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
Don’t you just love the smell of bread and butter and the delicious taste of brownies and muffins? Well, now more than 18 million Americans no longer can enjoy the great taste of these gluten foods, thanks to GMOs. GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are the result of a laboratory process where genes are taken from one species and inserted into another in an attempt to obtain a wanted characteristic, however, no one knows the long-term effect of GMOs. Genetically engineered foods are linked to gluten disorders and are known to cause birth defects. So why do people keep eating them? Consumers still inadvertently eat these foods, because there is no warning label to educate them otherwise. Foods with GMO genes need to be labeled so that people won’t unknowingly consume these genetically modified ingredients without their consent.
Should Companies be Required to Label Foods with GMOs in Them? 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.
Biotechnology has been lauded as the future of agriculture. However, the business leaders and scientists involved in biotech did not predict how controversial genetically modified foods would be. Despite all the promises and merits proclaimed by research by different biotech companies and the governments like reduced pesticide usage, higher crop yields, the controversy surrounding its application to food production persists in many nations. One of the key issues that have surrounded the GM debate is the labeling of GM products. While some countries require the labeling of such products, others do not. This paper examines how labeling of genetically modified foods affects consumer willingness to purchase such products. By reviewing past
Should Labeling be Required for GMOs? The debate over genetically modified foods continues to haunt producers and consumers alike. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are foods that have been modified through bioengineering to possess certain characteristics. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or increased nutritional content (Whitman, 2000). The debate continues to grow as to whether these genetically altered foodstuffs are the answer to hunger in the coming years, or whether we are simply children playing with something that we do not have the capacity to understand. One of the biggest debates in the GMO issue is whether producers need to use labeling of
GMO labeling Ever since their entrance onto the consumer market in the last two decades of the twentieth century, genetically modified organisms (often referred to as GMOs) have been getting mixed reviews from the public. Genetically modified consumer products (primarily food) have pushed the barriers of some people's comfort levels. Born out of either a lack of knowledge or a sincere concern for public health or the environment, a consumer rights movement has been planted around the world pushing for labeling of genetically modified food products. This movement has matured in many places to a degree where interest groups have successfully lobbied governments into adopting criteria for labeling transgenic food
The consumers want to know what they are purchasing yet the manufacturers are opposed to labeling and have contributed a considerable amount of money so as to prevent such labeling from occurring (Parker, 2012). The Big 6, which consist of Monsanto, BASF, Bayer Dow, DuPont, and Syngenta, are the dominating companies in regards to genetic modification and they continue to argue and oppose the labeling of their products when sold to consumers (Parker, 2012). There are still plenty of people who would like the labeling of all foods once they are put on the market and sold to the
GMOs Food Labeling Essay Do you want to know what you are eating? Have you gotten sick over the past few years and not known why? Many people have gotten sick over the increase of food products with GMOs within them. Over the years many have argued that GMOs aren’t what is causing the increase in death and the decrease in birth, but many say it is the problem. GMOs should be labeled on our foods today because of the amount of health problems, and consumers want to know what they are eating. After all, it is what is going into our bodies.
Abhorrently, today's consumers are faced with discomfort regarding food safety. For the past 20 years millions of people around the world have been eating plants genetically modified by scientists. Genetically modified crops are tweaked to resist the harsh herbicides. In a recent article titled Labels for GMOs are bad the author argues that GMOs are safe for human consumption. In fact,Suspected culprit in devastating 'fiber disease' statistics show that “Around 70 percent of processed foods in the U.S contain genetically modified ingredients.” ( The Editors 1 ) I strongly oppose The Editors point of view towards GMO labeling because consumers want to know what they are eating. GMOs should indeed be labeled to inform what's in the product
INTRODUCTION It was decided almost 20 years about by the Food and Drug Administration that GMOs do not need to be labeled, despite the consumers’ desire for GMO labeling. Consumers’ demanding to know what is in their food has lead to the proposed legislation of GMO labeling from more than twenty states. Health safety is a large part of the proponents’ argument for GMO labeling (Murray 2016). The consumers right to know, right to choose, and ethical rights are also all reasons for GMO labeling policy. The oppositions’ arguments against mandatory GMO labeling are that it could falsely alarm consumers, impose extra costs on consumers and lead to restricts on consumer choice (Hemphill 2015). There would be more harm than good to come from
The debate for labeling genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the food supply has been an ongoing battle for years. Both sides have valid points and believe passionately in their stance. One side states they are safe for the consumer to eat and do not need to be labeled. The other side argues not enough long term studies have been done to validate this claim and labeling should be mandatory to protect the consumer. While both supporters and non-supports of labeling GMO foods may not seem to have much in common, they can both agree that there is a need for a plentiful and nutritious food supply.
“Today we use the term ‘genetically modified’ to refer to food produced from plants or animals which have had their genes changed by scientists in the laboratory rather than farmers in the field,” said by Nick Middleton (51). Genetically modified foods have become a hot topic in the world. People have still not been able to label it as a “Frankenstein food or a weapon against starvation” (Middleton 51). Genetically modified foods should be allowed for public consumption because it helps deal with the issue of world hunger, it improves overall quality of food, and it helps the environment.
Genetically modified food is a topic of intensive debate that has caused a lot of controversy over the years, basically due to a lack of knowledge about genetic engineering and large amounts of misleading information within mass media. Genetically modified foods have recently gathered more attention since environmental and health organizations have actively rejected genetically modified foods for various reasons. Genetically modified foods have the ability to resolve problem of famine and malnutrition in the world, also produce greater yields, decrease pesticides and herbicides usage, and improve the nutritional value of food. While the benefits of GMOs to our society have been widely discussed, their effect on our health is still a controversial
Why food labeling is mandatory for GMOs There are certain basic necessities the human body needs in order to survive. Water, food, clothing and shelter are just some of those most basic needs. We, as humans, have been striving to conquer nature in order to make our lives easier. As we have occupied this earth for thousands of years and survived plagues and wars, one of our most basic needs has always challenged us; how to make more food to satisfy an ever growing population. Eventually our technology afforded us the ability to modify food to preserve it longer and grow more without fear of pests or blights. However, in doing so, the question arises: Do you know what is in your food? This is a question many consumers ask themselves as it
Genetic Engineering refers to the direct manipulation of the genetic information of living beings. The genes, embedded in the DNA, are the blueprints of life which determine particular traits in an organism. With Biotechnology, Genetic Engineers are able to replace these genes from one organism to another, resulting in completely new combinations of traits which do not occur in nature. These Genetically Modified Organisms are artificially enhanced to express desired characteristics that are useful to us. While GM foods introduces plenty of new possibilities that is beneficial, such as increased nutritional value, high crop yields, it also posses a wide range of risks on human health, natural environment and can have serious unpredicted