Non-GMO Talong Burger and Chips

Recipes to Help Secure Our Right to Safe Food

The "talong" is food close to the Filipinos' palate.  It is one of the most popular, if often inexpensive, food fares that can be prepared and cooked in hundreds of ways imaginable.  However, the Filipinos' love affair with the talong could change should we be served soon with dishes laced with genetically modified eggplants.  Field tests have taken or are taking place in different parts of the country to evaluate the performance of a GMO talong variety.  The field tests are prerequite to possible commercialization of said variety once government authorities permit this.  This talong variety has been genetically modified to contain a toxin gene from a soil-borne bacteria to kill and control insect pests.  Recently, the government of India rejected an application for commercialization of a similar eggplant variety for various health and environmental reasons.  In contrast, Philippine authorities appear inclined to permit the commercial planting and selling of GMO talong by early next year.  That is, unless Filipinos take a stand and express their opposition to being practically force-fed with BT Talong.

Following are some recipes to show ways how talong can be prepared.  The recipes here include common and modified (not genetically) combinations of ingredients for a delectable culinary experience.  This is intended to increase our appreciation for the talong, which is cholesterol-free and contains important phytonutrients (known as nasumin, an antioxidant), phenolic compounds and flavonoids that are helpful in reducing toxins inside the body.  Let us keep our talong GMO-free.  Say NO to BT Talong!

TALONG BURGER AND CHIPS
Ingredients for Talong Burger

4 pcs large eggplant
1 pc large egg
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced onions
t teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup cooking oil
Procedure:
Boil eggplant until cooked. Peel, mash and add all the remaining ingredients.  Form in round balls, flat into a patty shape then fry until golden brown.

Ingredients for Talong Chips

4 pcs large eggplant
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic-salt powder
2 cups cooking oil

Procedure:
Slice eggplant thinly, dip in the breading made of cornstarch and garlic-salt powder, deep-fry until crispy.  Serve with your favorite dip.

ABOUT THE SOURCE:
Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (SEARICE), an NGO based in the Philippines that works with farmers in different countries to help keep seeds freely accessible and the future of food secure for all.  Check their website at searice.org.ph.

Click here to Join our Sustainable Culinary Tour!

Email  activeculture@Ymail.com, if you are looking for:
1.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity
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6.Environmental Resource Speaker (Expert)
7.Farm training or apprenticeship programs (free-range poultry, vermiculture and vermicomposting, organic agriculture conversion ie rice, corn, sugarcane etc)

NO to BT Talong!!

BT Talong is an eggplant that looks like your ordinary eggplant, but actually contains a gene from the soil-borne bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT), which does not naturally occur in plants.

The toxin, the cry gene of BT was inserted into the eggplant's structure through a process of genetic engineering* has an insecticidal trait that is expected to kill specific types of insects.  In the case of BT Talong, the specific toxin inserted into the genome of the eggplant is toxic to the fruit and shoot borer, a known pest of the eggplant.

*genetic engineering, a process of altering an organism's genetic structure by rearranging, transferring or inserting (not naturally) genes from one organism to another.

Why Should Filipinos Say NO to BT Talong?

HEALTH RISKS
The lack of comprehensive risk assessment on the potential impacts of  genetically modified (GM) crops on human health and the environment should be enough to pause and reconsider.

Analysis done by Dr. Seralini on the BT eggplant in the Philippines shows that tests were invalid, and the BT Brinjal (eggplant in India) may cause liver, blood and stomach problems.

The tests also do not validly measure the long-term effects of BT eggplant.  Also, as Seralini pointed out, the recommendation of Mahyco, the corporation that partnered with Monsanto that consumption of BT Brinjal be limited to 50-100g for a person per day for five days "for a safe dose level" puts to doubt the safety of BT eggplant as food.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
High Possibility of Contamination through Cross Polination
Eggplant is considered as a cross-polinated plant and the Philippines has a total of 80 known varieties grown all over the country.  There is a high possibility of contamination of non BT eggplant through cross-polination. Farmers planting organic eggplants will seriously suffer because they will no longer be able to guarantee the integrity of their products.  Organic farming standards do not allow the use of GMOs.

