Genetically Modified Foods Have Been Proven Safe For Consumption

Genetic modified organisms, or GMOs, are living organisms that, through the genetic engineering process, have been altered to withstand certain chemicals and increase the nutritional value of the product. In fact, the majority of the foods found at the grocery store are genetically altered. Genetic modification is becoming increasingly popular on farms throughout the United States and moving into other parts of the world due to their increasing yield capabilities and pest and weed control. However, this has been, and continues to be, an extremely controversial topic of discussion in the world of agriculture and biotechnology, as well as health food critics, because of potential environmental and health risks.

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 is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of genetic modification in foods grown for human consumption. Many opponents suggest that genetically modified (GM) foods can affect human growth and development, increase allergic reactions in persons with allergy sensitivity or cause allergies to develop in healthy people. Proponents of using genetically modified organisms to alter and improve foods claim that there are no health risks to humans and that GM foods are subjected to stricter guidelines and testing than “naturally” grown food. They also claim that genetic modification of food is necessary to produce more drought tolerant, insect and disease resistant crops that can sustain the earth’s growing human population. A recent survey conducted suggests that public opinion is evenly divided on whether or not GMOs should be used in foods for human consumption. This paper looks to discuss the pros and cons of GMOs in food and the reported effects, if any, on human growth and development.

As human civilization has evolved over the centuries, the way we produce our food has changed. There are many terms for describing this process such as food biotechnology or genetic engineering, but the most common one is genetically modified organisms or GMO. GMOs are used on plant life to enhance certain qualities before consumption or extraction. There have been many concerns about this subject, but despite this it should continue to be used in the future out of necessity.

A GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) is a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species is extracted, then artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. Example: The transgenic potato plants that have

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.

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.

There are many issues that face Americans today and need to be addressed, though some that are more pressing in nature. One of which is of great concern being the large presence of GMOs in our daily diets,. In the rush to produce more food cheaper and make it resistant to disease and pest, we may have opened ourselves to unknowns. We have health issues in the United States that are not nearly so prevalent elsewhere in the world (Séralini). We have bee’s dying at alarming rates (Amos). Both are linked to the existence of GMOs, it begs the needs to ask ourselves then I think,

“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.

Opponents of GM crops often refer to a widely publicized article by Food & Chemical Toxicology published September 2012 regarding the possible dangers of GM foods. The two-year study by Gilles-Eric Seralini a French scientist who has been a professor of molecular biology at the University of Caen experimented on only ten rats over the course of the study. In addition, the species studied has been known to develop cancer tumors regardless of its diet. Elsevier, the Dutch company that publishes Food & Chemical Toxicology made a statement regarding the authenticity of the study:

Given the large amount of perspectives that are taken into account in, it becomes quite difficult to grasp what has pushed the politics of food consumption to this point. For this review, the aim is to construct and assemble a better understanding of how GMOs contribute to consumerism and objectification of food.

The development of genetically engineered foods began in the 1900s, and has been in United State markets since 1995 (Bredahl 18). The most widespread genetically modified foods are oil, maize, cotton, and soybeans (Cunningham 11). Transgenic foods were products created to increase benefit and lower prices (Whitman 2). Genetically modified foods are essential to enrichments of crops (Tan 3). It helps reduce the use of herbicides and pesticides in plants, enhances taste and quality, lower maturation time,

A GMO or genetically modified organism could be a plant, animal, microorganism or other organisms whose genetic make has been modified using recombinant DNA methods. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

Genetically Modified foods are one of the important issues in the world. Farmers and scientists have changed the way food is grown and made. Many people have questioned these methods and their risk and effect of the food being processed. What is clear is that there is not enough of information on this genetically modified food on a human health as of yet. “The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is 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” (Gall). Having food is very important to the

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.