Genetically Food Essay

An arguable statement about genetically engineered food being the means to end hunger around the world is gaining momentum as the population continues to increase and people continue to die of starvation. In the biotech world, what is known as agricultural biotechnology, supporters believe that this could guarantee and maintain food security for the hungry. On the other hand many people have concerns over consuming genetically engineered food. Many foods on the market today contain some part of GM (genetically modified) food. Approximately 85% of corn, 91% of soybeans, and 88% of cottonseed are genetically engineered which are used on food for human consumption. (http://truefoodnow. org/campaigns/genetically-engineered-foods/) The question remains on whether genetically engineered food safe? Various groups do not deem biotechnology as the answer to ending world hunger but they consider poverty to be the reason for the shortage of food worldwide. In order to discuss the possible advantages or disadvantages of genetically engineered food, it must be defined. Genetic Engineering as defined by Merriam-Webster is a group of applied techniques of genetics and biotechnology used to cut up and join together genetic material and especially DNA from one or more species of organism and to introduce the result into an organism in order to change one or more of its characteristics. The term Genetically Modified is commonly used term to describe food that has been modified in a laboratory to produce preferred traits such as resistance to pest and diseases, increased nutritional value, and much more. Farmers have been crossbreeding animals and plants for years to produce desired traits but this traditional form can be a lengthy process and not very accurate at times. Using a laboratory for genetic engineering not only can they yield the traits being sought after but can do it in a much faster rate and with more accuracy. In 2008, GM crops were planted on an estimated 308. 8 million acres worldwide, a year-over-year increase of 26. 4 million acres. (Turk & Bensel, 2011) There are currently 25 countries growing genetically engineered crops. (Turk & Bensel, 2011) In 1994 the first genetically engineered whole product, a tomato, went on the market. (Whitman) This not a new technology but people are becoming more aware of what they are in taking with their food. Supporters of GM food say that these foods pose no risk and are not different from conventional foods. As Tietel and Wilson stated in their book, Genetically Engineered Foods: Changing the Nature of Nature: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Planet, would you want to be on a jetliner and open your morning paper as the plane is taking off see that they are just now doing test to determine whether or not the new model plane you are in is safe? Of course not, one would hope that all testing has been done prior to the plane being put into use. Our government, scientists, and researchers who support the concept are willing to allow genetically engineered food into our diets without sufficient testing being done to understand any long term effects. Numerous environmental groups feel that genetic engineering must be discarded due to the unknown effects they may have on humans. Some of the main arguments against GM foods are what environment hazards they may cause, the health risk to humans, and economic concerns. Genetically modified food is already present in some many food sources that we ingest; one would have to ask if there disadvantages to producing and utilizing genetically engineered food? Like anything else that is done there are hazards associated with the process and they must be addressed. The FDA set forth guidelines for testing to ensure the safety of bioengineered food. In 1994 they also established a consultation process to assist developers in meeting the safety standards set forth in their guidelines. (Bren, 2003) The problem many protestors of GM food see is that the consultation is not mandatory and is only on a volunteer basis. Nothing guarantees that all companies are using the volunteer process although the FDA believes they all are. A main safety concern involving genetically modified crops is the danger of introducing allergens and toxins into these foods. The news will report on huge jumps in childhood food allergies, but the reports fail to consider the link between the changes in America’s diet. (Smith, 2007) In the 1990s a study was done showing that people who were allergic to nuts had an allergic reaction to soybeans that had been altered using a protein found in Brazil Nuts. Some people have severe food allergies to nuts and reactions can be life threatening. The only way to conclusively test for allergies is by human consumption. Opponents of GM food state the people are being used as guinea pigs. (Smith, 2007) Incidents such as the allergic reactions to GM soybeans shows how vitally important it is to label products that have been engineered. Governments and factions that back genetically engineered foods don’t feel labeling are necessary because they say there is no significant difference between GM food and unmodified food. â€Å"If genetically modified food is going to be a success, we have to market it, not hide it,† said Elbert van Donkersgoed, executive director of the Christian Farmers’ Federation of Ontario. (Strathdee, 1999) Consumers have the right to be informed. Organic foods are labeled; beef that has been grass fed only and contains no hormones are labeled, as well as eggs that were produced by cage free chickens. Everything has a label saying what it is made of except when it comes to GM food. By not labeling GM products it makes it seem as if there is something to hide about them. Fears over what genetically modified crops may do to the environment have activist condemning corporations for putting profit over possible hazards. Herbicide-tolerant crops are designed to tolerate herbicides that are used to kill unwanted plants such as weeds but can also kill the crop. These types of are commonly known as Roundup ready because they are designed to resist Monsanto’s glyphosate herbicide, known as Roundup. (Turk & Bensel, 2011) The worries is that weeds will cross-breed with the Roundup ready crops and create a super weed that will be hard to kill. Now the weeds that died when treated with Roundup are now resistant just like the crops. Having super weeds would force companies to come up with different chemical compounds to combat the issue possibly causing new toxins to be released into the environment. Roundup ready seeds become useless and now farmers lose money because they can’t keep the weeds out of their crops. Not only do you worry about cross-breeding the possibility of cross-pollination can happen from one farmer’s field of GM crops to another farmer’s field of non GM crops. Farmers have been sued because companies feel slighted saying that GM seeds were used and they received no money from it. Moral questions are raised whether it is truly about the money are helping to produce better food sources? Along with herbicide-tolerant crops, you also have insect-resistant crops that have pesticides inserted to help with pest control. Just like with herbicide-tolerant crops, you run the risk of insects mutating and no longer being affected by the pesticide. DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) which was developed in the 1940s was used to fight insect-borne diseases