Would You Eat An Allergen-Free, Genetically Modified Peanut?

Sometimes you feel like a nut. But for folks with peanut allergies, indulging in the sweet-yet-salty goodness of a PB&J sandwich just isn't a possibility.

But what if told you that through genetic modification (GM), people with food allergies could purchase and eat allergen-free foods? Would you sacrifice your sustainable foodie ideals to indulge in a GM peanut? If you're like most participants in a soon-to-be-published survey, you would.

In a pilot study conducted from September of 2006 through June of 2007, researchers from the University of Waganingen tested out how shoppers felt about the Santana apple, a GM apple that lacked allergens. Scientists found that consumers who were allergic to apples were more likely to accept and approve of how the apple was produced. In other words, acceptance of the Frankenapples increased with perceptions of personal benefits from eating the GM fruit.

Eating genetically modified foods is a hugely controversial issue. Most sustainable foodies decry the spread of GM foods in the agricultural landscape, citing environmental, economic, and health concerns. But will the promise of a personal benefit from GM produce cause sustainable foodies to abandon their good, greenie morals?

It's an interesting question, especially considering what Big Ag groups currently have up their labcoat sleeves. DuPont and Monsanto are both working on genetically engineered versions of "healthier" soybeans, some of which would contain omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient traditionally found in fish. Other food producers are experimenting with gene slicing to produce allergen-free versions of soy, tomatoes, peanuts, and apples.

These foods would certainly help folks eat healthier and allow diners to indulge in items their bodies naturally reject, but I'm skeptical that these potential health benefits justify the environmental and economic risks GM foods pose. Case in point: About 20 years ago, Monsanto released its GM, Roundup Ready seeds. Farmers could spray as much Roundup herbicide as necessary to kill off weeds, but crops remained healthy and thriving. Until now, that is. Weeds evolved a resistance to Roundup, creating voracious "superweeds" that choke out America's corn, cotton, and soybean crops. Now farmers use more chemicals than ever before to control weeds and insects, polluting the soil, water, and nearby wildlife. So much for an "environmentally friendly" farming solution.

About 90 percent of America's soybeans come from GM seeds, and most of the country's corn and cotton is GM, too. These Frankenfoods escape from their farms, cross-breeding and spreading to other areas. The escapees ruin natural crop varieties and threaten the livelihoods of organic farmers who pride themselves on not growing GM crops. These are just some of the environmental and economic impacts we're seeing from the GM foods we already have — if more enter the market, I shudder to think of the economic, environmental, and health impacts that could crop up.

So what do you think, readers? Would you embrace GM foods if they brought personal health benefits? Tell us in the poll above.

Photo credit: EuroMagic via Flickr