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| Sara Aljeid Saudi Arabia |
In the United States, industry claims that genetically modified food (GMO) is perfectly safe, but it is not true. Genetically modified foods, which is according to Hartl (2011), genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are genetically engineered plants or animals. This process mixes together different DNAs with different organisms and creates a new product. Genetically modified food has been banned in some countries such as Italy and Brazil because it has negative effects on human health and environment. In the past, people were strong and healthy although they had no cure and medicine.
They ate food from natural sources without additional chemical materials, and ate organic food that protect their body from many diseases such as diabetes and cancer. GMO are a new type of science that may solve many world problems such as global hunger. The causes of increasing GMO are shortage of food in the world, economical issues, and invention of new crops; however, these changes in our food production can also have some negative impacts in many aspects in our lives.
One of the reasons for using genetically modified food is to overcome the problem of food shortage. It is vital to note that traders and farmers will experience improved yields from their crops and plants. Due to overpopulation, developing countries cannot provide enough food for their people, so researchers have tried to solve this issue. Instead of relying on animals to reproduce or growing edible crops, scientists can transfer genes directly into plants or organisms to change their genetic characteristic. Additionally, changing genetic characteristic through mating is still confined in the same class of plants or animals, but we can transfer genes from plants to animals or reverse by genetic engineering. Experts show that “the only way to boost agricultural production, which will help in fighting global hunger, is through genetically modified organisms” (Tao & Shudong, 2007). Organic food will not be sufficient to feed all of people, so genetically modified organisms must be utilized to avoid this issue in the future. People should not worry about getting food with GMO because they can eat which they want in anytime and anywhere.
The other cause of using genetically modified food is for economic reasons. People do not pay attention to sources of food. These people just follow what is appropriate for their income. Seed producers will experience increased sales because people believe that what is the cheaper food. This will lead to an increased demand for their seeds. Kym Anderson, Chantal Pohl Nielsen, Sherman Robinson, Sherman Robinson illustrated that “World market prices for GM products will have a tendency to decline and thus benefit net importers to the extent that they are indifferent between GM and non-GM products.” This information illustrated that there are no different between GM food and organic food in terms of prices. People have bought genetically modified food because of that it is lower prices.
An important reason for using GMO’s is to produce and develop new crops. GMO can produce crops resistant to drought, salinity or crops use nitrogen and other nutrients in the environment effectively, and thus this type of plant will breed with good efficiency. These plants are usually modified to resist pests, herbicides and diseases.
Pest infections lead to crop losses, which cause financial and food losses to a country. The altered crop is given a gene that “confers special characteristics such as resistance to bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which are disease causing agents” (Hartl, 2011). For instance, genetically modified corn undergoes changes that enable them to withstand pests such as the corn borer. Additionally, genetically modified papaya can withstand viral disease such as the ring spot virus. This disease can eliminate an entire plantation of papaya. This information proves that genetically modified organisms contribute to the development of new plants that are resistant to disease and pests.
On the other hand, GMO have negative effects which leads to cancer. This disease is fatal because there is no medicine for it and it leads to die. In France, studies were conducted about deathly cancer and showed that it comes from genetically modified food because researchers change the genetic characteristic of food. According to Dr. Mae-Wan Ho (2013), “GM DNA jumping into genomes cause ‘insertion mutagenesis’ that can lead to cancer, or activate dormant viruses that cause diseases.”
Researchers have found that when rats eat GMO, they will get cancer. The author mentioned that “GM study slammed a study claiming that rats fed Monsanto's genetically modified NK603 maize (corn) or its companion glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup, showed increased incidences of cancer” ( Nature ). Rat’s biological and behavioral characteristic are similar to those found in human, and a lot of human behavior can be observed in rats. This information state using genetically modified food lead us to a deterioration life.
GMO’s also harmfully influence the environment. Plants and crops/animals consumption are the Victims of using GMO’s products. According to Union of Concerned Scientists: At least one major environmental impact of Genetic Engineering [GM] has already reached critical proportions: overuse of herbicide-tolerant GE crops has spurred an increase in herbicide use and an epidemic of herbicide-resistant ‘super weeds’, which will lead to even more herbicide use. (2012). As a result, Farmers are going to use more weed with seeds; moreover, soil will have negative effects. Increasing of weeds could lead to decrease the nutritional value of the harvest. Animals, which eat this, will have a critical effect in their life cycle.
I believe that people have many diseases because their food which is not healthy and organic. Genetically modified foods have become more popular in most countries because people do not know what the negative impact is for them. Researchers have tried to give the solution to food shortage, but they have not focused on human health. Further, GMO also have disadvantage for environment because farmers have used over herbicide to increase crops. This leads them to use more herbicide which lead to damages the soil.
In conclusion, GMO’s have different advantages and disadvantages that affect our lives. It gives the consumer solutions for the food lack in the world, finding cheaper products and creates and promotes new picks. On the other hand, it has serious effect on organisms’ health, environment and critical effect in rising the wages. In my opinion, having GMO products leads to the solution of many problems, but the recipients must be aware of the side effects that could be epitomized from using it in our lives.
References
1) Anderson,K., Nielsen,C., Robinson,S., Thierfelder,K., (2001), Estimating the Global Economic Effects of GMOs. Agricultural Biotechnology: Markets and Policies in an International Setting,.1-21.
2) Hartl, J. (2011). Genetically modified food to fight hunger? deutsche welle Retrieved From: http://www.dw.de/genetically-modified-food-to-fight-hunger/a-15525069
Ho, M. W. Why GMOs can never be safe. Science in Society, 59. Retrieved From
3) Seven days: 5-11 October 2012. (2012). Nature, 490(7419), 148-149. doi:10.1038/490148a
4) Tao,Z., Shudong,Z., (2007). The Economic and Social Impact of GMOs in China. Retrieved from http://chinaperspectives.revues.org/359
5) Union of Concerned Scientists (2012), Genetic Engineering in Agriculture, Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genetic-engineering/
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