GMO foods
Genetically modified foods are plants or animals from which through biotechnology and genetic engineering, their DNA has been altered. Thus foods produced using GM organisms are known as GMO foods. Gene altering is done from living organisms, bacteria or virus to retrieve traits such as higher production, resistance to diseases or pesticide tolerance. GMO foods have been in the market for over twenty years. For most corn and soy in the United States, it has been engineered to make it more resistant to herbicides therefore it becomes easier to spray massive grounds with a weed killer. In the US market shelves, about 70 per cent of the processed foods are GMOs or contain GMO which is a statistic from Bill Freese from the Center for Food Safety. Some fruits and vegetables that are genetically altered are such as apples, tomatoes, zucchini, sweet corn and papaya. The Hawaiian papaya during the 1996 period was infested with a virus and so scientist developed genetically altered papaya which was resistant to the virus. At present, a higher percentage of the papaya grown in Hawaii is genetically engineered. Currently, meat, fish and eggs are not genetically engineered but plans could be underway.
Undoubtedly, different points have been drifting along in the essence of GMO foods. The supporters of GMO foods see it as an opportunity to enhance crop productivity and quality to sustain the population growth in the world. The antagonists on the other hand concerns have been raised over the environmental impacts human health consequence that might come along. The benefits of having GMO foods in the food market is that plants which have added desirable traits can produce quality foods. Certain traits in plants that farmers desired to have in their crops can easily be achieved. For instance, certain varieties of apples have been discovered that turn less brown when cut. Further crops have been made more resistant to diseases. Varieties of corn maize and soy have been improved to become more resistant to herbicides making it easier to apply less dangerous chemical sprays. Also, GMO foods improved to ensure that crops are resistant to diseases maintain a high yield for the farmers. GMO foods also have enhanced tastes and flavors which makes them ideal to the consumers.
Admittedly, farm income resulting from the increased resistance to herbicides and reduced use of pesticides and generally increased production. The efficiency gains that farmers get and the high yield amount to the high income from biotech foods which have registered 18.2 billion dollars direct benefit by 2016(“documented benefits of GM”). In the process, more employment is generated because yields are high and therefore more workers needed for harvest.
Additionally, biotech foods take into consideration the improvement of nutrients within a crop. Enhanced quality traits such as increasing nutrient are of benefit to the consumers as well. An example is the ‘golden rice’ which has an enhanced vitamin A essential especially in developing countries faced by high child mortality rates (Qaim, 2010). Cassava, bananas and corn have also improved mineral and vitamin contents. Cost-effectively, GMO foods could improve the health of the economic status of the majority who are struggling.
On the downside, health implications are a hot issue with GMO foods. GMO foods have been speculated to cause allergic reactions because they may have possible genes that can trigger allergic reactions. DNA from allergens can prompt an allergic reaction. Additionally, research has also reason to believe that GMO foods can converse the development of cancer. The altering of genes can develop mutations in the body of a human being leading to cancer.
Sceptics also argue that genetic modification which boosts a crop resistance to disease or by making them resistant to herbicides could make the human body as well become resistant to antibacterial. It is possible for foods to transfer genes into the body of an individual.in other cases, some GMO foods have gene alteration that makes them become resistant to antibiotics. This brings concern to the increased number of people who are resistant to antibiotics.
Additionally, with the very laws of nature, there is the danger of outcrossing of genes between plants. Especially during pollination, birds will cross-pollinate between plants (“what are the pros”). Thus in the process, conventional plants and GMO plants might transfer genes between mixing their gene compositions. This will end up contaminating other plants and the consumption of GMO foods might go unrecognized.
For the most part, counties continue to speculate over the safety of the GMO foods. Majority of the interest groups in different countries especially in Europe have been campaigning for the ban of GMO foods. In Africa where malnutrition and hunger occur at severe levels, they do not accept the importation of GMO foods which are at a cheaper price. In Asia, China and India continue to uphold biotech crops. Governments are yet to accept more genetically engineered countries. In the United States, measures have been taken to identify GMO foods by having them labelled ‘bioengineered’ as of January 2020. Overly, different countries have a different approach to GMO foods in most countries, health considerations being at the forefront.
REFERENCE
Pocket K no. 5: documented benefits of GM crops. ISAAA. Retrieved from https://www.isaaa.org/resources/publications/pocketk/5/default.asp
Qaim Martin. 2010. The benefits of genetically modified crops and the costs of inefficient regulation. Resources. Retrieved from https://www.resourcesmag.org/common-resources/the-benefits-of-genetically-modified-cropsand-the-costs-of-inefficient-regulation/
What are the pros and cons of GMO foods? Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324576