The Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Foods

Do you know what GMO’S are? You should because more than likely you consume them every day. Malnutrition of the rapidly growing human population is one of the major problem faced by the world we live in today. Genetically modified food (GM Food) is the solution to this problem. The food produced on a massive scale, by direct or indirect involvement of genetically manipulated organisms is called genetically modified food.

THESIS STATEMENT: I want to inform my audience by explaining exactly what genetically modified foods are, as well as, there intended purpose, history, advantages, disadvantages and controversy surrounding them.

Secondly, increased shelf life of genetically modified foods will enable it to be shipped to distant locations and cut costs as well as minimize waste to consumers. These foods are modified to be pesticide and herbicide tolerant, resulting in less use of chemical sprays; reducing soil contamination and pollution. In addition, genetically modified crops are more resilient, weather tolerant and capable of surviving in adverse climates such as droughts and extremely cold weather (Whitman, 2000).

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.

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.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines genetically modified foods as: “foods [that are] derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism” (WHO, year). GM foods are constructed and distributed because there is some perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer. For a GM food to be of theoretical benefit to the consumer and society as a whole, it should: increase crop yields due to the introduced resistance to pests and disease, enhance the nutritional

Genetically modified foods, or GM foods, are foods that have been modified to enhance certain traits for the purpose of making them more desirable. Genetic modifications alter the DNA of organisms to help it resist rotting, for example, as was the case for the first genetically modified tomato in 1994. The Food and Drug

The word GM foods or sometimes labeled GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is created for human and/or animal use by using the most advanced molecular biology procedures. The plants

One of the biggest advantages of agricultural biotechnology lies in its economic efficiency. GM crops are financially beneficial to both the farmer and the consumer. Due to their resistance to pests, viruses, and adverse climates, genetically altered crops produce much larger yields than organic or conventional crops. For example, studies show that if no insecticide is used, a GM crop known as Bt maize has a 48% higher yield than non-modified maize varieties

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.

If you want to spark a heated debate at a dinner party, bring up the topic of genetically modified foods. For many people, the concept of genetically altered, high-tech crop production raises all kinds of environmental, health, safety and ethical questions. Particularly in countries with long agrarian traditions--and vocal green lobbies--the idea seems against nature.

As if you did not know, GM foods stands for Genetically Modified foods. That means that scientists take and copy the DNA from an organism (ie; a watermelon), and then they put it in with another organism (ie; a corn), which results the [modified] organism to be in the same colour as the copied organism.

Genetically Modified foods are made to withstand harsher condition than normal soybeans, meaning that more of them will survive to then be sold. Furthermore, these GM soybeans will also last longer due to their implanted gene. With a bigger amount of soybeans, the farmers can then allow the soybeans to be sold for a cheaper price, which will ensure that customers will buy their products as they are cheaper than others. Due to those reasons, farmers with the right to use GM soybeans will make more money and do so faster as they will have more soybeans to sell. This however is a disadvantage for small farms who do not have enough money or who don’t want to buy GM soybeans as they will produce fewer soybeans as they do not possess the genes which make them resist herbicides and harsher weather. A smaller amount of soybeans to sell will then make the farmers without the right to use GM soybeans have less income. Furthermore, these farmers are unable to make the soybeans cheaper as they would then not make any profit. Another factor which is heavily impacted by the GM soybeans is the

“70 percent of our corn farmland and 93 percent of soy farmland are planted with crops genetically engineered to resist pests and herbicides and increase crop yields. 60% of all the processed foods in the United States are genetically modified; a shocking statistic has the concern of many Americans. However, most people are uninformed about the beneficial impact that genetically modified food has on their diet. GM is the use of molecular biology technology to modify the inherited structure of organisms. Genetically engineered crops increase nutrients, drought tolerance, provide more food for growing populations, and resists diseases and pesticides. Genetically engineered foods are crucial to the improvement of economy, agriculture, society, and health choices. The creation of GM foods was one of the most significant breakthroughs in food industry. Genetically modifying foods is a key component that is harmless for the enrichment of our foods.

Genetically modified foods are a types of foods that have been genetically changed, to add or get rid of an unwanted trait in a food. For example, seedless oranges. This is a type of orange that is genetically modified (had tits genes changed) specifically so it would grow without seeds. Many foods are genetically modified today. Oranges, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and many others have had their genes changed. In fact, the average person will eat at least one genetically modified food everyday without realizing it. According to a survey by USDA 26% of people asked believed that they had never eaten a genetically modified food.