Genetically Modified Organisms For Food Sources Essay

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.

Genetically modified crops are an incredibly important issue that everyone should be aware of since it is something we are exposed to at a daily basis. Genetically modified crops also known as GM crops or Biotech crops has been one of the most heated debates of issues within our society. The debate about the safety, concerns and disadvantages of GM crops have raged since the mid 1990 's but this is due to the lack of knowledge of the general public. Many people are unaware of what the GM crops actually are and what they offer. Genetically modified crops are plants that are used in the agriculture and have been modified to initiate a new trait to plants that does not happen naturally in the species. These plants are modified using genetic engineering techniques to enhance desired traits. GM crops are made when genes of commercial interest are transferred from one organism to another.() There are many methods used for the production of GM crops but the two primary used for plant insertion are gene guns and agrobacterium tumefaciens. There are also three types of modifications which are transgenic, cisgenic, and subgenic plants. However, there are a number of issues that surround this controversial topic such as environmental, health, and economic concerns. Even though there are some worrying facts about GM crops people don 't realize the advantages or the ways it has helped humans as well as animals. There are many reasons why GM crops are proven

Genetically modified crops are harmful to humans and the environment and shouldn't be used. Agriculture should proceed in harmony with nature and nature only. That is why some people have decided to buy organically grown food. From their experiences with organic food, they believe that the organic system can be economically practical. This system also provides a wide range of environmental and social benefits, and most importantly, it enables consumers to make a choice about the food they eat. According to Diana Brander, an American biology teacher, we should have the choice of the type of food we eat.

The world we live in today is in no doubt constantly changing all thanks to the technological and scientific advancements. These advancements are what have led to the birth of molecular genetics which is the genesis of improvements in the field of agriculture. Food is a very crucial part of human survival, and while it may be abundant in many developed countries, the same cannot be said about the developing countries. A 2015 report by FAO on the state of food insecurity sates that there are about 795 million people sleeping hungry because of shortage of food with the vast majority coming from developing countries (2015, FAO). The rise of genetically modified food in the recent years however has helped to provide a solution to some of these food shortage problems. Generally genetically modified foods otherwise known as GMO foods are foods that result from crops whose genetic makeup have been modified or altered. This happens through a process that’s referred to as recombinant DNA that serves to give plants traits that are desirable with the use of molecular techniques. Some of the most bioengineered foods include tomatoes, corn, cotton, rice, papaya, wheat among others. While it has had many benefits and successes, GM foods still have risks and the question of safety always arises when it comes to discussions.

Genetically modified organisms are created through high tech transfers of selected genetic material from one organism to another. The goal of this genetic engineering process is to create new varieties of plants and animals with chosen characteristics. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are becoming more and more prominent in today’s marketplace, so it is important to understand what they are and some of the issues they raise. The question facing society, therefore, is “how” biotechnology and genetic engineering will be used. Observers continue to ask whether biotechnology will ease human suffering by curing diseases and eradicating hunger, or whether it will unleash a storm of moral and ethical transgressions.

“If you aren’t concerned about the DNA from blueberries “transferring” into you, then you should not be concerned about DNA from GMOs either,”says Layla Katiraee in her article “10 Studies Proving GMOs Are Harmful”(Katiraee). More and more Americans are becoming worried about the use of Genetically Modified Organisms in their food. The controversy of the use of GMOs in food can be understood through examining how they work, their disadvantages, and their advantages.

In our day in age, there is a heated debate around whether GMO 's are good or bad. For all of you who are new to the issue like me, we all are seeking answers in order to make our own choices. According to health and safety executive (2014), Genetic Modified Organisms are organisms, such as animals, microorganisms and plants in which their genetic material has been altered to contain segment of DNA from another organism. The newly implemented segment of DNA contains genes that determine organism’s particular function and form. As you might know, life started when domestication of animals became our source of food for survival. As we evolved, there was a shift to a society based on agriculture. The breeders started to take specific traits of interest from plants and transfer it to another plant in a process known as true breeding. Now in this technological era, we can directly alter the genetic sequence of a species in an efficient way that reduces time and money. GMO 's have swept our industry and made the impossible become a possibility. For example, according to health and science executive (2014), insulin, blood factors and growth hormones used to be obtained from cows and humans that carried there own risks of transferring diseases. But now, we can use GMO 's to generate food and medicine in a way that is safe and valuable. GMO 's are a big part of our society, from eating rice, corn, and tomatoes to vaccinations and medications.

