Negative Effects of Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs)

Contrary to popular belief, the field of biotechnology is not new by any means. Archeological evidence shows that ancient Egyptians produced beer by steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting it with yeast, thus, the first form of biotechnology. Flash-forward to the mid-1800’s, scientists, with the help of Gregor Mendel’s laws of genetics, were able to successfully practice “selective breeding” amongst their crops. With this, the field of biotechnology took a huge turn. Scientists now had the understanding necessary to manipulate plants and mate them based on their desired traits. However, until recently, this was all done naturally, through plant-to-plant cross-fertilization. Nowadays, this process can occur instantly, with no need to wait for the natural life cycle of a plant. After a few groundbreaking discoveries, it became apparent that society could greatly benefit from the genetic altercation of these biological resources and consequently, biotechnology boomed.

Vaesa, Janelle . "GMOs: Benefits and Negative Effects of Genetically Modified Food." Decoded Science. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.

When people voice their opinions against genetically modified foods, they do not often recognize how much the world depends on them. Today, there are more than one billion people who do not have enoug...

Deal, Walter F., and Stephen L. Baird. “Genetically Modified Foods: A Growing Need.” Technology Teacher 62.7 (2003): 18. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Nov. 2011.

General Mills Cereal company had stopped using GMO’s in Cheerios mainly because of public pressure. Cheerios was thought from the buyers to be a family food. Respectively, Cheerios got rid of GMO’s and in that 20 seconds walking down the cereal aisle my topic was found. This move by Cheerios was golde n.Moms will start bringing Cheerios into the house over any other kind of cereal if they know its healthy for their children. Cheerios just boomed there marketing and people are going to realize it very soon.

Over 80% of the food we eat has some variation of genetic modification Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) a term that has been growing in popularity and with popularity comes controversy. the practice of Genetic modification is generally practiced in the food industry but aspects of genetic modification are found tested in animals. Food over the years has changed due to the technique of genetic modification where genes from other organisms are implanted within a given organism. The use of genetic modification in our food has stirred controversy over the topic rightly so with anything that grows in popularity. What are the effects of Genetically modifying food. With the widespread use of GMOs it strikes up concerns but we must analyze what GMOS are and the facts.

Commercial planting of genetically modified seeds in the United States began in 1996, and quite soon after this, food products containing GMOs began appearing on grocery store shelves, and mostly without peoples’ knowledge. By the year 2011, 94 percent of all soybeans and 88 percent of all corn grown within the U.S. was genetically modified. Soy and corn, along with other common GM foods such as canola oil, cottonseed oil, and sugar from sugar beets, are used as ingredients in numerous other products, so most people have been eating GM foods without even realizing it (Smith, 2012).

The term GMO or Genetically Modified Organism refers to an individual form of life in which the genome is changed or modified through genetic engineering. In other words, the DNA from an organism is modified in a laboratory and then inserted into another organism’s genome for the purpose of producing positive traits that would be useful, creating a new organism. This science of genetic manipulation has been utilized for many different purposes. One important area in which it is controversial is agriculture. Specific issues regarding this technology involve human and environmental safety as well as ethical and conservation concerns.

"Perils Amid Promises of Genetically Engineered Foods" by Dr. Mea Ho. Biology Department, Open University, U.K. November 1996.

Whitman, Deborah. "Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? ." Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? . N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2011. .