoritative work that presents irrefutable evidence that GMOs are harmful. It includes 65 health dangers, linking GMOs to toxic and allergic reactions, thousands of sick, sterile, and dead livestock, and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. The book expertly summarizes why the safety assessments conducted by the FDA and regulators worldwide are built on a foundation of outdated science and false assumptions, and why GM foods must become the top food safety priority. Former UK environment minister Michael Meacher says the revelations in Genetic Roulette may “change the global course of events this century.”
Mr. Smith has counseled world leaders from every continent, campaigned to end the use of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rbGH or rbST), and influenced the first state laws in the United States regulating GMOs. A riveting keynote speaker and popular guest on TVshows worldwide, he has lectured in more than 30 countries and has been quoted by government leaders and hundreds of media outlets including, The New York Times, Washington Post, BBC World Service, Nature, The Independent, Daily Telegraph, New Scientist, The Times (London), Associated Press, Reuters News Service, LA Times, Time Magazine and Genetic Engineering News.
Former US National Institutes of Health scientist Candace Pert describes Mr. Smith as “the leading world expert in the understanding and communication of the health issues surrounding genetically modified foods.”
Mr. Smith has united leaders to support The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America, a revolutionary industry and consumer movement to remove GMOs from the US food supply. He is the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, producer of the films Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals and Your Milk on Drugs—Just Say No!, writes an internationally syndicated column, Spilling the Beans, has a regular blog on the popular Huffington Post, is well represented on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. He lives with his wife in Iowa, surrounded by genetically modified soybeans and corn.
from seedsofdeception.com
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 15, 2014
I'm not one of those tree-hugging liberals. I like science, I learned in school that genetic engineering was a GOOD thing, and years ago I was a plebe at Arthur D. Little (support staff, not a scientist). For years my earthy-crunchy friends have been warning me of the dangers of GMO's in the food and I ignored them, reasoning I was not about to take up Yoga and become a vegetarian.
Then my kids got sick and we learned part of the problem was stuff hidden in the food...
My day-job is attorney. Before I swallow a bunch of hogwash to double my grocery bill and start buying organic, I want some EVIDENCE. Hard, credible, reliable scientific evidence from credible, realistic scientists who don't have an agenda and not a bunch of quacks. I also want counter-evidence about why I shouldn't believe the OTHER guy's evidence of all the reasons GMO's are safe. Dr. Jeffrey M. Smith convinced me.
I did my time working at Arther D. Little years ago helping the scientists document the effects of this substance or that on rats. I was just an office assistant back then, but I worked there just long enough to understand there is a vast difference between the 90-day initial safety studies the food industry trots out as justification for claiming these substances are safe, and a 3-year longitudinal study where they examine the long-term effects of something on animals. You ever hear of anybody who smoked a cigarette and died of lung cancer in 90 days? No. It takes years ... same as it does for rats. Those 2,000 GMO-funded studies ... they're all 90-day studies. The few studies that have been done to study the effects of Bte-toxin-producing-GMO-food on animals that lasted longer than that ... oof! Scary. Scary scary scary. Don't want to eat it no more. Nope. You convinced me. Until Big-Ag produces 2,000 LONG-TERM studies, I'm not buying their food.
I'm still cautious about what I believe, but since we cleaned out all the GMO's in our diet, my kid's problems are gradually getting better. There were two effects, the all of a sudden decrease in irritability which occured about the third day after we stripped GMO's out of our diet (we had no idea we were all so irritable all the time until all of a sudden we weren't anymore), and then the more gradual lessening of some of his other physiological symptoms.
There's a lot of quacks out there spinning pseudo-science, all with their hands out, trying to get you to take this fruity-tooty class, buy this product, embrace this lifestyle or start doing some pretty strange things. Ignore those quacks. Dr. Jeffrey Smith has been able to credibly back up every claim he's made, and when he doesn't know or the evidence is sparse, he's honest about it. Buy this book and use it to help you figure out which lifestyle chioces you wish to make in YOUR family.
Then my kids got sick and we learned part of the problem was stuff hidden in the food...
My day-job is attorney. Before I swallow a bunch of hogwash to double my grocery bill and start buying organic, I want some EVIDENCE. Hard, credible, reliable scientific evidence from credible, realistic scientists who don't have an agenda and not a bunch of quacks. I also want counter-evidence about why I shouldn't believe the OTHER guy's evidence of all the reasons GMO's are safe. Dr. Jeffrey M. Smith convinced me.
I did my time working at Arther D. Little years ago helping the scientists document the effects of this substance or that on rats. I was just an office assistant back then, but I worked there just long enough to understand there is a vast difference between the 90-day initial safety studies the food industry trots out as justification for claiming these substances are safe, and a 3-year longitudinal study where they examine the long-term effects of something on animals. You ever hear of anybody who smoked a cigarette and died of lung cancer in 90 days? No. It takes years ... same as it does for rats. Those 2,000 GMO-funded studies ... they're all 90-day studies. The few studies that have been done to study the effects of Bte-toxin-producing-GMO-food on animals that lasted longer than that ... oof! Scary. Scary scary scary. Don't want to eat it no more. Nope. You convinced me. Until Big-Ag produces 2,000 LONG-TERM studies, I'm not buying their food.
