The Oiling of America: Adding DHA, SDA and Other GMO Ingredients to “Health Foods”
Listen to most vegans and you’d think DHA from algae is an all-natural, plant-sourced algae that is healthier than fish and more sustainable for the planet as well.
Go to nutrition conferences, and you’ll hear much the same.
In truth, there’s nothing natural about it, and it’s yet another “dirty little secret” of the food processing industry.
The algae in question come from Martek Biosciences, and is not your average pond scum. Rather it’s been genetically modified through mutations induced by radiation and/or harsh chemicals, and then fermented in a mix of corn syrup, ethanol and other ingredients from GMO corn. The DHA is extracted with the help of solvents such as isopropyl alcohol or hexane (a petrochemical that is a known neurotoxin), and finally preserved with synthetic preservatives such as mannitol, modified starch, glucose syrup solids and ascorbyl palmitate.
Sadly, most of the “better” baby formulas now contain “added DHA” from algae, including Earth’s Best and Similac. Martek DHA is also found in “organic milk” from Horizon, which is owned by Dean Foods. Horizon’s milk cartons feature a prominent DHA Omega 3 banner and the claim “supports brain health.”
Soon things will be even worse. DSM Nutritional Products, the parent company of Martek, has partnered with Monsanto to deliver a GMO soybean oil high in omega 3s for use in salad dressings, sauces, margarines, bakery products, soups, snack bars and dairy products as well as other “innovative” products. Known as stearidonate or SDA oil, it will be sold as a healthy vegetarian EPA omega 3 product.
Mark Kastel of The Cornucopia Institute pulls no punches when he writes:
“That’s right, DSM, the same company that bamboozled the National Organic Standards Board, with raw lobbying might, bringing you genetically mutated algae, processed with synthetic petrochemical-based solvents, and incorporated into a number of “organic” products including milk from some of our other friends at Dean Foods/WhiteWave (labeled “Horizon Organic”).
If you want omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (a good thing) but you want them from food, and you want them from ingredients that the preponderance of science has backed, in terms of its efficacy, consult the Cornucopia buyers guide: http://www.cornucopia.org/dha-guide/
Please follow and support the important work of The Cornucopia Institute. www.cornucopia.org
SOURCES
August 8, 2013 email alert from Mark Kastel entitled “DSM and Monsanto to Partner (corrupting your diet and organics”
http://www.cornucopia.org/what-are-marteks-dha-and-ara-oils/
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