Genetically Modified Organisms

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Many people today are often amazed by the amount of nutrition and health information required for humans. The constant stream of genetic modification of food can be confusing. Genetically modified (GM) foods are plants and animals that have had their genetic makeup artificially altered by scientists to make them grow faster, taste better, last longer and to provide more nutrients. Scientists make these alternations by transferring genes from one organism into another in order to change the condition or character of the receiving organism. This process is known as biotechnology or genetic engineering (GE), and it has revolutionized the way that agriculture is practiced in many parts of the world. Researchers are now able to use GE technology to create “better” versions of milk, tomatoes, corn, soybeans and other food products that have been consumed by Humans for centuries.
Supporters of genetically modified (GM) foods argue that they have many far-reaching benefits. They say that GM seeds provide economic help to farmers through increased crop yields and lower expenditures on pests. Supports also claim that the technology has important benefits for consumers including lower food costs, more nutritious food and reduced exposure to disease.
GM technology could improve the health of hundreds of millions of people around the world. They point out that scientists have already made genetically modified rice, wheat, fruits and other foods that are more nutritious to eat then their traditionally grown food. GM expert Peter Pringle notes that researchers have even developed a genetically modified soybean that elevates omega-3 acids in the blood. Found naturally in salmon, trout and fresh tuna. These fatty acids are known to protect again...

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...fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides, they nearby rivers and lakes are less likely to become contaminated with these chemicals. Reduced use of farming chemicals also means reduced levels of pesticide residue on nearby plants and trees that wild creatures rely on for their survival. China came up with a genetically engineered version of cotton that exuded a natural insecticide in which the pesticide use on the nation’s cotton crop fell by 80 percent.
Genetically engineered food is here to stay. Given that reality, the best approach may be to make sure that this amazing technology is used safely and sensibly in the years to come. Like any tool, GM foods can be manipulated by a host of social, economic, and political forces to generate positive or negative results. The question is not whether we should use it, but how we should use it to what responsible purpose.

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