Genetically Modified Foods Argumentative Analysis

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There has been a debate about whether or not the genetic modification of microorganisms, plants, and animals should be continued or not. GMOs, or genetically modified organisms, are found in 70-80 percent of America’s processed foods. By using the simple, cheap and effective gene-editing system called Crispr-Cas9, scientists can manipulate the genes of organisms such as plants to change or improve them. From my point of view, with all the potential risks, GMOs need to be labeled and should continue to be strictly tested for longer terms until proven completely safe, as they have not been studied adequately. The possibility of health and environmental complications, such as new allergic reactions and resistant “super weeds”, are not something …show more content…

Specifically, I strongly agree with Dr. Keith Kantor that the biggest concern with GMOs is that they have not been tested enough or especially for long periods of time to find problems that we may not be aware of. One important fact to consider is that when genetically modifying a plant, it is common for new proteins to be added or mixed that were not found in the original plant. In the article, “GMO’s - Pros and Cons” by Dr. Keith Kantor, Brown University states that this can create new allergic reactions that affect the human body. Dr. Keith Kantor also states that his own testing has shown that some of his patients allergies ended when all foods containing GMOs were removed from their diets. This shows that it is possible that his patients had allergies caused by GMOs, and that GMOs should be sufficiently tested to make sure that this is not a risk to the consumer’s health. This is also important because people who are concerned about potential risks of GMOs should know what kinds of food they are purchasing and if they have been genetically modified. If GMOs are labeled, then people who shop for food will clearly be able to tell which foods are genetically modified and can make their own choices based on how they feel about GM

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