Genetically Modified Organisms And Our Health And The Stability Of The Environment

As of now, the US Food and Drug administration is debating on whether or not to let genetically modified salmon made by a biotech company in Massachusetts be marketed. Many consumers are demanding that if it be approved it must be labelled. However, scientific studies show how there is no noticeable difference between the genetically engineered salmon and the wild salmon, yet labelling it may imply to the consumers that there is, therefore it would only scare away buyers. “The FDA's own rules say that once it is determined that a genetically modified food is not ‘materially significant’ from naturally derived products,

There is a current discussion on whether we should genetically modify the growth hormone gene that the Chinook salmon is naturally born with. AquAdvantage is currently working on getting their genetically engineered transgenic salmon FDA approved. Their scientists have been able to make the common Atlantic salmon be able to grow to over twice its natural size by inserting the growth hormone gene from the Chinook salmon into the Atlantic salmon, however, there are wider implications to take into consideration before making these transgenic salmon mainstream.

Yorktown Technologies will launch the first commercially available fish that has been genetically modified. They will be available in the United States in late 2003. They will be available in three colors: red, green, and orange (GloFish, 2011).

The Atlantic salmon was picked by AquaBounty Technologies to undergo genetic modification. The salmon has a growth hormone

The uncertainty of how genetically engineered fish will affect human health and impact the health of our oceans and wild salmon populations is disturbing.

Another concern that many consumers and consumer groups have is whether or not these GM salmon should be labeled

For instance, the FDA recently cleared AquAdvantage salmon for human consumption. These newly improved salmon are able to grow to a market size in half the time. AquAdvantage has been working on and observing the salmon for approximately 15 years. Only this past year did the FDA finally clear the salmon as safe. AquAdvantage originally asked for approval in the 1990´s, however since this is a new area, the FDA wanted to be completely sure on the outcomes of the modified salmon. Crispr-Cas9 is a new technique used on farm animals and pets. With this technique instead of of adding genes from other species, all scientists have to do is edit the animal's genome. Because of this scientists recently altered goats to produce more muscle and longer hair. This would benefit the particular countries that eat goat and use their hair for clothing. Modifying animals can also benefit the animals themselves, along with a select group of

Roughly eighty percent of the processed foods that Americans consume today contain crops that have been genetically engineered (Hemphill, Saygnik). Which means more than half of food Americans eat contain derivatives of genetically modified organisms that are produced and sold on the market today. A genetically modified organism, more commonly known as a GMO, is the result of taking one organism and injecting its’ genes with another organism’s genes to create a mix of DNA not naturally seen in nature. This artificial genetic engineering of GMOs should be strictly regulated with labels and rigorous testing under federal government supervision because GMOs pose potential risks to a person’s health, the environment, and the economy.

Much of the world’s salmon is now farmed. Farmed salmon has had many problems with infectious diseases including salmon anaemia and sea lice (Valdes-Donoso, Mardones, Jarpa, Ulloa, Carpenter, & Perez, 2013). Fish that are farmed tend to have a lot more contact with diseases. To prevent and treat this, fish farmers utilize many chemicals and antibiotics that can, in turn, damage the ocean. However, with genetically modified salmon that are raised in inland tanks, disease introduction is limited and can be easily identified and treated without harming the environment around it (Aquabounty Technologies, 2014). This leads to healthier fish and a healthier ocean. In salmon farms along the coast of Scotland, about 1.9 million salmon escaped between 2002 and 2009 (Green, Penman, Miguad, Bron, Taggart, McAndrew, & Browman, 2012). As stated by Green et al. “Potential detrimental effects could include increased infestation by sea lice, competition for food or other resources, and interbreeding enabling the spread of farmed genes into the while population thereby lowering fitness” (p. 1). This is one of the many problems that stem from salmon farming. In contrast, genetically modified salmon will be bred inland and entirely contained so that salmon will not be able to escape

Genetically modified organisms have been a contentious topic for the last several years. Decried as being chemically dangerous to the human body, potentially ruinous of worldwide agriculture, and harmful to the environment, GMOs have a rather contemptible reputation. Despite these denunciations, it is undeniable that both willful ignorance and outright misinformation have played a part in the public’s conception of genetically modified food. GMOs have undoubtedly been the victim of character assassination and it is of utmost importance that they are given a factually sound assessment rather than one based around fear mongering. The truth is that genetically engineered organisms are as harmless for the body and environment as any average, traditionally produced food product.

There is many different kinds of food that is not known what it is actually made from. The most common type of food that is in everyday life is a GMO. What is a GMO? A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans because this involves the transfer of genes, GMOs are also known as “transgenic” organisms. This process may be called either Genetic Engineering (GE) or Genetic Modification (GM); they are one and the same. GMOs positively affect the lives of everyone .

Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are plants and animals that have been biologically engineered with the DNA of other plants, animals, bacteria, etc. Such modifications and combinations cannot occur in nature through crossbreeding or by other organic means. While GMO’s are commonplace in the vast majority of our marketplace, information and facts about them is not. Information can be found, but it must be sought out from different sources from our Government, Educational Institute’s and Non Profit Organizations. The debate over genetically engineered foods, and the disclosure of what exactly is being done to them, has become a hot button topic. From grassroots campaigns, to the upcoming presidential election,

Genetic engineering (GE) is the process of modifying organisms, usually to perfect them in some way. This process involves the changing of gene sequences in an organism by inserting different genes from two or more species into the chromosome of the organism being modified (Genetically Modified Food). GE is used in a wide variety of organisms including plants, animals, and, crops. The purpose of using these techniques in crops is to improve the quality of them. GE can yield multiple benefits such as increasing the rate at which crops grow, helping crops to grow to larger sizes, making them sweeter, and even adding nutrients to certain crops which do not occur naturally within these crops. Because of these benefits, many people believe

That incorporates 20 years of studies in animals that have eaten modified food. But, specialists like Krimsky say almost two dozen studies demonstrate terrible impacts, similar to damage to the kidneys, liver, heart, and different organs. He says they ought to convey more weight as individuals judge the upsides and downsides.

Genetically modified organisms have become a major influence on the average diet, yet most people have a lack of knowledge in what genetically altered foods actually are and their excessive evolution. A genetically modified organism (GMO) “is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified using recombinant DNA methods (also called gene splicing), gene modification or transgenic technology” (“MOST TRUSTED SEAL”). In other words, the genetic engineering manipulates plants by selecting productive traits from one plant and injecting the