The Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically Modified Organisms (G.M.O.s) debates have plagued society and politicians since the idea of G.M.O.s have come to the playing field. Should farmers use them? What are the risks of G.M.O.s? Can G.M.O.s cause cancer in humans? All of these questions as well as a collection of others are waiting to be answered. The article “A Lonely Quest for Facts on Genetically Modified Crops” by Amy Harmon is concentrated on a councilman-Greggar Ilagan- researching questions he has about G.M.O.s so he can make an educated vote on whether or not to pass a ban on genetically modified crops.

Many will argue that Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs) are not safe for human consumption, however they are almost inevitable for our everyday food consumption. Some argue that the recent increase in gluten intolerance is caused by GMO foods (Argument against). Other state that the risk to humans by GMO’s is relatively small (The GMO”). The bottom line is what people put into their bodies is a personal choice and a person should be able to easily tell if a product has been genetically modified or not.

Dr. Praphul Joshi 10/23/2013 Controversial Public Health Issue There are several controversial issues confronting us today; from Universal Healthcare (Obama Care) to Stem Cell research, to vaccinations, to genetically engineered (GE)/genetically modified (GM) foods. However, I shall look at genetically modified foods as the controversial issue for this article. I shall look at an article from the mass media about this controversial public health issue and place emphasis on the message the document wants to convey and address any biases that may be within. In addition, I shall provide additional data or facts from another article to see if it supports or refutes the controversial message. It is my intention that this article will provide some clarity on genetically modified foods confronting us in the United States and the world over. Since the successful cloning of Dolly, the sheep, in July 5, 1996, Biotechnology has been praised and castigated at the same time.

There are several controversial issues confronting us today; from Universal Healthcare (Obama Care) to Stem Cell research, to vaccinations, to genetically engineered (GE)/genetically modified (GM) foods. However, I shall look at genetically modified foods as the controversial issue for this article. I shall look at an article from the mass media about this controversial public health issue and place emphasis on the message the document wants to convey and address any biases that may be within. In addition, I shall provide additional data or facts from another article to see if it supports or refutes the controversial message. It is my intention that this article will provide some clarity on genetically modified foods confronting us in the United States and the world over.

The genetic engineering of foods has, in one sense, been in existence for hundreds of years. The first time Gregor Mendel bred different varieties of pea plants to observe the various traits present in their offspring, the concept was born. Today, genetic engineering has developed into one of the most complex and advanced fields of scientific thinking, all the while provoking many questions and acquiring many opponents along the way. While there are compelling arguments presented for each side of the issue, the simple fact is that genetically modified (GM) foods are a reality, especially in the United States, as they are already present in many products that are consumed on a daily

Genetically modified foods are one of the most common products in the market today. Corn, tomatoes, and strawberries are only just a few of the many examples. In the scientific community, there’s a huge debate between whether or not genetically modified foods should still be something that should be happening. People who oppose the idea of genetically modified foods claim that using them will harm people’s health as well as nature itself, while people who support the idea of genetically modified foods claim that it will be beneficial to people’s health and problems including starvation as a whole. I am in favor of genetically modified foods as I firmly believe that they are more beneficial than harmful.

“More than half of U.S. consumers express concern about genetically modified organisms, but many have no idea what that means” (Goldman 115). In modern days, we find ourselves living in a “plastic society”. Everything that we see is not really what we see, it is being camouflaged. This applies greatly to social media, but people don't see it very much in food. Now more than ever, the food industry is using genetically modified seeds and chemicals. This is an unethical practice because people don't know what they are consuming, and if what they consume has negative effects on them, they should be informed.

Food is essential for life. This is a simple fact that leaves no room for inquiry. Not only does food provide sustenance, but a large part of community and culture relies upon the consumption of food and meals. Since the beginning of time food has been grown, cultivated, cooked, served, purchased, and consumed. The types of consumed foods are a large part of cultures all over the world. For food to be such a big component of life, humans have the right to know what they are eating. As food becomes more commercial and accessible, the source may not always be known. Genetically modified food (GMOs) are becoming more widely used. Consumers have the right to understand what they eat, and GMOs should not be forced into consumption. To increase awareness of GMOs, the source, health risks, and environmental effects of genetically modified food deserves to be known.

Genetically modified agricultural crops first made an appearance in the mid-1990 via one of the largest pharmaceutical and agricultural companies known, Monsanto. This organization produces a wide spectrum of genetically modified foods, as well as, seeds, drugs and pesticides and herbicides. Moreover, the company has a multitude of divisions in one-hundred different countries and is a primary producer of genetically modified crops throughout the world, thus being a true global enterprise. According to by E. Hanzai (2014), Monsanto continually outperforms rival companies, earning the title of the most evil corporation on earth, while

There is a great debate going on right now on the subject of genetically modified foods, or GMOs. For some, the idea of GMO food is a good one because the modifications allow crops to become resistant to drought and infestations, letting more people have more regular meals. Some research even shows that the world produces 17% more food than it needs to produce to provide each current human with three squares per day (Healthcare Articles and Infographics, 2013)! Others look at genetically modified foods as a dangerous proposition. From allergic reactions to potential intestinal damage, many people wish to avoid GMO foods because of animal studies that have shown changes in internal cell structure, abnormal tumor growth, and unexpected deaths that have occurred (Healthcare Articles and Infographics, 2013). By 2050, farmers must produce 40% more food to feed an estimated 9 billion people on the planet. Either current yields will have to increase or farmland will expand farther into forests and jungles. In some cases, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) would offer an alternative way to boost yields without sacrificing more land or using more pesticides (Maxmen, 2013).

Genetically modifying crops has been a controversial issue over the past several years. People argue for and against GMOs in an almost constant battle. Those for GMOs argue that genetically modifying crops is better for people and the crops, such as making them better resistant to weeds, insects, and disease, naturally contain herbicides and pesticides, taste better and have a higher nutritional value, and have a longer shelf life in stores. Those against GMOs argue that they are a risk to human health, a risk to the environment, a risk to farmers in developing countries, and a risk to organic farmers.

No matter which side an individual chooses remaining informed about genetically modified food is one of the keys to understanding the debate and making healthy eating

b.) He argues that negative effects of GM food were identified “at molecular and microscopic levels”.

Did you know that we have eaten genetically modified foods for the past 30 years? It’s in about 70-85% of our American food. Genetically modified foods are any organism produced from genetic engineering techniques that allow the transfer of functional genes from one organism to another, including from one species to another. Giant national companies are distributing out large numbers of genetically modified foods into our nutrition. Genetic manipulations can result in unanticipated harmful effects, and because genetically engineered foods are not tested sufficiently, this experiment not only jeopardizes the health of people, but could also lead to global food shortages and extensive ecological hazards. Due to genetically modified food unique and unknown nature, there are potential for adverse health side effects such as diabetes, cancer,

GMO foods are not the most healthy or honest foods, but they are the most helpful. Many fruits and vegetables are engineered to be resistant to bugs and diseases that could cause famine. This helps farmers all over the country by giving them a better harvest. Also, non-sanitary soil has become a large problem in some places around the world. The soil made it harder for crops to grow in certain environments. To solve this problem, scientists could take a gene from a plant that can live in these conditions, and plant it into another crop’s genome. This would make the crop that