What are Frankenfoods and 3 You Need to Try

Are some foods evil? If you have ever heard the term “Frankenfood”, you may believe so. Learn what Frankenfoods are and 3 you need to try!

What is a Frankenfood? It has received much attention in the news and even in certain concerned mom groups.

According to MedicineNet, Frankenfood is a perjorative term for a genetically modified food whether it be derived from genetically engineered plants or animals. It was coined from Franken(stein) + food on June 16, 1992 by Paul Lewis, Professor of English at Boston College, who wrote to The New York Times as follows: “…Ever since Mary Shelley’s baron rolled his improved human out of the lab, scientists have been bringing just such good things to life. If they want to sell us Frankenfood, perhaps it’s time to gather the villagers, light some torches and head to the castle.”

In a culture where whole, unprocessed foods are becoming the ideal, where do genetically modified Frankenfoods fit in?

Frankenfoods in your Pantry

You may be a very discerning shopper who avoids non-organic or processed foods, However, you could still have a pantry full of GMOs.

Experience Life shares that more than 54 percent of American crops contain GMOs and roughly 70 percent of processed foods harbor at least one genetically modified ingredient, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization.

In agriculture, genetic modification is used to create so-called super-plants that can withstand things like insect attack and drought, or that possess flavor and texture profiles that make them more appealing.

Those who defend the practice argue that the technology is simply a 21st-century approach to plant breeding, and that farmers have long bred plant species for desirable traits, such as better flavor and texture or greater yield.

The first commercially grown genetically modified whole food crop was the tomato (called Flavr Savr), which was made more resistant to rotting by Californian company Calgene. The tomatoes were released into the market in 1994 without any special labeling.

By 2006 89 % of the planted area of soybeans, 83 % of cotton, and 61 % maize were genetically modified varieties.

If you purchase any foods that contain soybeans or soybean byproducts as well as corn byproducts, you could be eating GMOs.

Interestingly enough, that could explain the popularity of diets such as Whole30, which shun any soy or corn products.

Some items in your kitchen that could be Frankenfoods are as follows:

• Rapeseed
• Honey
• Rice
• Sugarcane
• Tomatoes
• Canola
• Potatoes
• Squash
• Meat (eat GMO feed)
• Peas
• Dairy
• Vitamins A, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, K

A few GM crops have been approved by the FDA, such as the Arctic Apple, which resists browning, and the Innate Potato, which also resists rotting. Only one GM animal has been approved by the FDA for human consumption: the AquAdvantage salmon, which grows faster than a non-GMO farmed salmon.

It wasn’t until 2018 that the USDA required food manufacturers to alert consumers of of genetically modified ingredients through labels, QR codes, or text messages. It applies to foods containing “detectable genetic material that has been modified through lab techniques and cannot be created through conventional breeding or found in nature” and will be identified by the term “bioengineered food”.

The rule exempts highly refined items such as sugar or oil derived from a bioengineered crop because they don’t contain detectable amounts of modified genes. This means your soda or candy will not be labeled as “bioengineered”.

The preliminary required disclosure list initially consists of genetically modified alfalfa, apples, canola, corn, cotton, eggplant, papaya that is resistant to the ringspot virus, pink flesh pineapple, potatoes, salmon, soybeans, sugar beets, and summer squash. It was required by January 2020, though compliance isn’t mandatory until January 2022.

Are Frankenfoods Harmful to your Health

Whether genetically modified Frankenfoods are harmful to health depends on who you ask. There are a number of advocacy groups that claim they are harmful, while food manufacturers claim it is untrue. The scientific community has remained in the middle on this controversy.

It should be noted that the world does not agree on the use of GMOs. A majority of the European Union nations decided to block the cultivation of GMO crops, and Russia issued a ban on both cultivation and imports. Several countries do not allow cultivation, but heavily import GMO crops from other countries. Some countries such as China, Japan and Canada restrict GMO products, but only until they pass regulatory standards.

