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Genetically Modified Foods Essay

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Introduction.

Genetically modified foods are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes (adding, deleting, changing segments) introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering.(King 2009) So they could produce desirable traits or eliminate undesirable traits, a process that enables transfer of genes between different species that would not interbreed in nature. 1983 marked the first ever transgenic plant. This was a tobacco plant that was created with antibiotic resistant properties. The first commercially grown genetically modified food crop was a tomato plant in California. The decomposition process was modified and resulted in a slower decomposition. This plant was known as ‘FlavrSavr’. Before …show more content…

Irelands current status is a GM free zone. This means that Ireland is off-limits to the environmental release of genetically modified organisms including viruses, algae, bacteria, seeds, crops, trees, insects, molluscs, crustaceans, fish, poultry and livestock. As it stands only one variety of GM crop (Monsanto's patented MON810 maize) is authorised for commercial release in the EU. But as of October 2007, this is banned in Austria, France, Greece, Hungary and Poland. Other EU countries are looking into banning it too.
The hostility towards these foods means that they wont be bought or sold in the market, but their applications are so extensive and diverse that it is hard do ignore the many benefits that GM foods could bring. These include beliefs that there is potential for a negative environmental impact associated with production processes or farming practices and perceptions that there is uncertainty associated with unplanned human or animal health effects. (Miles 2001)

Positives.
With the worlds population said to increase to 9.6 billion by 2050 (according to the U.N) demand for food supply will increase dramatically. 60% more food will be required by 2050. (Alexandratos N 2012) Figure 3. Shows how much corn, rice, maze and soybean will have to be grown to meet the demands of 2050.

Food production will be under pressure and at an all time high. Advances in food and agricultural technology need to be

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