Benefits Of Genetically Modified Organisms

GM foods are in the middle of many controversial issues; primarily these are addressed by conflicts over the relative pros and cons of GM foods. Major biotech companies like ‘Monsanto ' and ‘Cargill ' are promoting GM foods by focusing only on their beneficial aspects, giving least importance to their negative effects on safety, environment and biodiversity. On the other hand, governmental regulators and nongovernmental organizations, along with some scientists, are strictly opposing this type of blind promotion of GM food by enlightening the people on their negative effects The controversies associated with GM foods include issues such as safety, environmental benefits and risks, biodiversity, and ethical and social considerations.GM foods are implicated for adverse human health risks like people being allergic to it, environmental hazards such as development of super weeds, and pesticide and antibiotic resistance in disease causing organisms. On the other

“Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man,” George Washington. Agriculture has been around for 12,000, this changed the lifestyle of people from hunting and gathering to permanent settlements with a steady food source (“Development of Agriculture”). From this, civilizations and cities grew, food could now be grown to meet the demands of the ever growing global populations. Since the development of agriculture advancement has been made to feed the population. One of the many modern advancements has been genetically modified organisms. Genetically Modified Organism, is the results of a laboratory process, where genes from the DNA of one of the species are extracted, and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. Some of the unanswered questions about GMO’s have been what they are, companies that are involved,

Imagine going to the grocery store and seeing a seedless watermelon, but it is not the typical oval, it is square. Down the produce aisle, there are sweet, juicy strawberries; however, there is a warning label that says, “Do not consume if you have a nut allergy.” The world today is moving forward in the way that society produces our wholefoods. Genetic engineering, bioengineering, or biotechnology is the process of inserting the genetics of different plants and organisms into other plants or organisms to create new, more efficient DNA. However, is it truly beneficial to modify the world’s natural foods? The use of genetic engineering can disrupt the ecosystems that have taken billions of years to develop. Many years of research and work have gone into the subject of genetically modified foods; however, this new food trend could create or enhance food related illnesses and health problems, interfere with nature’s environs, and could even cause specific ethical problems for individuals that practice different faith. People should be aware of genetic engineering, how it works, and how it affects their lives.

Discussions concerning safety issues and the potential harmful effects on humans have been largely theoretical. The key concerns have been allergic reactions, gene transfer to non-GMO crops, and outcrossing with domestic species (WHO, 2009). To address the issue of allergic reactions, the World Health Organization and other governing bodies discourage the use of the most common allergenic foods. Gene transfer occurs when the genes from the spliced material enter the body through the gastrointestinal tract and splice themselves into the human body. The possibility of this occurring is believed to be so low that it is not a realistic concern (WHO, 2009).

There is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of genetic modification in foods grown for human consumption. Many opponents suggest that genetically modified (GM) foods can affect human growth and development, increase allergic reactions in persons with allergy sensitivity or cause allergies to develop in healthy people. Proponents of using genetically modified organisms to alter and improve foods claim that there are no health risks to humans and that GM foods are subjected to stricter guidelines and testing than “naturally” grown food. They also claim that genetic modification of food is necessary to produce more drought tolerant, insect and disease resistant crops that can sustain the earth’s growing human population. A recent survey conducted suggests that public opinion is evenly divided on whether or not GMOs should be used in foods for human consumption. This paper looks to discuss the pros and cons of GMOs in food and the reported effects, if any, on human growth and development.

Genetically modified crops are an incredibly important issue that everyone should be aware of since it is something we are exposed to at a daily basis. Genetically modified crops also known as GM crops or Biotech crops has been one of the most heated debates of issues within our society. The debate about the safety, concerns and disadvantages of GM crops have raged since the mid 1990 's but this is due to the lack of knowledge of the general public. Many people are unaware of what the GM crops actually are and what they offer. Genetically modified crops are plants that are used in the agriculture and have been modified to initiate a new trait to plants that does not happen naturally in the species. These plants are modified using genetic engineering techniques to enhance desired traits. GM crops are made when genes of commercial interest are transferred from one organism to another.() There are many methods used for the production of GM crops but the two primary used for plant insertion are gene guns and agrobacterium tumefaciens. There are also three types of modifications which are transgenic, cisgenic, and subgenic plants. However, there are a number of issues that surround this controversial topic such as environmental, health, and economic concerns. Even though there are some worrying facts about GM crops people don 't realize the advantages or the ways it has helped humans as well as animals. There are many reasons why GM crops are proven

Controversies and public concern surrounding GM foods and crops commonly focus on human and environmental safety, labeling and consumer choice, intellectual property rights, ethics, food security, poverty reduction and environmental conservation. (Bawa, 2012). Safety concerns for genetic engineering can cause various regulations intended to prevent environmental and health problems (Bawa, 2012). Concern from consumers has been expressed for GMOS because several agricultural practices, such as the widespread use of DDT in past decades, have caused serious problems that were unintended and unexpected (Old Citation: Brill, 1985).

