Genetically Modified Food And Its Effects On The Consumer

Genetically modified foods have contributed to better foods in terms of food quality and human health.

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.

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.

In twenty years, the Earth’s population will need fifty-five percent more food than it is currently producing with the same or fewer resources. This issue could be resolved, but the full effects are still unknown. Genetically modified organisms are plants, animals, or microorganisms that have had their genetic material changed in a way that does not happen naturally. According to the United States’ National Library of Medicine, genetically engineering organisms has been around since the 1990’s. There is controversy, however, in whether genetically modified foods should be used as a part of our diet because, although, it can provide more nutritious food, it could cause

“Today we use the term ‘genetically modified’ to refer to food produced from plants or animals which have had their genes changed by scientists in the laboratory rather than farmers in the field,” said by Nick Middleton (51). Genetically modified foods have become a hot topic in the world. People have still not been able to label it as a “Frankenstein food or a weapon against starvation” (Middleton 51). Genetically modified foods should be allowed for public consumption because it helps deal with the issue of world hunger, it improves overall quality of food, and it helps the environment.

‘With genetically modified foods I believe we have reached the thin edge of the wedge, we are messing with the building blocks of life and its scary’ - Malcom Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive of Iceland Foods (Quotes from Scientists).

“More than half of U.S. consumers express concern about genetically modified organisms, but many have no idea what that means” (Goldman 115). In modern days, we find ourselves living in a “plastic society”. Everything that we see is not really what we see, it is being camouflaged. This applies greatly to social media, but people don't see it very much in food. Now more than ever, the food industry is using genetically modified seeds and chemicals. This is an unethical practice because people don't know what they are consuming, and if what they consume has negative effects on them, they should be informed.

Throughout my time enrolled in this course, I have learned many valuable lessons. However, the most important lesson that I have learned is how to be a better writer. By completing the various assignments in this course, particularly the substantiation assignment, I have learned how to better explain my opinions as well as support them. However,

The introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms, also known as GMOs, has dramatically affected the world’s food and drug markets. Plants can now produce more food, protect themselves from pests, and survive the harsh chemicals used to kill weeds (Driessen/Charles). Unfortunately, GMOs have many negative consequences. They can harm humans through unintentional toxins created by complications of the engineering process. Some GMOs produce pesticides, which may lead to the creation of pesticide-resistant super-species, potentially causing a catastrophic ecological disaster (Mercola). Genetically Modified Organisms may also have a negative impact on the world economy. GMOs need more testing and refinement before allowing them into the world’s food because they have the potential to harm human health, destroy the world’s agricultural economy, and cause a worldwide environmental catastrophe.

“70 percent of our corn farmland and 93 percent of soy farmland are planted with crops genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides and increase crop yields. 60% of all the processed foods in the United States are genetically modified; a shocking statistic has the concern of many Americans. However, most people are uninformed about the beneficial impact that genetically modified food has on their diet. GM is the use of molecular biology technology to modify the inherited structure of organisms. Genetically engineered crops increase nutrients, drought tolerance, provide more food for growing populations, and resists diseases and pesticides. Genetically engineered foods are crucial to the improvement of economy, agriculture, society, and health choices. The creation of GM foods was one of the most significant breakthroughs in food industry. Genetically modifying foods is a key component that is harmless for the enrichment of our foods.

Imagine sitting at a table enjoying a meal at your favorite restaurant. Have you ever thought about where your meal came from and how it came to be from the very beginning? What if you were told that the salad you are eating or the meat you bought in the grocery store yesterday had been sprayed with chemicals? That doesn 't sound too appetizing. Many people have heard of farmers adding chemicals to plants and meats to make them grow faster, better, and in higher yields at lower prices. Genetically modified foods have been a topic of interest in the West for a while. Word has spread about how these genetically modified foods have some tie to our health and the health of the environment making Westerners skeptical of those foods. Society is heavily dependent on genetically modified foods to keep businesses growing and selling. At the same time, this need for an abundance of cheaper food causes harm to animals creating even more controversy.

Genetically modified organisms are one of the most important issues around the world today. Genetically modified organisms are defined as food that scientists apply special techniques to change the cell structure of plants or animals to make they could produce more fruit or not be affected by disease. Genetically modified foods are foods that are made from plants that have been changed in this way. Genetically modified organisms are the root to make genetically modified foods and are also used widely in technological research. Food is essential for human life but many people in developing countries receive very little food today, so producing more and maintaining food are emergency missions. This is why genetically modified foods have developed extremely quickly in the world. There are a lot of impacts that genetically modified foods can affect to our world in both good and bad ways. Genetically modified foods can help people to produce higher yields and increase the nutrients of foods to feed the poor nations. Genetically modified foods make plants resistant to diseases and insects so that farmers use much less pesticides than organic foods. Also, people can produce crops that can last longer in bad weather conditions such as floods, droughts or export to places further away. Beside that, genetically modified foods still have bad effects to human health such as

Often when we eat something, we never really think about where the food is coming from and how it’s made. Have you ever wondered how McDonald’s French fries stay so fresh and don’t go bad even after a week? Most food in today’s agriculture is genetically modified. If you research about what a McDonald’s French fry, soybean and corn all have in common, you’ll find that they are one of the most commonly processed or genetically modified foods available in the market. “Genetically modified organisms or GMOs as it is called is when they alter the DNA of a fruit or vegetable.”1 In other words, genetically modified foods are created by artificially manipulating their genes. Thousands of people around the world are eating foods that are not natural and that they have no idea about. “The average supermarket stocks 30,000 to 40,000 food and beverage products; assuming that three-quarters of processed foods contains a genetically modified ingredient, the average U.S. supermarket stocks somewhere between 22,500 and 30,000 products that contain GM ingredients.”2 Genetic engineering all started in 1935 after a Russian scientist named Andrei Nikolaevitch first discovered DNA. Ever since, scientists have constantly been working on improving genetically modified foods and organisms. Over the years, the industry has led us to believe that genetic engineering and genetically modified foods are a natural breeding process that causes no harm but this is far from the truth. Genetically modified

GMFs, short for genetically modified foods, are a product of genetic engineering that makes a DNA sequence in an organism favorable and improved. GMFs impact the world in a plethora of ways including socioeconomic and cultural ways in our local community and the individual opinions of many people. These mutated foods have not only caused numerous advantages, but additionally have caused many disadvantages that can hurt not only the local community but the global community as a whole. While dealing with genetically engineering, scientists must be tentative by its utilization since many individuals have different opinions on it. Genetically modified foods have an important significance to this world altogether.

Safe and nutritious foods are critical constitutive facets of human health throughout the globe. Approximately one-third of the global population in the so-called developing world are currently nutrition and food insecure. Both biological imperatives and nutritional concerns undergird the need to achieve food and nutrient security, which have functioned as the driving forces behind the efforts of scientists to attain equitable food distribution among the populations throughout the world (2012). Genetically modified food has recently become a quotidian feature in the American food industry, as the U.S. has emerged as the largest producer of food and crops containing genetically modified ingredients. Indeed, a litany of advertisements have proliferated that tout the benefits of biotechnology to solve endemic world crises. Genetically modified foods, which are also referred to as genetically engineered or biotech foods that have been modified in a laboratory setting in order to cultivate favorable and desirable traits that boost resistance in crops to herbicides while also enhancing their nutritional content. Scientists estimate that over sixty percent of processed foods in American grocery stores contain genetically modified ingredients that most consumers are not even aware of (Miller, 2005, p. 291). The most salient types of genetically modified foods include cotton, corn, soybeans, and grape seed oil. Questions about the safety of consuming genetically modified foods have