Genetically Modified Organisms : Is A Food Label Necessary?

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.

The battle over whether food with GMOs should be labeled as such or not, continuez in The Battle Over GMOs by Alessandra Potenza illustrates what a GMO is and why they need to be labeled. First of all GMO stands for genetically modified organism, meaning GMOs are organisms that have been genetically modified to include a gene from another species to produce a certain trait. The reason that some people are very upset at the whole GMO thing is because some companies that include GMOs in their products are refusing to label the fact that they use GMOs. Outrage has sparked everywhere over this and people are demanding that companies using GMOs in their products must label them. The companies on the other hand are claiming that they have a right to privacy and are claiming that the FDA, which stands for Food and Drug Administration, have approved the GMO usage in their products.. This reader believes that we the people have a right to know what is in our food and decide if we still want to consume it.

Have you ever heard what a GMO is? A GMO is a genetically modified organism, such of which is not labeled on items. Should GMOs be labeled? Some experts say that it should. They say that consumers buy products from companies, of which they trust to list the ingredients. However, most consumers are not informed of what GMO products are in their meals, or even what GMOs are.

The Federal Government should require labeling of GMO’s on genetically modified foods. The people deserve to know what they put in their bodies. Some of the food is very unhealthy and some people are completely unaware of that fact. Many food companies do not put out all the information about what goes into the food in which we consume, if the Federal government were to require labeling of all GMO foods then the people could be well educated about what they put inside their bodies, and know if it is good for them or not. GMO stands for genetically modified foods, a genetically modified food is “..an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found

Foods with GMO ingredients need to be labeled because they are bad for your health. GMOs are not proven to be safe in the long run. The FDA has not run any tests to tell whether or not GMOs are safe. GMOs are linked to birth defects, and to Gluten disorders. According to USRTK, “ The FDA does not require independent pre-market safety testing for genetically engineered food. As a matter of practice, the agrichemical companies submit their own studies to the FDA as part of a

What are genetically modified foods? They are plants and animals whose DNA has been altered or change to suit the needs of humans. There are three types of genetically modified food (GM) first generation, second generation, and third generation crops. Each type is focused in different types of yields and crops so they can have a system that allows to keep production and value up.

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

What is genetically modified (GM) food? These are foods whose DNA have been artificially altered in some way to produce foods with unique qualities not found in nature. For example, onions that don’t make you cry when they are cut. Whenever you go to the grocery store or eat a restaurant, chances are you’re eating GM food without even knowing it. It’s in the ingredients we buy and fed to the animals we get our food from. What you may also be unaware of are the health and safety concerns, along with the lack of labeling identifying GM products. What’s more disconcerting is GM crops have the potential to change our ecosystem forever. This is a social issue that affects us all, because we all have to eat.

Whether or not to require labeling of GM foods is a major issue in the persistent debate over the risks and benefits of foods crops that are produced using biotechnology. Bills requiring compulsory labeling have been introduced and proposed in different levels, but not evenly implemented. Some of the common genetically engineered crops include soya beans, canola, corn and cotton. The US Food and Drug Administration policy on the labeling of GM food requires labeling is the food has significantly distinct nutritional property (US FDA par 2). Further, labeling is required if the GM food product includes an allergen that consumers may not expect to find in such a product, or if the product contains a toxicant that is beyond acceptable limits (US FDA par 3).

This discussion about the GE labeling has been held at the all levels of government and some state legislatures like Connecticut and Maine have responded with their own bill requiring labeling for food that is produced using GE practices. With the states passing of legislative bills that require labeling, it encourages the idea that GE food is unsafe for consumption. As of right now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has yet to issue official requirements on foods that are GE or that have GE ingredients in them, but they aren’t free from federal regulation. All foods, whether they are GE or not, must adhere to the guidelines set forth by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). The act provides guidelines on labeling food so they cannot contain deceptive or false information. The labeling is just adding more bureaucratic red tape to something that’s already highly monitored by the FDA and USDA. The FDA tests every single genetic modified product before it’s allowed on the market to make sure it’s safe for the general public. According to the FFDCA, any information that is the label that may mislead the consumer is considered to be misbranded and therefore cannot be approved for sale (Lanza, 4). The FDA has concluded that the lack of labeling isn’t misleading the consumers since GE products aren’t

Genetically Modified Foods or GMO's are foods that have been created in a lab.Scientist create an altered; unrelated species and mix it with the foods we consume. They consist of plant or animal matter or a source unknown to the consumer. Manufactures are not required to label what source that the GMO food has been altered with. They have been around for many years and have come under fire recently for the effects they have on humans, our genetics and the enviroment.

Around 93 percents believe Genetically Modified Food should be labelled. GMOs are still not required In the U.S and Canada, which bring us to a debate over the years whether Genetic Modified Food should be label or not In America and Canada, Until today this argument continues. Therefore If you are looking to buy healthier food avoid eating food that contains GMOs, look for label that specify that are “Organic” or “USDA Organic “ while GMOs benefits many farming industry, It also brings controversial negatives.

Many people around the world ask the question What are Genetically Modified Foods? Well Genetically Modified Foods also known as GMO’s which is an genetically modified organism, it can be a plant, animal, or microorganism, whose makeup has been modified using DNA methods.  This creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and virus genes that do not occur in natural crossbreeding genes. A recipe or ingredient is classified as high-risk if it uses another source from/of or is produced through a process involving organisms that are known to be modified. High - risk GMO foods are: soy; cotton; sugar beets; corn; animal products; canola and much more. Animal products such as milk, eggs, honey, and meat are also considered as high- risk, because of the GMO’s in their feed they consume.

According to the article Is GE food safe? “The reason that genetically engineered food could be dangerous is because there has been no adequate testing to ensure that extracting genes that perform an apparently useful function as part of that plant or animal is going to have the same effects if inserted into a totally unrelated species,” (Shah). These concerns don’t only warn people about genetically modified foods, but also about genetically modified human beings because this technique changes all the cells of the human baby and would be passed down to future generations. Experts fear these consequences due to the lack of safety testing which is very important because it can detect any unintended side effects from GE foods and babies.

Should genetically modified foods be labeled? Some think GMOs are completely safe and labeling the food would prove unnecessary and will make food increase in price, while others believe we have a right to know everything in the food the population consume. Nearly all processed food sold in the United States were genetically modified in a lab. GMOs are often used to achieve a certain trait, such as drought tolerance, enhanced nutritional content, insect resistance, and reduced food waste. More than 15 countries have stated labeling genetically modified foods, starting with the Europe Union in 1997. While GMOs can be used for positive reasons, but can have a negative effect (list negative effects of GMOs). This paper will explain side with