Genetically And Genetically Modified Food

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).

Imagine going to the grocery store and seeing a seedless watermelon, but it is not the typical oval, it is square. Down the produce aisle, there are sweet, juicy strawberries; however, there is a warning label that says, “Do not consume if you have a nut allergy.” The world today is moving forward in the way that society produces our wholefoods. Genetic engineering, bioengineering, or biotechnology is the process of inserting the genetics of different plants and organisms into other plants or organisms to create new, more efficient DNA. However, is it truly beneficial to modify the world’s natural foods? The use of genetic engineering can disrupt the ecosystems that have taken billions of years to develop. Many years of research and work have gone into the subject of genetically modified foods; however, this new food trend could create or enhance food related illnesses and health problems, interfere with nature’s environs, and could even cause specific ethical problems for individuals that practice different faith. People should be aware of genetic engineering, how it works, and how it affects their lives.

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.

“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 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.

As genetically modified foods become more commonly used, it is important to consider potential drawbacks of biotechnology. For instance, as the technology is relatively new, long-term effects are still unknown. People may develop allergies to these modified organisms, or modified organisms mat introduce new toxins into the environment. Most scientific organizations say that genetically modified foods are safe, but some people are concerned that the long-term effects are still unknown. In this essay, I will argue against the use of genetically modified foods.

In today’s society citizens are faced with the question and decision whether or not GMO foods are beneficial or harmful to their health and well-being. Genetically modified foods (GMO) can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination. (Food and Drug Administration, 2014) The technology behind GMO foods is often called “gene technology”, “modern biotechnology”, “recombinant DNA technology”, or “genetic engineering”. GMO foods were developed for many reasons which include: to grow a crop with pest resistant traits, to improve nutritional content, and extend their shelf life.

This paper examines the latest evidence on whether genetically modified foods have been proven safe for consumption. Also explored are how people might benefit from genetically modified crops and whether or not food products made from Genetically Modified (GM) crops should be labeled. Another important topic is whether Genetically Modified crops could reduce world hunger. Finally, the effects of environmental effects of planting Genetically Modified crops will be examined.

Genetically modified foods have been the most recent breakthrough in the fight involving hunger. Genetically Modified foods(GMO) 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. GMOs give us the ability to recreate a plant's genome and allow for manipulation in the genes that will provide rapid growth or defensive properties that will protect the crop. Although GMOs can provide us with many beneficial aspects, we still do not fully understand the deleterious affects of consuming genetically modified food.

What is it that we are eating? GMO’s are unnatural. Is it healthy to eat something that doesn’t belong in our digestive system? GMO’s are genetically modified food. Genetically modified foods are created by taking genes from plants and animals and inserting into our food to alter the genetic engineering. In 1984, GMO’s were first introduced when a plant was modified from antibiotic resistant tobacco. In 1994, genetically modifying food was approved by the FDA and the first GMO food, Flavr-Savr tomatoes, was released into marketing. (A history of GM) They became an issue since the beginning, creating many health problems. Genetically modifying foods should not be allowed in America because it’s unhealthy, it decreases in nutritional value, antibiotic resistance, and has shown increases in food allergy and toxicity.

As modern society shifts towards healthier alternatives to french fries and hot dogs, practices in the food industry that were once acceptable have begun to come under public scrutiny. Out of these issues, none are more controversial than the use of GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms. Since its first use in 1973, genetic modification has been applied to almost every crop imaginable. Countless fields of beans, rice, and corn have become subject to genetic modification as more and more farmers begin to realize the benefits of growing “super” plants. With so little drawbacks and so many advantages, it is easy to see why GMOs are as widespread as they are in today’s society.

There have been ongoing debates about the adoption of GMOs over natural food growth. Out of these discussions, there is a rising need to do research on genetically modified food verses naturally grown food. According to (Mary Colson., 2017), Genetically Modified food can be defined as a growing plant or animal that is modified and grows not a normal, natural way. The growth of this plant, animal or microorganism is triggered by altering its genetic material. The genetic material is usually changed in a way that makes the food not to occur naturally through natural recombination or mating in this particular case. Genetic modification of food has its pros and cones. In this discussion, the advantages and the disadvantages are discussed as

This essay is about Genetically modified organisms, in this paper, however, modified food will be talked about more so than any other modified organism. Genetically engineered food is, in some cases, is beneficial but to every good thing, there must be at least one bad thing. Many scientists and researches have been led to believe GMO’s will harm the body, but others believe it does not. With the mass production of GMO’s some think world hunger can be reduced and become a manageable issue.

It’s been said that humans are what they eat. The relationship humans have with food is unappreciated. Food is the fuel that keeps humans going, gives them the energy needed to be creative and productive; it is the building block of society, after all, it wasn’t until the Neolithic Era, when humans figured out a way to domesticate plants and animals, that any form of organized society formed. Even during the previous hunter-gatherer foraging era, humans were very connected to the food they ate; understanding where it came and having an idea of how it came to be was crucial to knowing what was vital to survive. In this time, food sources like grains, fruits, and vegetables were naturally abundant, whole. Humans could choose between many

“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.