The Public Should Be Cautious About Gm Foods Essay

The Public Should Be Cautious About GM Foods According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), up to 92% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered, as are 94% of soybeans and 94% of cotton, and approximate 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain genetically engineered ingredients. Obviously, genetically modified (GM) foods have already become a considerable part of our life. Nevertheless, due to human health risks, environmental threats as well as economic concerns, consumers and scientists believe the public should be more cautious of GM foods, which has not been adequately regulated and tested. Genes are blueprints for an organism and genetic engineering is the process of modifying these blueprints artificially (Baboo 2). Genetically modified foods or genetically engineered foods, also known as biotech, are foods whose genetic makeup has been altered in order to give them desirable traits as well as greater control over those traits. As the author of â€Å"The Recent Advancements in Genetically Engineered Food† says, genetic engineering is a â€Å"very young, exciting, and controversial branch of the biological sciences† (Baboo 2). Since GM foods were first introduced in 1990s, the widespread debate about them has never stopped. Relatively, farmers and biotech firms are much more willing to accept GM foods, for genetic engineering can create plants that can be better resistant to weeds, pests as well as other diseases,Show MoreRelatedGenetically Modified Food in Canada Essay1511 Words   |  7 Pagesrevolution in food technology. The technology is genetic en gineering (GE), also known as biotechnology. Blue prints (DNA) of agricultural crops are altered and â€Å"spliced† with foreign genes to produce transgenic crops. Foods harvested from these agricultural plants are called, genetically modified (GM). Presently, Canada has no consumer notification; GM foods are being slipped to Canada’s foods without any labels or adequate risk assessments. This essay argues that GM foods should be rigorously andRead MoreThe Debate Over Gmo Foods1994 Words   |  8 PagesOn Tuesday, November 04, 2014, voters in Colorado and Oregon went to the polls to decide whether or not foods that contain GMOs should be labeled (Krimsky). The debate around GMO foods centers in part on the question of whether they pose risks to human health. Considerable research has shown that they do. Furthermore, it is clear that the impact of the production of GMO foods goes beyond direct medical consequences, but also includes financial and environmental wellb eing. Genetic engineers createRead MoreGmos : Genetically Modified Organisms Essay1588 Words   |  7 Pagesprocessed foods contain some sort of gmo. (Gmo project) They are important today because millions of people eat gmos everyday; however the long term effects on people are still unknown. Major restaurants such as Chipotle have already stopped using genetically modified ingredients in their food. They stopped using gmos because they believe their customers should have a restaurant where they can eat fresh, natural food, and should not have to take a health risk to eat their favorite foods(Chipotle)Read MoreEssay on Effects of Genetically Modified Foods1452 Words   |  6 PagesGenetically Modified Foods have quietly become second nature to the U.S, it may surprise you just how many foods you are eating that have genetically modified ingredient. Experts say 60% to 70% of processed foods on U.S grocery shelves have modified ingredient. 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With that said, readers might infer that there is no reason for Genetic Modification, but readers might want to read the labels more often toRead MoreCurrent Status and Applications of Biotechnology in the Malaysian Food Industry.1517 Words   |  7 PagesCURRENT STATUS AND APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE MALAYSIAN FOOD INDUSTRY. The term â€Å"biotechnology† refers to the use of living organisms or their products to modify human health and the human environment. ‘Food biotechnology’ is a process scientists use to enhance the production, nutritional value, safety, and taste of foods. It can also benefit the environment by improving crops so that they need fewer pesticides. Modern food biotechnology is a refined version of this same process. Today,Read MoreGenetically Modified Organisms : Aid Or Adversary1652 Words   |  7 Pagesargue genetically modified organisms should be kept legal in the United States while others state they should be made illegal. First, genetically modified organisms should stay legal because they offer beneficial health effects. Guangwen Tang, an associate professor and senior researcher at Tufts Human Nutrition Research Center for 25 years, published a study discussing vitamin A in golden rice, commonly referred to as GR, compared to genetically modified foods asserting that ÃŽ ²-carotene in GR isRead MoreWhat Are Genetically Modified Organism ( Gmos )?3734 Words   |  15 Pagesgenetic material, such as DNA, and inserting it into another organism. It is part of an ever growing field of science called genetic engineering. Most of the time that you hear about genetic engineering is in reference to the crops and vegetables that we find in our supermarkets. We hear a lot of conflicting sides about if we should eat GMOs and if they are healthy. Before we look at if GMOs are or are not healthy, it is important to understand what genetic engineering is, and a general understanding ofRead MoreGenetically Modified Food - Pros Cons2979 Words   |  12 PagesApril 2012 Genetically Modified Food: World Wide Panacea or â€Å"Frankenfood† to Fear? Never before in history has mankind so masterfully commanded its food chain. Thousands of years ago, much of our species made the leap from a hunter-gatherer level of subsistence to an agricultural society. With agriculture, slowly but surely many modifications were made to plants and animals used and domesticated by us for the purpose of feeding ourselves. New specialized varieties with specific desirable traitsRead MoreEthics, Public Health, And Environmental Safety3018 Words   |  13 Pagesengineering and the adoption of transgenic crops, a new set of questions regarding ethics, public health, and environmental safety has grown from a theoretical concern to one that must be considered as genetic engineering plays an increasingly large role in our everyday lives. As genetically modified (GM) food has entered the marketplace, these ethical questions have fallen not just to scientists but to the public at large, and the issue has grown into a massive, polarized debate with no signs of resolution