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Genetically Modified Organisms ( Gmos )

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Recently, the topic of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has raised controversy in both the public and private sectors. Much of this relates to GMOs in food and crop and the potential consequences of consuming such produce on a large-scale basis as is becoming increasingly commonplace in the United States. These concerns, when coupled with the often concerning practices in animal feedlots, have begun to create almost a panic in the minds of consumers who find themselves questioning what they are eating. A greater understanding of genetically modified organisms, especially as it relates to food, is necessary for people to truly weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the increased use of GMOs. Genetically modified organisms, on a basic level, have existed for many centuries. The domestication of animals and early farming techniques modified organisms by breeding the creatures or plants that exhibited positive traits (Goldbas 20; Mahgoub 30). For example, farmers would crossbreed crops in hopes to increase yields or create healthier produce (Mahgoub 30). As technology advanced, scientists realized that fields like molecular biology could potentially make this process more efficient (Mahgoub 30). The idea was simple: if they could select the superior traits on a genetic level, they could create a better crop while avoiding the dangers of traditional crossbreeding such as spreading an unwanted trait (Mahgoub 30). By 1973, “the process of directly transferring DNA from

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