such as malaria, typhus, and others that effected crops and animals as well. For awhile it was affective on mosquitoes but some species became immune to and rendering it ineffective. It was eventually banned due to be harmful to humans and the environment in the United States. Using crops that have pesticides in them we run the risk of pesticides becoming useless. Besides the health and environmental hazards, there are also economic concerns as well. Making genetically modified food is costly and lengthy process and agricultural companies are looking to make a profit. They patent their products and technologies so that no one can violate their rights and use them. Consumers worry about prices been driven up by the patents and farmers and poorer countries not being able to pay for them. With all these negative aspects that I have mentioned it no wonder that so many are against the use and genetically modified crops. Consumer advocates see that most companies seem to be in it for the financial gain and not to end world hunger. Not every aspect involving genetically modified crops is bad. They contain some very good attributes that may be able fix the supply and demand for food for the world’s growing population. Food would no longer be a scarce commodity and the supply could be increased to meet the demands of a growing population. The main advantages of bioengineered crops are the ability to incorporate pesticides and herbicides into the seed, being able to increase the nutritional value to better meets the needs of the impoverished, pharmaceutical purposes, cold and drought tolerance, and phytoremediation. Crop losses for farmers from insects can ravage them financially cause famine for third world countries. Due to the threat of insects farmers use a lot of chemicals to protect their crops. Chemicals have proven to be harmful to the environment, animals, and humans. Agricultural waste has polluted water ways and damaged some ecosystems beyond repair. Genetically modified crops with pesticides added into them reduces the need to spray large amounts of chemicals that pollute the air and water. Similar to crops altered with pesticides, herbicide-tolerant plants reduce the amount of herbicides used keep crops from being killed by them lessens the destructive outcome on the environment. Spraying herbicides is very time consuming and often will take multiple sprayings to be affective. Expenses associated with treating crops are reduced and agricultural waste is nearly eliminated. This transforms to savings for consumers and makes food more affordable for those living in poverty. Certain areas of the world are prone to drought while others may have unexpected frost. Scientist and developers have created an anti-freeze gene that will keep crops from dying off in during a cold snap. With climate change and weather becoming unpredictable this technology will benefit so many. In countries like Africa that dessert conditions farmers will be able to grow crops that are able to survive long periods without rain. States that receive snow and freezing temperatures as earlier as October will be able to yield crops after the first frost. Everyone has seen the commercials on of the starving children asking to you to give just thirty cents a day to help feed them. Children featured are malnourished and living off nothing more than rice and water. Where poverty is so far spread in underdeveloped countries and people’s diet only consist of a few items, they still lack the necessary nutrients that are needed for survival. Consequences of not getting a balanced diet full of vitamins and minerals will cause many to die or suffer other ailments that are preventable with vitamins and minerals such as blindness. What if the rice may possibly be altered to add in the vital missing vitamins and minerals? The nutritional value of the food could be enhanced to include beta-carotene which is vitamin A, that would fix the deficiency and keep people from going blind due to the lack there of this vitamin. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of â€Å"golden† rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene. (Whitman, 2000) There millions of people around the world in undeveloped countries and are impoverished and unable to afford life saving vaccines and medicines. Vaccines and medicine are costly to produce and sometimes require certain storage conditions which a lot of countries don’t have where the poor live. Scientists are growing plants that will produce anti-bodies to fight heart disease, cancer, and tooth decay. (Bren, 2003) Not only that, they are also experimenting with fruits and vegetables that contain vaccines. This would make them so much easier to ship, store, and administer compared to traditional ways. Countless lives may possibly be saved. Survival of the human race and the ending of pointless suffering is great advantage to biotechnology. Humans have caused so much pollution to the planet. Numerous ecosystems have been destroyed and thousands of species are now extinct. Phytoremediation is the altering of plants such as trees to help clean up heavy metal contamination from the soil. The roots would soak up contaminates and clean the soil so that it becomes viable once again. Pollution plagues society in almost everything we do. Biotechnology is the wave of the future. Advocates of GM food truly feel that the technological advances ought to be seen as beneficial and way to end global hunger and help the environment. Famine and malnourishment could be things of the past. Picture a world where everyone has enough food to eat, afforded medicines, and vaccines, and the environment is cleaner due to less chemicals being used. Scientist and researchers are always looking for ways to better the planet for the survival of mankind for generations to come. The issue arises is that there are still so many unknowns with genetically modified food. Further test need to be conducted to fully conclude that no long term effects exist and that is safe for humans and animals. The answer to world hunger is staring us in the face and through proper education we should not be afraid to use it. References http://www. epa. gov/pesticides http://www. merriam-webster. com http://truefoodnow. org/campaigns/genetically-engineered-foods/ Bren, L.(2003). Genetic Engineering: the Future of Foods? FDA Consumer; Nov/Dec 2003; 37, 6; Research Library Core pg. 28 Marshall, M. (2012). GM food: The Case For The defense. New Scientist, 216(2886), 8-9. Smith, J. (2007). Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies—Genetically Engineered Soybeans Retrieved from http://www. responsibletechnology. org/gmo-dangers/health-risks Strathdee, M. (1999). Group demands mandatory labeling of genetically altered food. Canadian Press News Wire. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/359528626? accountid=32521 Thomas, L. Of, T. P. (2002). Genetically altered food creates labeling dilemma for the industry. St. Louis Post – Dispatch. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/402087128? accountid=32521 Teitel, M. , & Wilson, K. (1999). Genetically Engineered Foods : Changing the Nature of Nature: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Planet. Park Street Press. Turk, J. , & Bensel, T. (2011). Contemporary environmental issues. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc Whitman, D. (2000). Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? 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