“All the food we eat - every grain of rice and kernel of corn - has been genetically modified. None of it was here before mankind learned to cultivate crops. The question isn 't whether our food has been modified, but how” (Specter, Michael). Because there are various GMOs on the world, it is crucial that mankind doesn’t rule out all GMOs but carefully evaluates each GMO. More specifically the health risks, ecological risks, and societal benefits should be tested on each individual GMO. Not only, should the composition of these seeds be tested, but also the process of how these seeds grow. For example, the insecticides and pesticides used on GMOs should be tested prior to the release of these crops to the

Genetic engineers create GMOs by transferring genes from one organism into the DNA of another, in the process transferring some trait of the donor organism into the recipient. (Smith, M 53). Findings from several animal studies conclude that GM foods pose several

Many people today are often amazed by the amount of nutrition and health information required for humans. The constant stream of genetic modification of food can be confusing. Genetically modified (GM) foods are plants and animals that have had their genetic makeup artificially altered by scientists to make them grow faster, taste better, last longer and to provide more nutrients. Scientists make these alternations by transferring genes from one organism into another in order to change the condition or character of the receiving organism. This process is known as biotechnology or genetic engineering (GE), and it has revolutionized the way that agriculture is practiced in many parts of the world. Researchers are now able to use GE

In today’s world, most people are familiar with the word “Genetically modified organisms (or GMOs)”. It is a common technology in our daily life. On the one hand, the GMOs brings many benefits to our society. But on the other hand, it also has potential and unknown risks. Whether or not genetically modified organisms should be applied in our world has always been controversial.

Never before in history has mankind so masterfully commanded its food chain. Thousands of years ago, much of our species made the leap from a hunter-gatherer level of subsistence to an agricultural society. With agriculture, slowly but surely many modifications were made to plants and animals used and domesticated by us for the purpose of feeding ourselves. New specialized varieties with specific desirable traits slowly emerged; with the advent of knowledge of hybridization, this process was greatly expedited. By today, much has changed in the way we shape the foods we put into our bodies. With modern food science has come the dawn of genetic

Food that is readily available to children in various parts of the world ultimately has an effect on their development, whether it be physical, neurological, or cognitively. Genetically modified food has been an increasingly discussed topic in the past few decades as questions about its nutritional benefits arise. Genetically modified foods are controversial in the United States and other countries around the world (Mohapatra, Priyadarshini, & Biswas, 2010). This technology is used in countries that are both developed and those that are developing, such as Mexico. A concern with genetically modified foods are the health

With an ever-growing population and the problems of world hunger, there has been a high demand for an increased food supply and a better food supply. Technology has been called upon to meet this challenge. The advent of genetically engineered foods, sometimes called transgenic crops or genetically modified foods, is not a new concept, but the controversy over it is. Can these "frankenfoods" be harmful to humans? What are their effects on the environment? The following paper will focus on such questions as well as providing a better understanding of what genetically modified foods are and how they should be regulated.

First of all, what is a GMO, or Genetically Modified Organism? Put simply, a GMO is an organism that has been genetically modified to improve its ability to grow in environments that it is not native to, resist pests without having to spray pesticides, tolerate extreme weather conditions, produce more food (such as milk in cows), or show other desired traits. GMOs are produced through a technique which is generally known as recombinant DNA technology. In this technique DNA molecules from varies sources are combined into one molecule to create a completely new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, which gives it modified or novel genes. Transgenic organisms, on the