Genetically And Genetically Modified Foods

What are genetically modified foods? They are plants and animals whose DNA has been altered or change to suit the needs of humans. There are three types of genetically modified food (GM) first generation, second generation, and third generation crops. Each type is focused in different types of yields and crops so they can have a system that allows to keep production and value up.

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.

‘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).

There are many speculations and controversy surrounding the use of Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. There will be explanations of the negative aspects of Genetically Modified Organisms with the described studies to go along with them. The positive Genetically Modified Organisms facts will be mentioned and described to counter weigh the negatives. There will also be a look into the use of hormones in farm animals and the negative outcomes from them and how the use of the hormones usually gets tied in with the Genetically Modified substances. The kingpin of the GMO world, Monsanto will be researched to provide insight into the plans of the company and the things they are doing to better the crop situation.

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,

Food is essential for life. This is a simple fact that leaves no room for inquiry. Not only does food provide sustenance, but a large part of community and culture relies upon the consumption of food and meals. Since the beginning of time food has been grown, cultivated, cooked, served, purchased, and consumed. The types of consumed foods are a large part of cultures all over the world. For food to be such a big component of life, humans have the right to know what they are eating. As food becomes more commercial and accessible, the source may not always be known. Genetically modified food (GMOs) are becoming more widely used. Consumers have the right to understand what they eat, and GMOs should not be forced into consumption. To increase awareness of GMOs, the source, health risks, and environmental effects of genetically modified food deserves to be known.

What is it that we are eating? GMO’s are unnatural. Is it healthy to eat something that doesn’t belong in our digestive system? GMO’s are genetically modified food. Genetically modified foods are created by taking genes from plants and animals and inserting into our food to alter the genetic engineering. In 1984, GMO’s were first introduced when a plant was modified from antibiotic resistant tobacco. In 1994, genetically modifying food was approved by the FDA and the first GMO food, Flavr-Savr tomatoes, was released into marketing. (A history of GM) They became an issue since the beginning, creating many health problems. Genetically modifying foods should not be allowed in America because it’s unhealthy, it decreases in nutritional value, antibiotic resistance, and has shown increases in food allergy and toxicity.

ninth grade. I did not know that anything such as GMO’s had existed before that, but in my ninth

Genetically Modified Foods are the newly developed epidemic of the 21st century. Through a multitude of hurdled obstacles of putting G.M.O’s into production, they are said to have aided world hunger, production costs, and the economy. However, the question of the level of safety comes into play when analyzing the long term and short term effects on the human body and environment. Although the United States has frugal laws regarding the labeling and production of G.M.O’s, a majority of other countries forbid the extensive production and require accurate labeling. Dating back to the beginning of the creation of the altercation of genes, many Americans supported the idea of disproving Thomas Malthus’s theory of population regarding food shortage. G.M.O’s are utilized across the nation by a multitude of American families to date. Although, as people begin to recognize the unverified, seamless effects of Genetically Modified Foods and due to a rise in health concern, many Americans and foreign nations are beginning to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle; organic and non- G.M.O.

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,

Genetically Modified Organism’s were introduced back in the 1990’s; however, scientists first discovered that DNA could be transferred from one organism to another back in 1946 (Bawa and Anilakumar, 2013). It consists of organisms in which their genes have been altered. Whether it’s an animal or a plant, nothing is perfect; desired traits are scattered all around so scientists are now able to retrieve the DNA from one living organism, virus, or bacteria and transfer it to another. About 90% of crops in America have been genetically modified and about 65% of processed foods sitting on the shelves of our local grocery store have been genetically modified, as well. Farmers have been genetically modifying their crops to improve them by increasing their nutritional value, increasing their life span, and decreasing how prone they are to insects (Schneider, Schneider, & Richardson, 2014). Many US citizens consume genetically modified foods every day including: fruits, veggies, oils, sugars, cheeses, potatoes and many, many more. In 1994, the Flavr Savr tomato was the first commercial food product to be developed from gene splicing, and sold; they genetically modified it to keep the fruit from ripening (Schneider, Schneider, & Richardson, 2014). Genetically modified foods remain firm and fresh for much longer than natural, untouched crops and foods. Genetically modified foods don’t just contain genes from other foods, they contain genes from

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.

“It has been estimated that 70% of all processed foods in the United States contain at least one genetically modified ingredient.” (Genetically M...Foods 3). Genetically Modified foods are all around us and are quickly become a staple in our future. If you check the internet and do a quick search for “GM Foods”, expect to be flooded by opinionated articles both encouraging and refuting the use of GM products in our food. After sifting through all the articles and only focusing on the facts, I have taken two things. One, Genetic engineering of foods is when we take a desirable traits from one plant, ie. resistant to a certain pesticide, and physically implant it into another plants seeds in order to take on that resistance gene without

Genetically modified foods (or GM foods) are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed for the introduction of new traits as well as a far greater control over a food 's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding (GM SCIENCE REVIEW first report P9). The term genetically modified foods (GM foods) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology technique. Commercial sale of the first genetically modified food was in 1994, it was a