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Effects of gmo foods on human health
Effects of gmo foods on human health
Effects of gmo foods on human health
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It is common today, to relate our health to the foods we eat. If you’ve ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat”, then you must ask yourself a very important question- How do you know what you are, if you do not know what is in your food? With the skyrocketing concern about genetically modified foods (GMO’s), consumers are wanting food that has been genetically modified to be labeled. According to dictionary.com a GMO is, “an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering, so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found there”. In her article, “Genetically Modified Food: A Modern Term for Old-Fashioned Husbandry”, Tiffany Snider claims that the cost of labeling genetically modified foods outweighs …show more content…
115). The key word in this argument is “thus far” which exhumes feelings of uncertainty, and to call it safe under these circumstances is incorrect. There just isn’t enough data that proves eating GMOs are safe. However, the increasing awareness and public concern of mandatory labeling comes from recent studies that, “have linked genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to cancer, deterioration of liver and kidney function, stomach inflammation, and impaired embryonic development” (Mother Earth News, 2013). How can anyone say that there are no adverse health effects when GMOs have been linked to these life threatening situations? Another concern is the amount of pesticides being sprayed on crops. According to an article on consumerreports.org Gm crops are designed to withstand the herbicides (Roundup) farmers use on crops to control weeds, but the farmers had to drastically increase the amount of Roundup because of a superweed that’s immune to the chemical (citation). In short, crops are being saturated with this toxic agent. Roundup has been known to cause cancer, birth defects, and other reproductive harm which is why California now requires it to be labeled as carcinogenic and cancer causing on all products sold in the state
Why we should ban GMO’s? In GMOs 101 Stephen H. Howell, director the Plant Sciences Institute at Iowa State University, stated “Other GM plants, such as Roundup Ready corn, were created to survive the spraying of the herbicide Roundup, which kills weeds and would normally kill the plant, too”. It tells how some crops were made to survive herbicide sprays that would normally kill the plant, like Roundup. Think about that for a minute, the plant can withstand round up, which is deadly to humans, should anyone really be consuming
A very valid point brought up by Clause (Say ‘no’), Hemphill, and Banerjee (both G.M.O. and the U.S.), is that consumers already have an easy and effective option to steer clear from GMOs: buying organic products. Through Hemphill’s and Banerjee’s article, we are informed that United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) “presently offers an organic certification for crops and processed food products, which by definition prohibits the use of GMO ingredients” (Page 455-466). This is certainly a label that has the ability to help concerned customers know exactly what they are eating. The co-authors call this solution the “Voluntary Labeling Strategy.” There is, however, one issue with this: not all products that don't contain GMOs qualify as organic. The resolution lies in an upcoming proposal from the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA). It's called “Voluntary Guidelines” and it allows, but doesn't force, GMO-free products to display a label of their own. I believe that this is a much smarter option than labeling every item containing GMOs because it is not binding by law, which would provide consumers with all of the benefits they need to choose the right foods for their preferences, while saving on all of the unnecessary extra costs discussed
A non-GMO label doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy”. White sugar, flour, and processed ingredients if not genetically modified are considered non GMO. Recently Cheerios made their ingredients GMO free. This label made Cheerios seems as a “healthy conscience choice” when in fact they are not healthy at all. The truth is that this breakfast cereal is highly processed and is best to be avoided despite the “healthy halo” of being approved by the National Heart Association and GMO free. The truth appears on the nutrition label and the ingredients (Wartman). “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it” The voluntary labeling places a burden on the consumer. The average Americans are forced to navigate confusing and cluttered food landscape” (Wartman). A mandatory labeling law is vital to give clear and concise information to citizens.
When you eat a cheeseburger, you might know that you are eating a beef patty with cheese, lettuce, and ketchup on a sesame seed bun, but do you know what you are really eating? According to the documentary GMO OMG, “approximately 85% of all processed foods contain GMOs”, yet most consumers are unaware that this secret ingredient is included in most of their food. Although Monsanto believes their product is safely feeding the world, consumers should be aware of the hidden horrors of genetically modified food because research indicates that GMOs could drastically affect their health as well as cause environmental damage, all while violating the rights of consumers and farmers.
Next, companies that refuse the use of genetic modifications on their foods must begin to label foods that do not contain GMOs so that consumers can be sure of their safety, even if others that contain GMOs do not label. Due to this labeling, there will be an exposure to which foods are natural because the foods that are the most appealing will have “the ‘Non-GMO Project Verified’ seal [in order] to help shoppers recognize which products meet rigorous GMO avoidance practices” (“Whole Foods Market”).
Have you ever asked yourself what is Genetic modified organism(GMO)? Will in this paper I am going to tell you about GMO. Gmo is any foods or animals that have been modified genetically. There is too much Gmo in our food. We could cut down on how much foods have GM. We could also make more job for farming. We Should make more food with no GMO so we can all be healthy.
Genetically modified foods are developed by combining genes from two different organisms which alters it's DNA and do not occur naturally. Biotechnology is relatively new so like most people, I turned to research to argue this issue with facts. In my opinion, genetically modifying foods have more harmful effects than they do beneficial. I am against their use because it creates safety risks for our health and animals, it can damage the environment and we have to deal with the total costs.