CONSUMER RIGHTS ENDANGERED
The Philippines has no law or regulation on labelling of genetically modified organisms (GMO) and products derived from GMOs.  Consumers would not be able to exercise their right to choose between the Talong and the BT Talong, if BT Talong is commercialized.

NO COMPLETE PUBLIC CONSULTATION OR PARTICIPATION
The proponents of BT Talong in the Philippines consider the Public Information Sheet (PIS) regarding the field trials enough for the public to participate in decision making processes in relation to field testing.  This does not comply to the minimum requirements stated in the Philippines' National Biosafety Framework of public participation.  In addition, PIS does not contain substantial information for the public to raise their concerns and usually posted in obscure places and published in newspaper sections that nobody reads.

The Philippines is the sixth largest eggplant producer in the world and figures as a major ingredient in typical Filipino dishes such as in pinakbet, sinigang and tortang talong.  Why risk? Why take the chance? Say NO to BT Talong!!  What else can you do as a Farmer or Consumer?  Email Us!


Petition  to  Dept of Agri

About Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini:

He is a molecular biologist at the University of Caen, team leader and author of books on environment and GMOs.  He was expert of the French government and the European Union on GMOs, currently the president of the scientific council for independent research on genetic engineering (criigen.org). 

There's Something About Mary

BY REYLYNNE DELA PAZ

I’ve never felt this way before. My days have not been this exciting. I’ve never looked forward to waking up each day than the way I do now. I’ve never been this committed, so dedicated and happy. Never been refreshed and invigorated. I’ve never been so willing to sacrifice and go through pain for the sake of love and togetherness. Even if some of my friends don’t agree and understand why I’m in this, I don’t think I’d give up and stop fighting. I went really crazy.

There’s something about mary. There’s something about running a marathon that I enjoy, including the hurt and sacrifices it entails.

People around me often wonder what is in running that I love and while I can go on and on talking about the benefits of running, what I don’t miss saying is how it changed my life.

After getting injured from the 34th Milo Marathon in June, I rested and thought of saying goodbye to marathons. I took a rest from running for days and without a dash of exaggeration, those were one of the depressing days I had my whole life. It felt like ending a meaningful relationship that I’d wake up each day with an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. Not that there was nothing else in my life that gave me joy and satisfaction, but it was just that a huge part of me and my routine was removed. I missed those days when I’d force myself to get out of bed to start running and lag the required mileage. I longed for those moments when I’d die in envy seeing my friends indulge in my favorite chips and pastries, and those times when I’d turn my back from a good book or movie to rest and sleep. It didn’t sound fun, I know, but it was the glee of knowing that you have the ability to actually control yourself and firmly commit to something. It’s like giving yourself a pat on the back for being able to choose what’s right and necessary for the sake of a goal.

But even those times when I wasn’t training and lie low with running, I noticed that I could no longer afford going back to my old lifestyle and be completely careless about what I eat, etc. Running, especially marathons, turned my life upside down. It taught me not only discipline but also provided me with a fresh perspectives in life. When going through difficulties and frustration and tempted to give up or get grumpy, I’d just remind myself of those marathons that I was able to finish despite so much pain, and of the joy of being able to overcome the odds to get to the finish. Marathons remind me that reaching a goal requires hard work. They allowed me to get to know myself better and the strength that lies within me after the threat of cancer.

While healing from my injury, I had to let go of the Camsur Marathon which was just a month away from Milo and promised myself that I would redeem myself from that bad run in my next marathon which is the Quezon City International Marathon.

As soon as I got my strength back and my injury felt better, I laced up, ran again and began training for the 2nd QCIM. I don’t now how to accurately describe the feeling of being reunited with something so dear to me but I felt a different high while training.

Right now, so much of my time is devoted to training for the QCIM2. I’m looking forward to an enjoyable, safe and injury-free run.

My first half marathon was at the first QCIM and, because it is one of my favorite events, there I will run my fourth full marathon for this year.

About The Author:
Reylynne is a RUNNEX hardcore marathoner with a lightness of spirit.  However, she should not be taken lightly as she is an Advocate too.  She says in her Runvocate blog, "There are countless times when running has been my escape from the challenges of being an advocate and how I ran to the advocacy to give more meaning to running."