Here are some thoughts from both sides.

Harmful

The most significant information I could find on studies involving harmful effects of GMOs involved potential allergy risks.

• The Consumers Union – a vocal critic of GM foods – issued a statement saying that modified fish might be more likely than conventional salmon to cause severe, life-threatening allergies.

• In 1980s, biotech scientists engineered a strain of celery which lasted longer in the market, but caused people to break out in a severe rash after touching it.

• A potato genetically produced in the 1990s ended up making consumers violently ill and was discovered to have toxic levels of glycoalkaloids.
• Some scientists warn that genetic engineering could produce a new protein allergen.
• There are some studies in rats that consuming genetically altered potatoes resulted in detrimental effects on organ development, metabolism, and immune function.
• Canadian and European scientists have rejected recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) due to a study that showed increased amounts of the hormone IGF-1 could make its way into the intestines and bloodstreams of consumers.

There are concerns around the amounts of pesticides and herbicides used in pesticide-resistant Frankenfoods, and its effects on the overall farming ecosystem.

Not Harmful

To date, there’s no evidence that anyone has ever gotten sick from eating a genetically modified food,” says Dr. Nestle.

• A 2017 review of “studies usually cited as evidence of adverse effects of GM food” found that most of those studies were invalid due to conflict of interest, flawed study design or poor implementation. 

• A review of 6,000 studies over 2 decades on GMO corn revealed no risk to human health, as reported in ScienceAlert.

• According to the Milken Institute, the most respected scientific authorities on the subject – among them, the U.S. National Academies of Science, the American Medical Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science – have concluded that currently approved genetically engineered foods are no riskier than foods bred through conventional means.

Frankenfoods For You

While technically the definition of Frankenfoods involves genetically modified organisms, Frankenstein’s actual monster was a mix of different but complementary organic material.

When we apply that thinking to food, we come up with a new vision for Frankenfoods. These foods are not necessarily altered at a cellular level, but perhaps at an organic or holistic level. That could equal a fun but harmless hybrid of taste!

What might that look like from a food perspective?

You may have heard of these hybrid foods, such as the popular cronut- a mix of a croissant and donut, or the sushi burrito, which combines the best of burritos and sushi in one marvelous creation. The Cronut was created by New York City pastry chef Dominique Ansel of Dominique Ansel Bakery and Time Magazine declared it one of the best inventions of 2013. Yo Pratioto designed the Jokasaki Sushi Burrito, which LA Weekly declared in 2012 the Best New-School Food Truck in LA.

Other creative Frankenfoods:

• The Ramen burger uses Ramen noodles for the bun, which cradles a burger with cheese and toppings.

• The Yaki dog is a spicy cajun pork link topped with yakisoba noodles, okonomi sauce, ao nori, and red ginger, all served on a King’s Hawaiian roll bun.

• The turducken, a chicken stuffed inside a boneless duck, stuffed inside a boneless turkey, went from an oddity at Thanksgiving dinner to an option at grocery stores and meat shops.

You need not be a creative chef or in the restaurant business to create your own Frankenfood. Instead, you could experiment in the kitchen by creating your own personal vision of a fusion food, or use a different type of spice in your traditional meals. You could even add one food ingredient that is new or unusual to your family’s experience.

A good way to experiment with new foods in your kitchen is to try a meal plan with a focus you don’t normally use, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, or even just dairy-free. It will expose you to two things that improve health- 1) cooking more food in your own kitchen (without the mystery ingredients and 2) having fun!

Frankenfoods may be interesting from a marketing perspective, but neither genetically modified organisms nor hybrid foods are frightening enough to keep you up at night. By being aware of which ingredients tend to fall on the Frankenfoods list, and understanding potential allergy concerns, as well as being creative with “stitching” together different cuisines, you can feel free to explore safe, new tastes your whole family can enjoy.

What is your favorite Frankenfood?