Cons of Genetic Modification of Plants
opinionated Essay
1011 words
In our everyday lives we have a substantial need for food. Everyone on planet earth needs food to survive from day to day, so engineers have begun mutating plants and crops to create a better source of nutrition to the population. Scientists are pushing the boundaries in order to create the most bountiful crops and, in turn, healthier people. Imagine what could happen if there were larger harvests, more succulent fruits and nutritious vegetables. Our imagination can run wild with the endless possibilities of genetic alteration of food. However, can we be absolutely certain that what we are doing to our food supply will benefit us in the long run? If one seemingly simple change to a plant’s DNA actually harmed millions of people, it would be extremely detrimental to our society. The genetic alteration of food, such as fruits, vegetables, and crops could do more harm than good to the people who consume them and have a negative effect on the environment, by spreading out and destroying other plants. According to the World Heath Organization, “WHO” , all genetically altered foods currently used have been assessed for safety and are not likely to present risks for human health. WHO also cautions that foods must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. The World Health Organization is safe with how they word their statement. They say “not likely”, which means that it is still possible that something detrimental could happen. A biologist by the name Arpad Pusztai has written 12 books and over 300 articles on genetic modification and is a master in the field. In a test to say that genetically enhanced foods were safe to the public, Pusztai gave DNA altered potatoes to a group of laboratory rats. The results were shocking to Pu... ... middle of paper ... ...es, Rick. "EarthSave - Food intervention programs to achieve health independence." EarthSave - Food intervention programs to achieve health independence. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2011. . Shah, Anup. "Genetically Engineered Food — Global Issues." Global Issues : social, political, economic and environmental issues that affect us all — Global Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2011. . Smith, Jeffrey. "Suppression of the truth about GMO hazards." Suppression of the truth about GMO hazards. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2011. . Whitman, Deborah. "Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? ." Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? . N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2011. .
In this essay, the author
- Opines that if one simple change to a plant’s dna actually harmed millions of people, it would be extremely detrimental to our society.
- Explains that all genetically altered foods have been assessed for safety and are not likely to present risks for human health. a biologist by the name arpad pusztai gave dna altered potatoes to a group of laboratory rats.
- Explains that gm foods on the market, which are created from the same process, might have similar effects on humans.
- Explains pusztai was fired two days after releasing the results to the public. the same processes that the potatoes underwent to be enhanced are the same ways that human food products are altered.
- Explains that a study executed by deborah b. whitman has to do with new caused allergens created by the newly altered foods.
- Explains that the gmo compass states that altering plants among with normal plants is safe and effective. the pollen from the plants can travel hundreds of miles away and plant themselves elsewhere.
- Explains that crop uniformity will reduce genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable to disease and pests. the creators of pesticides and companies that genetically alter the plants are owned by the same people.
- Concludes that genetically altered foods can diminish our health and destroy our environment. genetically modified foods have already killed people and will continue to do so until something is done.
- Opines that the world is confronted with the single most potent technology ever known, more powerful than atomic energy. yet it is being released throughout our environment and deployed with superficial or no risk assessments — as if no one needs to worry an iota about its unparalleled powers.
- Cites batalion, nathan, and charnes, rick. raw wisdom, holistic healing insights, raw food diet, sustainability, genetically modified foods.
- Describes the social, political, economic, and environmental issues that affect us all — global issues.
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- The Genetically Modified Foods Controversyexplanatory essayThe past twenty years have seen rise to a new burgeoning scientific field: genetically modified foods. During the plant breeding process, geneticists interfere with the reproduction and modify the genes of the new seedling by introducing a fragment of DNA from another organism that possesses the desired trait. With genetic modification, scientists can increase the pest, herbicide, cold, and drought tolerance so that the crop can survive in harsher climates. In some cases, the nutritional value can even be increased (Ulrich 9). Despite the obvious benefits of more nutritious foods and crops that are hardier and more resistant to harsher climates, there are some concerns surrounding GM foods. Each new alteration can cause an unforeseen allergic reaction, negate the effects of antibiotics, or potentially cause some adverse effects to the environment (Falkner 101). Every newly developed GM food must be tested on a case by case basis as there is no universal method that determines the safety of all modified components. As a result, long term effects of ingesting food with altered material are unknown.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetically modified foods can increase pest, herbicide, cold, and drought tolerance. however, there are some concerns regarding gm foods.
- Explains that in the united states, gm foods are prevalent, with 89% of soybeans and 61% of corn being transgenic. europe is suspicious and hostile towards crop alterations.
