Genetic Engeneering of Food Essays

Genetic modified organisms, or GMOs, are living organisms that, through the genetic engineering process, have been altered to withstand certain chemicals and increase the nutritional value of the product. In fact, the majority of the foods found at the grocery store are genetically altered. Genetic modification is becoming increasingly popular on farms throughout the United States and moving into other parts of the world due to their increasing yield capabilities and pest and weed control. However, this has been, and continues to be, an extremely controversial topic of discussion in the world of agriculture and biotechnology, as well as health food critics, because of potential environmental and health risks.

A new kind of foods called the genetically modified foods has been creating a quiet revolution in the American market for the past several years. Scientists are able to produce these new foods by transferring genes from one organism into another across species boundaries. This new technique has been developed to improve the shelf life, nutritional content, flavor, color, and texture of foods. Since 1994, about 45 genetically modified foods such as tomato, corn, soybeans, canola, and potatoes have been marketed in the United States. About two-thirds of foods that are processed in U.S. contain genetically modified ingredients. So, we the people are consuming these foods without realizing the fact that they are not produced naturally.

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.

By the year 2012, over 70 percent of the processed foods in the U.S can be linked to genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Despite this strong dependency on the manipulation of genetic material, there are many questions concerning long-lasting impacts such food could bring. The government of the United States of America should enforce stricter restrictions on the consumption, production, and availability of food products containing genetically modified organisms. Genetically engineered foods have detrimental impacts on the environment, are linked to large, monopolizing industries, and do not reduce world hunger.

The genetic engineering of foods has, in one sense, been in existence for hundreds of years. The first time Gregor Mendel bred different varieties of pea plants to observe the various traits present in their offspring, the concept was born. Today, genetic engineering has developed into one of the most complex and advanced fields of scientific thinking, all the while provoking many questions and acquiring many opponents along the way. While there are compelling arguments presented for each side of the issue, the simple fact is that genetically modified (GM) foods are a reality, especially in the United States, as they are already present in many products that are consumed on a daily

The risk of genetic engineering to the human health differs greatly from the conventional selective breeding method, because in contrast to humans and animals, the process of genetically engineering foods contains exclusive chemical enzymes and selective genes from a specific organism. According to, Genetically Engineered Food, by Ronnie Cummins, the original cell is cut, molded and given a copy of a resistance gene; then artificially penetrates the plant cell, instantly becoming immune to combating insects and chemical pesticides. The corporations of genetically engineered seed companies “are pushing for herbicide-resistance genetically engineered seeds”(Cummins, 25), which eliminates threats to the plant. The brilliant idea has lead manufactures

As genetically modified foods become more commonly used, it is important to consider potential drawbacks of biotechnology. For instance, as the technology is relatively new, long-term effects are still unknown. People may develop allergies to these modified organisms, or modified organisms mat introduce new toxins into the environment. Most scientific organizations say that genetically modified foods are safe, but some people are concerned that the long-term effects are still unknown. In this essay, I will argue against the use of genetically modified foods.

Nutrition is a vital part of everyone’s life. What people chose to put into their body dictates whether their nutrition benefits or jeopardizes their health. Many people worry about overly indulging in carbs or sodium, but the greater threat in our grocery stores. Sadly, many of the fruits, vegetables and meats people eat are genetically modified. There have been many studies conducted involving the effects of Genetically Modified Organisms (or GMOs), some include “creation of new allergens, increase in toxicity, and a decrease in nutritional value” (Paarlberg,Philip). The consumption of GMO products can cause harm to those with food allergies, some may not have an allergic reaction to the organic form of a certain food, but after the genetic modification the foods have new possible life threatening components to them. As for plants, when genetically modified they have a metabolic response to the stress of having its DNA morphed and the result is an increase in the plant toxicity. This means genetically modified plants have the potential to poison those that consume it. Genetic modification also causes fruits and vegetables that were once nutritious to become as healthy as foods rich in carbohydrates. Genetically Modified Organisms have progressed too far in the U.S. to stop, but if the Food and Drug Association provide accurate and informative labeling for consumers the results would bridge the gap of misinformation.

