FrankenFoodFacts Mission and FAQs

What is the purpose of this blog?

With the advent of genetically modified ingredients in our food supply, there has been a lot written about their pros and cons. My goal is to read 1 article a week and to decide on my own whether their arguments are valid (to be honest, the frequency of the posts will be defined by my kid's sleep schedule).


Why are you starting the blog?

I've seen a lot of articles from pro- and anti-GMO groups that are misleading and seem driven by passion rather than facts. It's obvious what the agribusiness' agenda is, but I have no idea why the anti-GMO movement would stoop to misinformation. Anyway, emotions are running high in both camps and since no one seems to be transparent, I want to look into matters myself.


What else should I know about you?

Hmmmm... Let's see... I have an undergrad in biochem and PhD in molecular genetics. I'm a member of the Baha'i Faith (feel free to ask me about it). My spouse is awesome and proofreads everything I write to ensure that it makes sense from the perspective of a person who is not a scientist. My kid is known as Mr Chubby-Cheeks. Both members of my family make appearances in my blog :)


Why should I believe you?

Good point. You probably shouldn't. I encourage every individual to do their own research and to form their own opinions. However, my goal is to offer background information, links, and references when possible, so that anything listed can be verified by curious minds.


How do I know you aren't hired by Greenpeace or paid by Monsanto?

I'm not. I'm currently employed by a biotech company that makes genetic instruments used by many labs and I work in product development. It's possible that companies who create GMOs have purchased instruments from the companies I've work for. That's as close a link that I can make between Monsanto and myself. I think that my husband and Beyonce (who happen to be 8th cousins according to his family tree) are more closely linked than Greenpeace and I.

The opinions in my blog are mine alone. They don't belong to my employer, are not endorsed by my employer, may not reflect my employer's views, or those of my employers' customers.

What is your current position on GMOs?

As I start this blog, I have never read anything leading me to believe that GMOs are bad for one's health. As such, I eat them and feed them to my family. However, the point of the blog is to investigate the topic and find out if I should change eating habits.


Who is your mentor?

My mentor in this scicomm project is Paul Thacker (@thackerpd on Twitter).


Can I send or recommend articles for you?

Please do. I would prefer peer-reviewed articles published in high-impact journals, but will gladly read an article from a magazine or webpage if you think there are convincing arguments pro- or against GMOs.



Why do you write under a pseudonym?

Well, that's a tough one. I thought long and hard about whether I should writer under my own name. Basically, I don't want my house to be TPed by people who don't agree with me :) But, I'm pretty sure that it isn't too difficult to figure out who I am if someone really wanted to.