Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms

GMOs, (genetically modified organisms) have been a topic of interest in the social eyes for years. Since they’ve been created, many people have voiced and written about their opinions on GMOs, and whether they are dangerous or not. Created to expand the genetic diversity of crops and animals, many don’t know whether GMOs are good or bad, and neither do researchers. Though there hasn’t been any evidence claiming whether GMOs are good or bad, it has certainly not stopped the public from creating their own opinions. Since no one knows the truth behind GMO, it has opened a window of opportunities for companies including Monsanto to voice their support of GMO, while other companies like the Non-GMO Project voice their

“Should We Care About Genetically Modified Foods?” by John N. Shaw appeared in Food Safety News issue of February 1, 2010, as a feature under the health section on the controversy between the pros and cons of genetically modified foods (Also known as GMO, genetically modified organisms). The main idea of this article is to inform people of the benefits of GMOs . The author, John Shaw received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with a minor in Marketing from the University of Arkansas in 2007, where he was a “leadership scholar.” In addition to his studies, he has worked as a research assistant with Food Law LL.M. Director Susan Schneider, interned with Wal-Mart Government and Corporate Affairs division, the Arkansas Attorney General Public Protection Division, and with United States Senator Blanche Lincoln. John has a passion for Food Law, sports, and outdoors. In the article, he states, “ I submit that I am no scientist; merely an interested student.” According to the article, he is passionate and has done sufficient research about the topic to support his argument.

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.

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

In a health conscious world today and advance food technology people are beginning to wonder ‘what is it that we are actually taking in’. This is where the word GMOs starts being tossed around. GMO is the abbreviation of Genetically Modified Organisms, but if crops and livestock are fine naturally why should they be modified? This is where the myth of GMOs being harmful to the human body become present. The public grows intimidated when they know that their food has been modified, leaving the people with a state of mind of hatred. The belief that the public gets when they sense that their food seems abnormal, especially being modified to meet the needs for a better future, will make the public imagine it as a very dangerous intake for any source of life to sustain.

There are varied arguments that favor or are against compulsory labeling of genetically engineered food products. Those who argue for the labeling of such products argue that consumers have a right to know what is contained in their food, particularly food products for which there have been health and environmental concerns (Caswell 26). Compulsory labeling will permit consumers to identify and avoid those food products that may cause them problems. On the contrary, those who argue against mandatory labeling point out that

Ever since their entrance onto the consumer market in the last two decades of the twentieth century, genetically modified organisms (often referred to as GMOs) have been getting mixed reviews from the public. Genetically modified consumer products (primarily food) have pushed the barriers of some people's comfort levels. Born out of either a lack of knowledge or a sincere concern for public health or the environment, a consumer rights movement has been planted around the world pushing for labeling of genetically modified food products. This movement has matured in many places to a degree where interest groups have successfully lobbied governments into adopting criteria for labeling transgenic food

Due to the rigorous testing of GMFs to make sure they are not toxic, the government has approved several genetically based foods since 1994. While we are constantly being told that their testing is thorough, very little long-term testing has been carried out to understand what possible effects they could have on both the environment or human health (refer to the article Genetically Modified Crops Safety Assessments: Present Limits and Possible Improvements for more information on the matter). Moreover, the fact that it takes ten years to approve a genetically engineered food should make us feel comfortable, but overall there are still varying results in relation to long-term effects of these foods. The citizens with this knowledge are uncomfortable when buying foods, as they do not know which products to avoid. There are 64 countries that have already made GMF labelling a legal requirement, while other countries (such as the United States) have recently passed this

Consumers consider a product, as safe for utilization, if there are no proven long-term effects. As with GMOs, there has been no proven results, to justify them as unsafe, or unhealthy. A report was held, to examine the health from those in the United States and Canada, contrastly, with the health of residents in the United Kingdom, and Western Europe. In North America, there are no GMO regulations, and genetically engineered products are the majority of consumption. In the UK, and Europe, there are many strict legislatures on consuming genetically engineered foods. After the study, there was no difference in the health of those in North America, and those in the UK and Europe

Humanity’s advancements over the course of history have been due to major technological milestones. Of these milestones, arguably the most important has been the advent of agriculture. Agriculture has allowed humans to store food in surplus which frees them from slaving in fields and allows focus on more scholarly and artistic pursuits. As time has progressed, agriculture itself reach important advances, from selective breeding to artificial fertilizer. However, one of the most recent advances in modern times has been met with suspicion and distrust. Genetically modified organisms, commonly referred to as GMOs, have begun to be used in commercial agricultural and their widespread use in food for humans and livestock is on the rise. Many

GMO: “Why is it legal?” “Is it considered safe amongst consumers?”. Those are the two frequently asked questions. If GMOs are used on farms, are consumers rights and health at stake? GMOs are bad because they can cause health problems, environmental damage, and violation of farmers and consumers rights. The lack of GMOs labels plays a major part. How will consumers know what they're putting in their bodies? GMOs are used in 80% of processed foods. Yet, consumers fail to begin living “healthy” lifestyle, the consumption of GMO will drastically affect them.

Many people are unaware that there have not been sufficient tests conducted that prove GMOs are entirely safe. Therefore, people ought to consider the potential health risks they are taking when consuming a GM food product. However, since most biotech companies such as Monsanto, Cargill, Dow, Bayer and others do not advertise that their food products contain GMOs, consumers are not aware that most of the foods they purchase have been genetically modified. It is obvious to suspect that these companies are benefiting from the public’s lack of knowledge. Consumers need to be made aware when they are purchasing genetically modified products. Genetically modified organisms can potentially cause harm to our environment and have a detrimental effect on human health.

Abhorrently, today's consumers are faced with discomfort regarding food safety. For the past 20 years millions of people around the world have been eating plants genetically modified by scientists. Genetically modified crops are tweaked to resist the harsh herbicides. In a recent article titled Labels for GMOs are bad the author argues that GMOs are safe for human consumption. In fact,Suspected culprit in devastating 'fiber disease' statistics show that “Around 70 percent of processed foods in the U.S contain genetically modified ingredients.” ( The Editors 1 ) I strongly oppose The Editors point of view towards GMO labeling because consumers want to know what they are eating. GMOs should indeed be labeled to inform what's in the product

Producers have been manipulating DNA in the reproduction of their products before Gregor Mendel founded the modern understanding of genetics. Thus, genetically modified organisms -GMOs- are simply more advanced hybrids. The World Health organization defines GMOs as organisms in which their genetic information has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally (Blair, 2015). The controversy regarding genetically modified organisms has been prevalent not only in the agricultural community, but academic conversation as well. Although many organizations and individuals claim genetically modified organisms are malicious to human health as well as the environment, they are indeed the basis for healthy, sustainable agriculture that not only provide a quality product for the consumer, but a safe and nutritious product as well.

In the United States today we consume genetically modified organisms in nearly everything we eat, and some of us are not even aware of it. Even though GMO’s have been around for nearly two decades, only recently they have been getting increasingly more attention. The author of The Threats From Genetically Modified Foods explains that “genetic modification refers to the manipulation of DNA by humans to change the essential makeup of plants”(Mather). However, a large portion of the American population is concerned about whether or not they should be wary of these new advancements in produce, if they should allow their food to be produced the way it has been done for centuries, and if they even have a choice. These are the concerns that are