- Explains that in the u.s., gm foods have received little public opposition due to the fact that food manufacturers are not required to label their products as containing genetically modified ingredients.
- Explains that the european populace has a different response to gm foods. the precautionary principle is based on the idea that even though there is no evidence of negative effects, that does not mean that no risk exists.
- Explains that the u.s. has a more "hands off" policy and places more trust and faith in corporations and biotech companies involved in the production of genetically modified foods.
- Explains that the conflict between the u.s. and the e.u. has permeated into other regions of the world, specifically developing nations.
- Analyzes how the gm food controversy is an example of how two very kindred cultures can be so split over one issue, enough to cause hostility.
- Cites haroon ashraf and c. d. viljoen. gm biotechnology: friend and foe?
- States falkner, robert, herrick, clare b., and sheldon, ian. the global biotech food fight: why the united states got it so wrong.
1350 wordsRead More - Pros And Cons: The Benefits Of Genetically Modified Foodsexplanatory essayThe debate over whether to keep the production genetically modified organisms, or to cease it all together. They help many countries around the world with low food sources, due to climate and other hindrances. With GMO’s aiding countries in need, it will have a helping hand for the availability of more food. These crops and livestock promote ideal solutions to nutrition, world hunger and the environment. With all that being said, GMO foods are one of the most frowned upon food sources in the world. We asked the question “How Does the Ever-Increasing Need for GMO’s affect the Food Industry in the States, and Abroad?” And what are some of the pros, cons, and ways of containment of GMO’s?
In this essay, the author
- Explains the debate over whether to keep the production of genetically modified organisms, or to cease it all together. gmo's help countries with low food sources, due to climate and other hindrances.
- Explains that biotechnology has been helping farmers increase their productivity, boosting crop yields, and providing protection from pests and viruses.
- Explains that genetically modified organisms are known to carry many risks along with its benefits. many gmo’s pose great environmental damage by cross-breeding with weeds.
- Explains that the benefits of genetically modified foods outweigh the risks when it comes to their mass production.
- Opines that re-searchers, farmers, and companies must become more responsible in the containment of genetically modified organisms from the natural environment.
1055 wordsRead More - Genetically Modified Foodsargumentative essayHunger is currently one of the world’s most widespread crises, affecting millions of people. In every single country of the world, there are people that go to bed without food on a regular basis, and many that end up dying of starvation. One way that the eradication of hunger has been attempted is by increasing the amount of food in the world, so that there is enough to go around. Scientists have tried to do this by creating new species of crops, using genetic engineering. Though genetically modified foods were originally created to improve agriculture, their negative effects greatly outweigh their positive ones.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hunger is one of the world's most widespread crises, affecting millions of people. scientists have tried to eradicate hunger by creating new species of crops, using genetic engineering.
- Explains how genetically modified foods have grown into a massive industry in the united states.
- Explains that scientists created genetically modified foods for many positive reasons, including making crops and livestock stronger and/or more nutritious.
- Explains that gm foods have negative effects on consumers, and many of them can be directly attributed to the actual modification of the crop’s genes.
- Explains that 75 percent of the top 9 gm crops can withstand a certain herbicide, about 20 percent make their own pesticides, and over 10 percent fall into both categories.
- Explains that the negative effects of gm foods aren't limited to health-related concerns; corruption and monopolization have recently been brought to light as problems in the gmo industry.
- Analyzes how gm companies have bribed officials to approve the growth hormone rbgh against their better judgment, and the corruption behind the scenes.
- Concludes that genetically modified foods were originally created to improve agriculture, but their negative effects overshadowed their positive ones.
- States that diaz, julia m., and fridovich-keil, "genetically modified organism (gmo)". encyclopedia brittanica.
- Explains fernandez, michael, "genetically modified food." world book student, 2014.
- Explains that genetically modified foods and organisms. gale encyclopedia of science. 4th ed.
- States that mercola, joseph, and kendra degen pearsall, take control of your health, schaumburg, 2007.
