Genetically Modified Foods

Web. 13 May. 2014. Premanandh, Jagadeesan. “Global consensus--need of the hour for genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling.” Journal of Commercial Biotechnology.

Most existing genetically modified plants have been developed to improve yield, through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or of increased tolerance of herbicides. Main GM foods are corn, tomatoes and soy. These are three big items on any list of GM Foods, but several others exist as well, dairy, cotton, oil, papaya, sugar, golden rice, potatoes, blue berry, fish berry, salmon and sugar beets are some of them. 2.1. Causes of Genetically Modified Food Genetically modified foods are unhealthy.

Most products purchased by consumers contain at least a small percentage of GMOs. According to the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all of the federal requirements for commercialization. Some examples of these plants include tomatoes and cantaloupes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests. Not all these products are available in supermarkets yet; however, the prevalence of GM foods in U.S. grocery stores is more widespread than is commonly thought. While there are very, very few genetically-modified whole fruits and vegetables available on produce stands, highly processed foods, such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals, most likely contain some tiny percentage of genetically-modified ingredients because the raw ingredients have b... ... middle of paper ... ... TRUTHS REPORT."

Pandora's Picnic Basket: The Potential and Hazards of Genetically Modified Foods. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000. Print. Miller, Debra A. Genetically Engineered Food.

Scientists have been using biotechnology to implant the gene that makes the plants act the way they want them to. Genetically modified foods have advantages and disadvantages on the environment and advantages and disadvantages on society. We have to weigh the positives and negatives to see if genetically modified foods are healthy for us and if we really need them. Genetically modified foods have a huge impact on our environment. One way that genetically modified foods are hurting our environment is that process can involve the exchange of genes between two totally different species.

In order to understand the controversy of genetically engineered crops one must understand what genetic engineering or genetic modification is: “GMO are organisms that are generated by combining genes of different species using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology. Resulting organisms are then said to be transgenic, genetically engineered or genetically modified (GM). This group of organisms includes... plants.” (Celec et al., 2005) The genetic modification of crops and plants was created so that crops could, “... protect themselves against insects and disease, to feed and vaccinate people at the same time, to flourish in poor soil and drought, or to improve the quantity and bioavailability of individual nutrients.” (Roberts, Struble, McCullum-Gomez, Wilkins, 2006). These benefits may seem to outweigh the risks and in reality they do, however this does not mean the consumer should not be notified of the risks they are taking. The hallmark of our free society demands that the consumer be able to choose whether or not they want to eat something that may have health risks product labeling that identifies GMO ingredients allows for consumers to choose a particular product while ensuring that the producer feel more at ease with the way they disclose information and promote their product.

Should Labeling be Required for GMOs? The debate over genetically modified foods continues to haunt producers and consumers alike. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are foods that have been modified through bioengineering to possess certain characteristics. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or increased nutritional content (Whitman, 2000). The debate continues to grow as to whether these genetically altered foodstuffs are the answer to hunger in the coming years, or whether we are simply children playing with something that we do not have the capacity to understand.

There are some effects GM crops may have on the environment. Crops and wild plants around the GM crops could become contaminated with the special genes that are put into the GM crop. New weeds deemed 'super-weeds' may change drastically which would be extremely hard or impossible to eradicate. Pollution coming from these harmful chemicals could possibly increase or decrease. Wildlife could be harmed by the dangerous toxins produced in... ... middle of paper ... ...st. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 09 July 2013.

Scientists have been changing genomes of plants and animals by integrating new genes from a different species through genetic engineering, creating a genetically modified organism (GMO). Consumers in America have been eating GMOs since 1996, when they went on the market. There are benefits to genetically modifying crop plants, as it improves the crop quality and increases yield, affecting the economy and developing countries. But there are also negative effects from GMOs. Consumption of GMOs has various health effects on both body systems of animals and humans.

In addition to the concerns of people and animal’s well-being, the environment and farms are heavily influenced by the genetically modified foods. TRANSITION Although people have their opinions about GM foods, the general population is uneducated and may not even know about genetically modified foods. Genetic engineering (GE) is part of the field of biotechnology which is the science of gene technologies such as manipulation, engineering, and modification (Henningfield). The genetic engineers inject genes from various sources including bacteria, viruses, animals, or humans into the DNA of a crop or an animal. The organisms created are known as geneticall... ... middle of paper ... ...ce Center.