I'm still cautious about what I believe, but since we cleaned out all the GMO's in our diet, my kid's problems are gradually getting better. There were two effects, the all of a sudden decrease in irritability which occured about the third day after we stripped GMO's out of our diet (we had no idea we were all so irritable all the time until all of a sudden we weren't anymore), and then the more gradual lessening of some of his other physiological symptoms.
There's a lot of quacks out there spinning pseudo-science, all with their hands out, trying to get you to take this fruity-tooty class, buy this product, embrace this lifestyle or start doing some pretty strange things. Ignore those quacks. Dr. Jeffrey Smith has been able to credibly back up every claim he's made, and when he doesn't know or the evidence is sparse, he's honest about it. Buy this book and use it to help you figure out which lifestyle chioces you wish to make in YOUR family.
September 23, 2014
The "scientific" claims that this book shows are compared with peer-reviewed (REAL) scientific data in the following link: http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-c...
Read it yourself and get into your own conclusions. I do not think that this author has the scientific credentials required to write about this topic.
Read it yourself and get into your own conclusions. I do not think that this author has the scientific credentials required to write about this topic.
May 12, 2020
This is a very well researched book presenting all the evidence at the time of publication.
April 2, 2019
If you have ever wondered what the big deal is about genetically modified foods, this book will lay it all out for you. I already knew they were no good, but now I understand the gravity of GMO’s in our food system.
This book was highly educational and valuable, but it does read like a textbook. It’s not a light read! It’s packed full of studies and science!
This book was highly educational and valuable, but it does read like a textbook. It’s not a light read! It’s packed full of studies and science!
May 24, 2011
So far I am about 50 pages in, and am by turns horrified and fascinated.
If you are concerned about the prevalence (and dangers) of GM foods, then this book should be in your library for frequent reference.
If you were not already eating organically, if you were not already a label reader, you will be after reading this book.
Canola oil that is NOT organic is not a wise choice.
85% of our food products contain GM soy, slightly less contains GM corn.
The FDA and the USDA are firmly under the control of Monsanto, Syngenta, Cargill and a few other minor players,and the UK and Canada are no better. EU nations seem to have managed to keep their heads on, thus far.,
This is some scary shit!(this is the 3rd book I have read on this topic, so I am getting a thorough grounding)
Done! Of the three books, I feel this is the most comprehensive resource. There is a list in the back of websites that provide regular updates.
I loaned it to my neighbor, and now am loaning it again to my brother. If anyone else would like to borrow this and the other two, please advise.
If you are concerned about the prevalence (and dangers) of GM foods, then this book should be in your library for frequent reference.
If you were not already eating organically, if you were not already a label reader, you will be after reading this book.
Canola oil that is NOT organic is not a wise choice.
85% of our food products contain GM soy, slightly less contains GM corn.
The FDA and the USDA are firmly under the control of Monsanto, Syngenta, Cargill and a few other minor players,and the UK and Canada are no better. EU nations seem to have managed to keep their heads on, thus far.,
This is some scary shit!(this is the 3rd book I have read on this topic, so I am getting a thorough grounding)
Done! Of the three books, I feel this is the most comprehensive resource. There is a list in the back of websites that provide regular updates.
I loaned it to my neighbor, and now am loaning it again to my brother. If anyone else would like to borrow this and the other two, please advise.
June 24, 2013
Once upon a time I wasn't overly concerned about GM foods, being a believer in science and all. However, having done some reading on the subject (this book and various articles from different sources) I think I'm convinced that this is all bad news. Very bad. It actually strikes me as shockingly arrogant that we could even begin to think that it is perfectly OK to mess around with something that we don't even fully understand yet and put it into our food supply at any level. Our knowledge is imperfect in the domains of gene expression, proteomics, and gut flora and yet we are tinkering around big time with all of these systems without having any clue about the consequences. Tinkering in the lab is fine so you can keep learning, but this experiment is being conducted on all of us with virtually no meaningful regulation and no way of knowing for certain what the ultimate impact will be.
March 19, 2013
has soooo much information...information that's been purposely withheld by myriad food producers and companies....Really a Must-Read because of our current state of affairs in the food market(s)..!!
June 6, 2013
"In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men... I have warned you, and forewarn you," (D&C 89:4) Dear reader, would you be offended if I used this quote on two subsequent books that I will be reading? It certainly applies to a large variety of marketed products.
The content of the book is both scary, and scholarly. Page after page of ignored adverse effects, poor documentation, shoddy study methodology, obfuscation and lies. It reminds me of Silent Spring. It's enough to make one afraid to eat any food made from grain for fear of adverse health effects. Fortunately, page 258 lets us know which foods are:
CURRENTLY COMMERCIALIZED GM CROPS IN THE US
Soy (89%)
Cotton (83%)
Canola (75%)
Corn (60%)
Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%)
Whew, there are still some foods left that I can safely eat. And I feel relieved that I recently started to buy and wear more clothing without cotton.