1442 wordsRead More - The Controversy of Genetically Modified Cropsanalytical essayYou may know about the emerging field of biotechnology - the medicine, the ethics, the DNA, the Human Genome, etc. But few realize the emergence of its agricultural branch, and the international conflict that has arisen from it. It may apply to you more than you thought, for half of the soybean products and a quarter of the corn you ate in 1999 may have been genetically modified (Kaufman A6). Genetically modified crops (commonly referred to as GMOs) are crops whose characteristics have been altered to produce a favorable trait, whether it be prolonged freshness, a more attractive appearance, or pesticide resistance (Activist 1). Genetic alteration is the act of inserting a gene, which contains specific DNA (usually from another species), into an organism so that it will produce a protein to create a specific trait. Many have argued over the ethical appropriateness of the issue, but this time new concerns come into view. Many consumers all over the world are worried about human safety, environmental preservation, and international trade.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetically modified crops are crops whose characteristics have been altered to produce favorable traits, such as prolonged freshness, an attractive appearance, or pesticide resistance.
- Argues that the argument between the united states and the european union (eu) has dominated the controversy.
- Argues that bio-engineering is a new and efficient way of increasing crop production without increasing costs, time, or labor.
- Opines that the eu food safety rule may cost africa $700 million in trade.
- Explains charles marwick's "thesis article." e-mail to kate pielemeier. "genetically modified crops feed ongoing controversy."
- Explains that foods safe?" fda consumer. v34 i1 p.18. u.s. government printing office.
- Argues that the united states is the leading producer, manufacturer, buyer, and seller of genetically modified (gm) foods.
1402 wordsRead More - The Downside of Genetically Modified Organismsopinionated essayAlthough having seeds that can thrive in extreme environments may sound like a good idea, the side effects may change one’s opinion. GMO’s aren’t as good as they seem because they may contain a high level of allergens, they have killed and deformed some test subjects, and they haven’t had as strict tests as they should. Because these products do not have a designated label explaining what they contain, a high level of allergens can cause serious problems with some people when they ingest them unknowingly. Many problems have been reported when scientists test these genetically modified foods on animals; everything from death to disfiguration was reported. Lastly, these products have few reports of testing and when tested, they’re tested as if they were a regular food and aren’t checked for many different problems. Genetically modified organisms have a greater number of bad issues than the good ones they claim.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that gmo's aren't as good as they seem because they contain a high level of allergens, they have killed and deformed some test subjects, and they're not checked for many different problems.
- Explains that genetically modified foods have a protein that has been changed to give the desired effects. cooked gm soy is an example of high allergen containing food.
- Explains how animals of all sizes began to change genetically after being exposed to the new organisms. rats and mice were shown to have a decrease in the size of their offspring after feeding off of the gmo.
- Opines that the dangers of genetically modified organisms increase when the products are not labeled or tested properly.
- Explains that gmo's contain an extraordinarily high amount of allergens, which can be a serious risk to many people allergic to them. they can also deform and stunt the growth of offspring.
- Cites crenshaw, w. s. and pushztai, arpad. "genetically modified foods: are they a risk to human/animal health?
- Analyzes smith's "in praise of the non-gmo project." institute for responsible technology. the herald.
870 wordsRead More - We Must Ban Genetically Modified Foodsargumentative essayThe long term effects of genetic altering are unknown, however the effects that have been found all show that it causes health problems for humans and animals and it causes irreversible harm to the environment. For example, if a plant is genetically engineered to be resistant to insects, then the insects will be forced to move elsewhere to find...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the long-term effects of genetic altering are unknown, but it causes health problems for humans and animals and irreversible harm to the environment.
- Explains that genetic engineering is the process of artificially modifying gene blueprints by transferring dna genes specific to one organism into another.
- Explains that the lack of proper testing in the u.s. is brought about by biotech corporations, who influence the government to turn a blind eye.
- Opines that genetic engineering poses the greatest danger of any technology yet introduced. the general public is not aware of the harmful effects of genetically modified foods.
- Concludes that genetic modification needs to stop before something drastic happens. there are too many unanswered questions and incomplete tests to offer these foods to the general public.
- Summarizes the conclusions on genetically engineered foods from physicians and scientists for responsible application of science and technology.
- Argues that genetically modified foods are an imprecise experiment with widespread repercussions that is harmful to practically everyone involved and should be stopped.
1540 wordsRead More - The Pros and Cons of Genetically Modifying Foodopinionated essayThe genetic modification of food is a very controversial subject around the world founded by Monsanto, a company involved in agricultural technology, in the 1980’s (Wikipedia). Since then, many other companies have also started to modify their food to avoid using pesticides. I define genetically modified foods (or GM foods) as foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering (Wikipedia). There are many different views concerning GMOs and I will explore the ideological and ethical arguments associated with this subject. I will also analyse the global and national perspectives as well as my own, investigating what factors affect the decision of nations or individuals on whether GMOs are enriching or detrimental to health.
