Genetically Modified Organisms and Food Essay

There have been numerous health problems after GMOs we introduced in the late 1990s. People who consistently eat foods that have been genetically modified ingest glyphosate in high concentrations. Since glyphosate causes chemical alterations that interfere with certain processes, it has possible chances of causing serious diseases such as; Autism, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. There are many plants that produce substances that are toxic to humans. But the level of toxins that are in the plant are low to where it does not ham the person who consumes it. Which means that there can be anything in them hat can harm us and makes us sick without us knowing. There is evidence that shows that GMOs have caused harm in humans, that some of the diseases that are caused is also found in animals. Many GM fans will point out that if we do toxicity tests on genetically modified foods, we should also have to do toxicity testing on every other kind of food in the world. But it has already started from the time we have been growing our own vegetation without changing its DNA. There is plenty of scientific evidence to recommend caution with respect to certain kinds of genetic modification, especially if there are genes involved that confer antibiotic

Over the past few decades a new controversy has arisen in the scientific community: should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) be used in modern society. There are generally two sides to this debate: one being in favor of GMO use and the other against it. Pro GMO activists believe that GMOs can help address hunger issues and help reduce use of pesticides/insecticides while Anti-GMO activists state that it is a threat to the agriculture industry, and should be banned. Both sides have several valid points, however GMO’s are even more complicated from initial glance, and may not be as dangerous as some believe.

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 term GM food are most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Genetically modified plants have been widely publicised as the future in agriculture. Many believe that it may help improve crop harvests and farm productivity by developing genetically modified crops that can either resist pests or chemicals. But despite the promise that GM crops may offer, there are still doubts that linger among a number of people as well.

While these are valid concerns, they are entirely wrong. According to the World Health Organization in 2005, “GM foods currently traded on the international market have passed risk assessments in several countries and are not likely to present risks for human health” (Novella). Many of those who are anti-GMO claim that GMOs are not safe because they do not know enough about them or they have heard far too many conflicting reports. While there are many reports that claim that GMOs are detrimental to the environment, the three agencies that oversee GM crops, the FDA, USDA, and EDA, have ruled that these crops do not pose any real threat. Since the beginning of the GM crop in 1996, there have been 2,497 approvals of the safety of GMOs in the environment and 1,129 of these approvals have been for the food safety of the products (Monsanto). This further disproves the claim that GMOs are unsafe for humans and the environment and reassures that there is no risk involved in either the consumption or the planting of GM

What exactly is genetically modified organism? GMO is a living organism (bacteria, plant, animal) whose genetic composition has been altered by means of gene technology and the genetic modification usually involves insertion of a piece of DNA (bacteria or virus) and/or synthetic combination of several smaller DNA, into the genome of the organism to be modified (Khan, Muafia, Nasreen & Salariya, 2012). GMO have two specific transgenes that have been created; one, with a built in pesticide for insect resistance and the other, for herbicide tolerance. Genetic modification has been a progressive resource to reducing/eliminating challenging environmental conditions that crops face related to pests, disease and harsh climate conditions. Elevating nutritional quality and the deficiency of vitamin A

“In a sweeping 400-page report, the country’s top scientific group found there was not evidence to support claims that genetically modified organisms are dangerous for either the environment or human health” (Heikkinen, 2016). Even Europe, a country that does not use this technology has proven that GMOs are a safe food source. “There is a scientific consensus, even in Europe, that the GMO foods and crops currently on the market have brought no documented new risks either to human health or to the environment” (Paarlberg, 2010). The biggest argument against GMOs would be that they are not safe to humans or the environment, but there has not yet been any documented evidence that approved GMOs have brought on new risks either to humans, animals or the environment (Paarlberg, 2010). Along with being scientifically proven numerous times to be a safe food source, there is also no confirmation that GMOs pose any risk to humans, animals, or the environment. “The central issue with GM crops is that because there are no concrete adverse effects for people to quantify, they can only focus on theoretical and largely unquantifiable ones” (Buiatti, Christou, & Pastore, 2013). Hundreds of experts have all concluded that GMOs have not presented any new risks to humans. “The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris organized a conference with 400 expert

GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, or GE. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

The good news is that most of the scientific community have found that GMOs are safe to eat. This includes the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and one of the world’s most prestigious scientific groups, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Not only are they safe to eat but in some cases, they are more nutritious. An example of this would be:

GMO means genetically modified organism, the technology of combining genes of different organisms to create a genetically engineered product. In other words when it come to genetic modification or engineering of food plants, scientists will remove one or more genes from the DNA of another organism, like bacterium, virus, or animal, and recombine them into the DNA of the plant they want to alter. Genetic engineers hope the plant will express the traits associated with the new genes. An example of this process is genetic engineers have transferred genes from a bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into DNA of corn. Now the corn is able to produce its own pesticide because the Bt genes express a protein that kills insects,

Genetically modified organisms, sometimes known as GMO’s, are plants or animals that are created through the process of genetic engineering. Modified foods are often viewed as a valuable solution to ending world hunger, because they take less time to produce into larger crops. The use of gmos have increased in recent years,because they can grow bigger and faster than regular fruits and vegetables in much harsher environments.Also have seem to sustain and fight off many of the pests that have troubled crop growers for years.

People who support GM foods dismiss complaints that they might not be safe to eat. GM foods are likely to be more nutritious and contain smaller amounts of pesticide residues that foods raised by traditional farming methods. Food poisoning agents such as salmonella are natural and they kill thousands of people each year. Lots of plants produce powerful toxins to deter pests. With the technology of GM Crops including beans and cassava (a fruit grown in tropical countries) produce cyanide that can be removed before cooking. This is extremely useful for consumers to eat and for producers to make.

Fifty-three percent of Americans don't know anything or very little about genetically modified foods (Rutgers Today, 2013) and the food industry estimates that upwards of 75%-80% of all food on the market is modified (Painter, 2016). Government agencies deem modified foods safe for consumption, however peer nations like France and Germany have banned modified foods with the exception of corn to keep weevils at bay. With no labels to highlight what biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are and what's added to food, Americans will never know exactly what's in the food that's consumed. There are no long-term studies that demonstrate what happens to our bodies when those food items are entered into the body. Educating

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.

According to the World Health Organization (2014. 1), "Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called 'modern biotechnology ' or 'gene technology ', sometimes also 'recombinant DNA technology ' or 'genetic engineering '. Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.” Many organic crops farming farmers are against cultivating of GM crops because of the threat to farm land and environment however, biotechnology companies and GM crops growing famer desire to have profit and consumer look for low price. Thus, the debate over the environmental impact of genetically modified GM crops is growing. Although GM crops negatively affects on some organism in environment, they reduce the use of pesticides and increase crop yield.