I did not realize that aspartame is "a genetically engineered sweetener." Fortunately, for years, my wife has been adamant about scrupulously avoiding it. There's one hazard I inadvertently avoided consuming.
There is a page reassuring me with what I already knew: "US shoppers reject rbGH". Whew, I was worried about that one for several years until I began to see reassuring markings on milk bottles.
If you can stand a good scare, and don't already know that it's a dangerous world out there - read this book. It will give you something to worry about.
PS. Another reader of this book provided a link to a site claiming that this book is pseudoscience. To me this book looks like a review of the literature. Since there is a lot of pseudoscience out there, be your own judge of it's accuracy and relevance.
The content of the book is both scary, and scholarly. Page after page of ignored adverse effects, poor documentation, shoddy study methodology, obfuscation and lies. It reminds me of Silent Spring. It's enough to make one afraid to eat any food made from grain for fear of adverse health effects. Fortunately, page 258 lets us know which foods are:
CURRENTLY COMMERCIALIZED GM CROPS IN THE US
Soy (89%)
Cotton (83%)
Canola (75%)
Corn (60%)
Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%)
Whew, there are still some foods left that I can safely eat. And I feel relieved that I recently started to buy and wear more clothing without cotton.
I did not realize that aspartame is "a genetically engineered sweetener." Fortunately, for years, my wife has been adamant about scrupulously avoiding it. There's one hazard I inadvertently avoided consuming.
There is a page reassuring me with what I already knew: "US shoppers reject rbGH". Whew, I was worried about that one for several years until I began to see reassuring markings on milk bottles.
If you can stand a good scare, and don't already know that it's a dangerous world out there - read this book. It will give you something to worry about.
PS. Another reader of this book provided a link to a site claiming that this book is pseudoscience. To me this book looks like a review of the literature. Since there is a lot of pseudoscience out there, be your own judge of it's accuracy and relevance.
February 19, 2017
Lots of information. It would be helpful if the reader has a background in science. It can be harder to follow some of the terms used. Overall helpful for knowing more about GM foods.
October 9, 2009
I read this after seeing the movie, The World According to Monsanto. (Note, the movie is not longer listed on NetFlix, it was in the past but was removed apparently.)
If the rat research translates to human populations we should be scared as a society. Also, potential readers, keep in mind that many GMO foods have never been tested for safety. GMO foods are considered to be the same as conventional, and genetic modification is judged by the Govercrats to be equivalent to selective plant breeding.
Hmm. Let's insert genes into a plant that create a protein that people have never consumed before, but, make sure that the corn still looks like corn and then we can call the new corn substantially equivalent!
If the rat research translates to human populations we should be scared as a society. Also, potential readers, keep in mind that many GMO foods have never been tested for safety. GMO foods are considered to be the same as conventional, and genetic modification is judged by the Govercrats to be equivalent to selective plant breeding.
Hmm. Let's insert genes into a plant that create a protein that people have never consumed before, but, make sure that the corn still looks like corn and then we can call the new corn substantially equivalent!
November 15, 2013
What an incredibly informative book! I read a LOT of horror books and truthfully, this book is scarier than all of them because unbeknownst to us, we are exposed to harmful ingredients that have been bioengineered in foods. It truly amazes me (and angers me) that genetically modified foods are not properly regulated and labeled. The author does a fantastic job presenting evidence that genetically modified foods do pose significant health risks. Gastrointestinal ailments are on the rise, especially in children and young adults--is it any wonder when we gamble with the foods we ingest? Seriously, this book is very enlightening and I, for one, will certainly be making changes to the items I purchase and feed my family. Highly recommended to all!
November 6, 2007
This book does a remarkable job of laying out in detail the documented, scientific evidence for health risks of genetically modified food. For me the vast majority of what we hear against GMO food is all alarms and no fire. That is, we read a million accusations against GMO food and the corporations that push it, but we get very little careful, scientific analysis of just why it's a problem. This book is great for anyone who has a natural distrust of the GMO industry but would like to know exactly why that distrust is warranted. And judging by the case studies in the book, it's warranted. Definitely worth looking at, if not reading cover to cover.
November 10, 2008
After reading this, you will not be able to eat again without considering how that food was grown, processed, packaged, stored and shipped for consumption. He reveals how genetically modified foods reach our tables and why they are to be shunned, from a health perspective. Author also wrote "Seeds of Perception"; either provides a fascinating understanding of how human and livestock illnesses may spring from eating certain genetically-engineered crops.
November 16, 2008
If you really want to understand how pervasive and dangerous genetically modified foods are this book goes into extensive detail. Textbook like in size, with an easy to scan/read layout, and complete references.
February 11, 2015
This is an amazing book to find out the who, what, where, when and how much the American food supply has been destroyed via Genetic Engineering. Everybody who is awake now or just waking up to the fact that your food is poisoning you to death. Great read!
June 10, 2013
Excellent---wish everyone would take a look, and act on it!
February 11, 2014
Crimes Against Humanity... Hidden...
May 27, 2016
A must-have resource to anyone interested in the GMO debate. This book is a compilation of the science that is not funded by industry. A must have.
March 11, 2008
The documented health risk of genetically engineered foods.
Should I say more?
Should I say more?
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews