Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), are organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through the means of Genetic Engineering. It is when a gene from one organism is taken and inserted into another in order to improve and produce a desired trait for that certain organism. Sometimes it is known as "transgenic" for transfer of genes.…
GMO crops face a lot of criticism, but the facts are that they are more environmentally friendly than traditional crops, they have higher and more stable yields than traditional crops, and are safe to consume. Some critics claim that GMO crops are unsafe and offer no significant advantages over traditional ones. This however, is not true. GMO crops are as safe as and more effective than traditional crops in every way.…
One of the pros of genetically modified organisms is how cheap the outcome is. Take the GMO based company, Monsanto, for example. The sole purpose of this big name company is to produce an unbelievable amount of seeds, genetically modified of course, and ship them to places with food insecurity. These places include third world countries like much of Africa which suffer from chronic hunger. Monsanto is the answer to these third world companies – their mission is to put a stop to world hunger with the production of these GMO seeds. This all comes back around to the advancement of science. Without science, there would be no possible way to produce so many seeds – with GMOs, scientists are able to cut the time it would take to produce these seeds…
I would like to begin my essay by telling the story of the Golden Rice GMO. “Right now, across the world, a quarter of a billion preschool-age children are suffering from vitamin A deficiency. Every year, 250,000 to 500,000 of these kids go blind. Within a year, half of the blinded children will die. Much of the affliction is in Southeast Asia, where people rely on rice for their nutrition. Rice doesn’t have enough beta carotene—the compound that, when digested, produces vitamin A. About twenty-five years ago, a team of scientists set out to solve this problem. Their plan was to engineer a new kind of rice that would make beta carotene. (Make a GMO that caused rice to produce Vitamin A) This was a sustainable solution. It would use biotechnology to prevent suffering, disability, and death. In 1999 they…
Genetically modified foods are beneficial for our society because of the nutrients that may be added to foods and the greater ability to produce these foods. While some people argue that genetic modification is still a new technology that should be researched further, others will agree that the benefits definitely outweigh the drawbacks. Society today has all kinds of new technology at its fingertips and should be allowed to use this technology to enhance certain things to better the world.…
Genetic modification is becoming closer and closer to an everyday possibility. With this possibility comes a whirlwind of possible effects, both positive and negative. There has been a history of opposition towards these technologies, oftentimes because of fear that the capabilities would be abused. However, the potential that newborns could be born free of hereditary diseases outweighs the fear of “designer babies”.…
Genetic engineering often gets a bad rap with changing the natural evolutionary cycle, but it could, with proper guidance, improve almost every aspect of daily life. Advances in the Biotech Revolution have made many things that we had merely considered to be science fiction or a thing of dreams are now possible.The fact of the matter is that genetic engineering is applicable to everyday life while still being ethical and inline with people’s morals.…
In today’s day and age, it seems like technology is getting more advanced by the day. Because of this technology, many high income countries such as America now have the ability to mass produce food as well as to genetically modify it to enhance the size, flavor, and appearance. While mass production of food may sound like an easy solution to sustain the constantly increasing global population, many people do not appreciate how dependent food production is on technology, and are posing arguments against the mass production of food while searching for all natural, organic, and locally grown alternatives. In The Eater Reader, it is made very clear that feelings toward this use of technology are very mixed. Some of the authors such as Hannah Wallace and Jamey Lionette argue that foods that are not tampered with and infused with chemicals are healthier for us and worth the extra time and money, while authors such as Mary Lebeau and James McWilliams favor the heavy usage of technology, praising its convenience and positive impact on the environment. While arguments can be made on both sides of the spectrum, the usage of technology to mass produce and make genetically modified organisms (GMOs) seems the most realistic as it satisfies the desires of the majority of Americans, helps to protect the environment, and enables food producers to sustain the increasing global population.…
Food has been one of the three requirements of life for humans since the birth of a person. Centuries ago, production of food only consisted of hunting, harvesting and farming, and usually it would take a long time before these foods arrived at the dining tables of families. However, toady, technology has allowed the mass production of food. Unfortunately, the market has taken advantage of technology, not letting us know how food is made, leading to the birth of genetically modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs are widely used in a range of foods today. Though most people are unaware of this, GMOs even exist in some of their favourite food products, especially fast foods. Many reports and illnesses have arised from the consumption of GM-foods, specifically…
“When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow.” – Ursula K. Le Guin. No matter what good some people believe they are doing, everything seems to come with a consequence, and the question is whether or not the good overpowers the bad. Many experts argue that Genetically Modified foods are actually beneficial to, not only people, but animals, plants, and the world overall. Some experts even state that, not only are they beneficial, but that they also protect the environment and aid food productivity. Most farmers actually recommend GMO’s because they are easier to grow, maintain, and tend to be more profitable; however, countless other experts have come to realize that GMO foods are untested, unsafe, and unhealthy. Studies indicate that these "acclaimed" GMO foods will not, feed the world, end hunger, increase the profit of farmers, or reduce the cost of farming. GMO’s even have long term effects that haven’t been adequately tested, and the effects could be catastrophic if they are not handled with caution.…
The controversial issue of genetically modified foods, commonly known as GM’s, has only gained the attention of millions, since it became a prominent and highly debated global issue. Genetically modified foods are created when the genes of an organism are engineered and modified to create a new or enhanced version of that organism. The process of using different genes from different sources to genetically modify foods led to public outcry and sometimes, praise. People in support of genetically modified foods claims it will enhance the quality of the food, improve the food’s resistance to pests and other harmful elements, lower food costs, and also increase food security for the future. However, those opposed to genetically modified foods claim…
I truly enjoyed reading your primary task posting regarding the pros and cons of mandatory GMO labeling this week. Furthermore, similar to you, I thought it was highly important to provide a clear definition of a GM or GMO product at the beginning of my primary task. In addition, you cited an exceedingly interesting fact, one I had not found during my research, that in almost all study cases the GM crops produced 6 to 11 percent less yields for studied soybean crops (Exposed: the great GM crops myth, 2008). The fact was so compelling, I must admit, I followed your referenced link and read the entire article titled “Exposed: the great GM crops myth”. Indeed, in my opinion, it was a particularly informative source.…
Crops can produce higher yields on smaller plots of land. Also GM crops can be grown in areas where the land is not normally suitable for growing crops. While well fed politicians, activists, scientists, and others are fighting over whether GMO should be used, thousands are dying daily in areas of Africa. Feeding starving people is more important than unproven safety concerns regarding GMO…
The author, Magana-Gomez, critically analyzed the risk assessment methods of transgenic food for human nutrition and health in the paper, “Risk assessment of genetically modified crops for nutrition and health”. Magana reviewed various modes including different feeding period, animal modes and parameters in the paper published in 2011 by Nutrition Reviews (Magana G, 2009). In consistent with his studies, negative effects of GM food were identified “at molecular and microscopic levels”. However, with our entry into the 21st century, genetically modified foods have undergone even faster development. However, there are also many doubts about the safety of genetically modified foods. Therefore, genetically modified foods have become a hot topic issue. Personally, although there are many controversies about GM food, I still insist on the research and promotion of…
We eat fruits and vegetables every single day. But what do we really know about them? Tomatoes as big as a bicycle, wheat resisting insects and strawberry withstanding freezing temperatures. Did you know that many companies around the world start altering food in order for it to taste better, increase nutrients and last longer? We are manipulating DNA 's of animals and plants together to form unnatural living forms. This makes new, unpredictable health and environmental risks. Once a crop is genetically altered, this might have an effect on the next generation.…