GMO’s or genetically modified organisms are living organisms such as fruits or vegetables whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated through genetic engineering, this often includes inserting genetic material from another organism of a different species. The use of GMO’s is becoming more and more prevalent in the United States although long-term studies of their effects have yet to be done. The production of GMO’s is dangerous, the modifying traits of a specific plant for consumption for the benefit of production and business is unnatural. Although the use of GMO’s has increased production and lowered costs for some foods, the long-term effects are dangerous to not only the consumer but also the environment. Some have even said that “the environmental and health risks outweigh the benefits” (Beckrich).

By extricating genes from one organism and interpolating them into a new organism. The cultivation manufacturing would create a higher quality and capacity which means a maximization of potency. If the animal and agriculture commodity productions concentrated on competence, such ability could be very advantageous to the producer, purchasers, and environment as a totality. Genetically altered foods enable biotech corporations to form a collaboration with tenants by utilizing the technology accessible on our support. If these businesses were to use genetically modified organisms (GMO 's) efficiently, it would permit for them to embed vital nutritious vitamins for all. Much of the extensive deliberations on farming biotechnology have concentrated on the inherent risks of Genetically Modifying crops for human health. Some of the wellness risks related to unapproved Genetically Modifying Foods include allergenicity, antibiotic resistance, a formation of toxins and the nutritional changes. To discuss the potential shortcomings of biotechnology purpose in engineered meals, people tend out some of the problems arising out from genetic alteration methods.

As the spread of commercialized genetically modified foods (GMF) products rise, the number of people exposed to genetically modified foods incline globally. The term genetically modified foods can be used interchangeably with transgenic foods, genetically engineered crops (GE) and Recombinant DNA technology and therefore defined as the enhancement of foods in which a gene of interest from one organism is extracted and inserted into the target organisms. (1) The genes of interest may be cells from bacteria, insects, animals, plants or viruses. Although the controversial idea seems fairly new genetically engineered crops were introduced as early as the 90s without the knowledge of most consumers. The United States leads as the top producer

The development of genetically engineered foods began in the 1900s, and has been in United State markets since 1995 (Bredahl 18). The most widespread genetically modified foods are oil, maize, cotton, and soybeans (Cunningham 11). Transgenic foods were products created to increase benefit and lower prices (Whitman 2). Genetically modified foods are essential to enrichments of crops (Tan 3). It helps reduce the use of herbicides and pesticides in plants, enhances taste and quality, lower maturation time,

The coding region of the gene is usually fused to a promoter, most commonly used is the 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus (CMV), in order to promote higher expression levels. (Snow et. al, 1997) The popular method for genetic engineering of crop plants is natural gene transfer via an Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector, a bacterium normally found in soils. The transfer-DNA (T-DNA) vector is made by inserting the desired gene fragment in between specific 25bp repeat domains in the bacterium. The vector is then inserted into the Agrobacterium and "the virulence gene products of Agrobacterium actively recognize, excise, transport, and integrate the T-DNA region into the host plant genomes." (Conner et. al, 1999) The amount of DNA transferred is only about 10kb and the nature of the gene is usually well understood. The expression of the gene introduced can also be controlled by adding additional sequences that might allow the gene to be constitutively expressed, expressed only in certain cell types, or expressed as a result of different environmental changes. This method of gene transfer, however, will only work for the natural host range of the bacterium and therefore other methods are used for additional crop plants. Such methods are uptake of naked DNA by electroporation or particle gun bombardment. The use of genetic markers, as mentioned previously, allows for the preferential growth of cultures that contain the new genetic

During the last few decades, the field of genetics has been significantly advanced. One of these advancements is the understanding of how genes affect an organism. Through this understanding, geneticists have begun to alter the natural genes found in food. The altercation of genes in food has given these foods the name genetically modified. Currently, the affect of genetically modified food on humans and the environment is a controversial topic among geneticists and environmentalists worldwide. This paper examines the controversy surrounding genetically modified food in the United States and abroad.