In this essay, the author
- Defines genetically modified foods as foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their dna using the methods of genetic engineering.
- Describes veganism as a vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products, and all other animal-derived ingredients.
- Opines that gmos aren't bad for humans' health if they are used properly. nestle uses them purely to benefit the consumer and save money, but the end product remains the same regardless of gene technology.
- Explains that the controversies about gmos and whether they are really bad are mostly based on personal opinions.
- Explains litcharts | romeo and juliet: themes.
- Argues that genetic engineering is the only way food industries can sustain their food demands with the little soil they have for cultivation.
- Opines that the washington gmo bill is overblown, and that new fda food label rules ignore the gm elephant in the room.
- Explains that "gmos are nothing to fear." us news. u.s.news & world report, 4 nov. 2013. hackett, jolinda. "vegan - what is a vegan?
- Opines that the majority of eu governments are set to oppose approval of gm maize.
- States singapore's biosafety guidelines for research, release and importation of genetically modified organisms.
1458 wordsRead More - Required Labeling on Genetically Modified Foodexplanatory essayThe human population may be at risk if genetically modified foods are used around the world. “In 30 countries including [nations] in Europe, Japan and Australia, GMOs have been banned...or restricted significantly, due to safety concerns,” stated by Chris Kilham of Fox News , “...other nations are considering more aggressive restrictions against engineered food.” T...
In this essay, the author
- States that the bill requires the labeling and identification of genetically modified foods in the united states of america.
- Opines that genetically modified foods are unsafe to animals and humans and cause serious damages to the environment.
- Explains that genetically modified crops can self-replicate and pass on their new characteristics to neighboring crops. this marketing mantra is a deception to consumers.
- Explains that if prop 37 was approved, it would require labeling on food that were genetically modified whose gene material were altered in a specific way.
- Opines that genetically modified food can have a huge impact on human health risk and the environment. prop 37 was not approved but the public should still have the right to know what types of gmos they are consuming.
- States that the senate and house of representatives of the united states of america enacted a bill entitled "required labeling on genetically 3.modified food".
- Explains that the owner will have to pay a penalty of $1000 to $2500 per year until the company accepts the policy. the money will go towards scientific research to improve the negative effects of gmo products.
- Explains that congress will provide $1.3 billion dollars in tax money from the environmental protection agency and taxpayers for this monetary policy.
- Describes the plans that would improve the world, reduce the potential harms from genetically modified food, and the environment.
- Opines that genetic engineering is the world's greatest scam. the express tribune genetically modified food crops blessing or curse comments.
1229 wordsRead More - Are Genetically Modified Organisms Safe in Our Common Food Supplyargumentative essay"Why You Should Be Concerned About GMOs." Live in the Now RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. .
In this essay, the author
- Explains that a genetically modified food has had its dna artificially altered by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria to take on the positive qualities of the added dna.
- Argues that splicing foreign genes into the dna of a food-producing organism can cause unpredictable side effects and harm the health of the human consumer.
- Explains that monsanto, and other large agricultural companies are trying to prevent the required labelling of gmos. they insist that studies proving its safety have been taken.
- Concludes that people have a right to know what's in their food, so gmos should be labelled, even if it may cause some damage to large agricultural businesses.
- Explains crossfit active performance's should you worry about genetically modified food.
- Explains labelgmos. n.p., n.d. web. 18 mar.
- Explains what is gmo food, and should you be worried about it?
864 wordsRead More - Argumentative Essay On Genetic Foodsexplanatory essayGenetic foods consider being under the microscope due to variety damaging effects on human health. When consumers go to supermarkets they have no clue of which products is made out of genetics materials and which products are organics. Whether it is fruits, vegetables, or even meats can be sold as genetically modified. As people, we don’t consider to think these things when we go shopping for food, because we always thought it is harmless to our body. Nowadays, there are more researchers who are aware of the situations of genetics modified food and whether it should be stopped or even be ban from all companies that are producing these materials. Based on a statistic, 80% of canola, 85% of corn, and 91% of soy were sold in U.S. found to have genetically modified, according to Institute for Responsible Technology (2007). Genetically modified foods are commonly found in restaurants and supermarkets in the food processed about 60% to 75%. Even though this new technology can help increase the amount of nutrients in food, reduce environment pollution, create pharmaceutical products, and ...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that genetically modified foods are under the microscope due to variety damaging effects on human health.
- Explains that transgenic crops destroyed the environment and caused an impossible organic farming industry from contaminating organic foods.
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