There is a growing controversy in regard to genetically modified food. Should GMO products be labeled, and should there be more research into possible problems related to genetically modifying our food? While there are many benefits to farmers and consumers, there is very little negative evidence to show that GMOs are dangerous. Therefore, with this lack of evidence against the harmfulness of genetically modifying food, buying and consuming altered foods should not be a problem.

The debate for labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the food supply has been an ongoing battle for years. Both sides have valid points and believe passionately in their stance. One side states they are safe for the consumer to eat and do not need to be labeled. The other side argues not enough long term studies have been done to validate this claim and labeling should be mandatory to protect the consumer. While both supporters and non-supports of labeling GMO foods may not seem to have much in common, they can both agree that there is a need for a plentiful and nutritious food supply.

There are certain basic necessities the human body needs in order to survive. Water, food, clothing and shelter are just some of those most basic needs. We, as humans, have been striving to conquer nature in order to make our lives easier. As we have occupied this earth for thousands of years and survived plagues and wars, one of our most basic needs has always challenged us; how to make more food to satisfy an ever growing population. Eventually our technology afforded us the ability to modify food to preserve it longer and grow more without fear of pests or blights. However, in doing so, the question arises: Do you know what is in your food? This is a question many consumers ask themselves as it

Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop useful products and is a technological application that uses living organisms or systems. There is much controversy in the use of these systems because of possible health and environmental effects. One of the most widely used products of biotechnology is genetically modified (GM) crops. These are crops that have a specific combination of genetic material that is acquired through certain biotechnological processes or genetic engineering. Many crops have been subject to these genetic modifications such as: alfalfa, cotton, flax, rice, tobacco, tomatoes, and wheat. Many people are on various sides of the spectrum of being for the alteration of these crops or strongly against it.

Many people across the globe believe that genetically modified organisms are dangerous and should be more heavily regulated, but genetically modified crops are among the most rigorously tested and regulated food products on the market (Bayer CropScience website, 2015) [1]. Why is such testing mandatory? This is because of the way allergic reactions can be triggered by certain proteins. When genetically altering an organism, new proteins are introduced into said organism. These proteins can be responsible for allergic outbreaks if an intolerant person consumes it. (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, 2015) [2]. To prove that GMOs are in fact safe for human consumption, scientists cross reference the chemical composition of the newly introduced proteins against over 500 known allergens (such as the protein in peanuts), to ensure that the new protein is not similar enough to any known allergen to cause an over reaction from the human immune-system. (Saleh Al-Muhsen, Ann E Clarke, Rhoda S Kagan, 2003) [3]. These strict guidelines are enforced by the Food and Drug

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is one of the most important issues around the world. Genetic engineering is a process where scientists take genes from one species and force it into the DNA of other species. GMO has long been in practice to breed select individuals of a species to produce offspring of the desirable behaviors. It is used in conventional livestock production, crop farming and even pet breeding. It involves combining elements of DNA from different sources to create a new DNA molecule that has a different combination of genes than original, which occurs naturally. There are some scientific methods for producing GMOs, such as recombinant DNA technology and reproductive cloning. Recombinant DNA technology involves the

A Genetically Modified Organism or GMO is an organism whose genome has been altered by the process of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found within. These genetically modified organisms are a relatively new phenomenon in the United States, introduced in 1994. However, beginning in 2014 these chemicals could be found in 90% of corn, cotton, and soybeans produced in the United States. The looks and taste of genetically modified organisms may seem inviting but are the health risks really worth it? In my opinion, I believe that while genetically modified organisms do have positive feel and comfort they pose a large health risk to all who choose to consume them.

Genetically Modified foods are produced using genetically engineering techniques. These techniques are used to ‘inactivate’ or add specific DNA traits of a certain organism to the other in order to improve it. These traits consist of increasing resistance against herbicides and pest, cold, and drought tolerance. In 1946, scientist discovered that DNA of organisms could be transferred between each other. The first plant that was GM was a tobacco plant in 1983. By 1994-95, GMO food was introduced and approved for humans to consume in the USA. The first plant approved by the FDA for marketing was a tomato from Flavr Savr’s. However, humans have been manipulating different crops for thousands of years. By mating together organisms with desirable traits repeatedly, people were able to mold species to meet their dietary needs. Corn is a very good example of this. It used to be a small, inedible tropical grass called teosinte. Ancient Mexican farmers transformed it into corn. Nowadays, we know this was a manipulation of the DNA of the teosinte plant. This process is called artificial selection and it has transformed all kind of unappetizing plants edible (wheat, rice, almonds, bananas). In modern days genetically modified foods have changed. Now, the speed and precision we can make changes has increased. According to Eric R. Olson, Scientific American editor explains, instead of selectively breading food traits, we can go directly to the DNA responsible take it out, and transplant