1stly, what are Genetically Modified (GM) foods?
Although "biotechnology" and "genetic modification" commonly are used interchangeably, GM is a special set of technologies that alter the genetic makeup of such living organisms as animals, plants, or bacteria. Biotechnology, a more general term, refers to using living organisms or their components, such as enzymes, to make products that include wine, cheese, beer, and yogurt.
Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant DNA technology, and the resulting organism is said to be "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic." GM products (current or in the pipeline) include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds, and fibers.
as technology generally improves, it also brings about many kinds of causes & effects, the same applies with GM foods, it brings about many benefits & controversies..
benefits includes those of crops, animals, environment & society..
Crops
- Enhanced taste and quality
- Reduced maturation time
- Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance
- Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides
- New products and growing techniques
Animals
- Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency
- Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk
- Improved animal health and diagnostic methods
Environment
- "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides
- Conservation of soil, water, and energy
- Bioprocessing for forestry products
- Better natural waste management
- More efficient processing
Society
- Increased food security for growing populations
on the contrary, controversies of GM foods brings about safety issues, access & intellectual property, ethics, labeling & society problems..
Safety
- Potential human health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers, unknown effects Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity.
Access and Intellectual Property
- Domination of world food production by a few companies
- Increasing dependence on Industralized nations by developing countries
- Biopiracy—foreign exploitation of natural resources
Ethics
- Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values
- Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species
- Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa
- Stress for animal
Labeling
- Not mandatory in some countries (e.g., United States)
- Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts
Society
- New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries
What are GMOs?
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are life forms that have been genetically engineered. Genetic engineering (GE) is the process of taking genes from one strain of a plant, animal, or virus and inserting them into another, with the goal of reproducing characteristics of the original species in the receiving species.
GMOs could cause quite a number of unintended health impacts on humans, these includes:
Allergens.
Because the addition of new genetic material changes protein sequences, the GMO could produce known or unknown allergens—especially in children.
Nutritional deficiency.
Altered DNA could decrease levels of important nutrients in the GE crop.
Increased toxins.
Genetic engineering could inadvertently increase naturally occurring plant toxins—or introduce a new toxic strain created by the marriage of genes.
Antibiotic resistance.
An antibiotic resistant gene inserted into most GM crops may pose the most serious health hazard, since there is the possibility that these genes might transfer to pathogenic bacteria in our bodies and create new, antibiotic-resistant super-diseases.
advantages of using GM crops:
marked reduction of pesticides & insecticides usage
--> due to the plants have been genetically altered to be resistant/self-detrimental to pests such as root worms, beetles & invasive parasites, thus farmer only have to use little/no pesticides to rid the fields of the pests.
--> reduction of these weed killers/pests directly reduces runoff of these chemicals into groundwater & water supplies, also reduces soil pollution.
more control & precision over the characteristics of the crops/products bred, with more speed than natural processes
--> higher production rates than traditional crops
--> more produce in acre, with less waste
higher nutritional content in some varieties
--> reduce health problems caused by dietary deficiencies
salt resistant via the over-expression of a single gene
--> helps in alleviating food shortages in regions affected
reduces allergies problems worldwide
-->through genetic alterations, genes that produce allergy causing substances can be removed
common types of genetically modified foods:
* Corn
* Tomato
* Beets
* Potatoes
* Alfalfa Sprouts
* Soy Beans
* Dairy - rBGH is GE
* Oils, some
* Canola Oil
* Tomato Sauce
* Rice
* Wheat
* Baking Goods
* Chocolate
* Drinks
* Meat
* Poultry
* Eggs
* Farm Raised Fish - including Salmon
currently in the market now, there are 2 categories of genetically modified crops :
namely the "insect resistant" & "herbicide tolerant"
Herbicide Tolerant crops
(which include corn, cotton, soybeans, sugar beet and canola) are crops which are genetically engineered to withstand direct application of herbicides. These herbicides would kill natural crop plants, but farmers are now able to spray weed killers directly onto genetically engineered herbicide-tolerant varieties. This could mean more chemicals onto our food and in our environment. About 70% of genetically engineered crops growing in the United States today are herbicide-tolerant varieties.
Insect Resistant crops
(which include corn, cotton and potatoes) are also called 'plant pesticides', because the plant itself is a pesticide. As it grows, the plant produces an insecticide, killing insects when they feed on the crop. Industry claims that these genetically engineered crops will mean that fewer chemical insecticides are sprayed. But scientists have warned that insects will develop resistance in just a few years.
2 Comments:
I am sorry to burst your balloon but there are no commercially available genetically modified foods that have increased nutrition or flavour. Furthermore no GM crop is capable of producing more than an unadulterated crop. Commercially available crops contain either a gene which constantly produces a toxic pesticide in every single cell or a herbicide resistant gene. Some crops contain both these genes. Neither increases productivity, flavour or nutrional value.
See "Monsanto tells a pack of lies" on www.flag-sa.org/blog/rallyround.html
By
rallyround, at July 24, 2007 at 9:50 PM
Rallyround's comment is an arrogant one. He or is it she should tell us why 59% of Americans are growing genetically modified crops. You can visit http://www.gmoafrica.org/ to learn more about benefits of genetically modified crops.
By
Jimmy, at July 25, 2007 at 7:16 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home