Food is an essential part of everyday life without it one could not survive. Every day we make choices on what we put in to our bodies. There are countless varieties of food to choose from to meet the diverse tastes of the increasing population. Almost all food requires a label explaining the ingredients and the nutritional value allowing consumers to make informed decisions on what they are consuming. However, many may not be considering where that food is coming from or how it has been produced. Unfortunately, there is more to food than meets the eye. Since 1992, “ the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled, based on woefully limited data, that genetically modified foods were ‘substantially equivalent’ to their non-GM counterparts” (Why to Support Labeling). GM food advocates have promised to create more nutritious food that will be able to grow in harsh climate conditions and eventually put an end to world hunger in anticipation of the growing population. There is very little evidence to support these claims and study after study has proven just the opposite. GM crops are not only unsafe to consume, but their growing practices are harmful to the environment, and multinational corporations are putting farmers out of business.
According to an article titled “Genetically Modified Foods Eaten” regularly by Linda A. Johnson today, essentially 40% of the foods we eat are genetically modified, unless you eat organic foods and/or you grow your own. Most products containing corn, soil, canola oil, or cottonseed oil contain genetic modification. One of the biggest genetic modification company is Monsanto (Johnson). She goes on to say many Americans don’t even know they are consuming genetically engineered foods. In “Genetically Modified Foods Confuse Consumers” by Mary Clare Jalonick writing in the Washington Times, has talked about how this is because the FDA does not require them to be labeled. Jalonick has said, “Genetically modified foods are plants or animals that have
The term GM foods or GMO (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques (Whitman, 2000). These plants have been modified in the laboratory to offer desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Also, genetic engineering techniques have been applied to create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and accurately. For example, this is done by the geneticist isolating the gene responsible for drought tolerance and inserts it into another plant. The new genetically-modified plant will now have gained drought tolerance as well.
GMOs can also bear consequences in terms of genetic pollution and alteration, from contamination and mutation to adaptation to evolution to species extinction. Indeed, some claims are not well supported and may require testing, like genetic alteration through consumption or the validity of correlating animal health deficits with GM feeds. However, overall, GM foods clearly affect the world negatively in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem impacts. With all of the controversy surrounding GMO foods: health versus biodiversity; benefits versus dangers; pros versus cons, a topic that always arises is the subject of labeling. Labeling has been a matter of discussion for years and surprisingly, it is a hot debate that is still full of life.
This has created a large amount of debate on local, national, and international levels about the safety of genetically modified foods to human health. There are many angles that have been taken from different groups on this issue. Some believe it is harmful to our health, with one source stating that, “mice eating GMO corn had fewer and smaller babies (Jagelio 2013).” Without testing on humans how are we to know these harmful effects aren’t impacting our health and reproduction. Other groups see GMOs as being both beneficial and having no impact on human health.
If crops were affected by droughts, disease and insects, having destroyed many acres across America’s Midwest region, the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) would not be beneficial in regenerating new crops. Genetically modifying foods (GMOs) “are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding” (nongmoproject.org). Most research done has concluded no positive benefits in using GMOs. There are serious health risks associated with eating GM foods based on scientific research done around the world. The purpose of GMOs are to increase production of crop yield and reduce pesticide use but research says otherwise. If farmers wanted to continue using GMOs to produce crops, labeling should be mandatory to allow consumers to have a conscious choice whether or not to eat GM food. Through research it has been proven that the use of GMOs to increased production of crops during a time of drought or disease have no benefits, just risks.
An English doctor, named Arpad Pusztai, did a study on rats being fed genetically modified foods. His study found out that rats that ate genetically modified potatoes had pre-cancerous cells, smaller brains, smaller livers, smaller testicles, and damaged immune systems. After finding this out, he then changed the eating habits of the rats by interchanging between feeding them organic potatoes and genetically modified potatoes for two weeks at a time. He concluded that whenever the rats ate the organic potatoes, their symptoms disappeared, but when the rats ate the GMO potatoes again, the symptoms reappeared. Pusztai study isn’t the only that proves that GMOs are harmful. Other studies have also shown that GMOs are linked to reproductive problems, immune system problems, accelerated aging, gastrointestinal distress, and dysfunctional regulation. This proves that GMOs have a serious effect on our
“Genetically modified foods are a "Pandora's box" of known and unknown risks to humans and the environment. They have been forced onto the American public by multinational biotech and agribusiness corporations without adequate oversight and regulation by the United States government (Driscoll, SallyMorley, David C).”Genetically Modified Food is food which has been chemically altered by scientists during the production process to give the food more nutrients, better appearance, and a longer shelf-life (Rich, Alex K.Warhol, Tom). The importance of this issue is that these GMO’s can actually have a negative effect in our society in general. It could mutate in a negative way and cause cancer or other diseases. Genetically modified food should be strictly controlled due to its various detrimental effects on the environment, human health, and potentially insect/animal effects.