Genetcially modified foods (GMF) surround our daily lives. The vegetables and fruits at grocery stores, and the meat that can be bought at a deli are all, at some point, attributed to the enhancement of genetics. What does it mean to be genetically modified? At a molecular level, the genetic make-up of an organism is either altered by insertion or deletion of specific segments of a gene, which results in different phenotypic traits. These traits exhibit better resistance to harsh weather conditions, resilience to insect infestations, and they are easier to grow across all conditions.
(Explains how genetically modified foods plays a role in society and introduces Monsanto, the biggest biotechnology company in the world.)
So what are some advantages to GMF? The biggest advantages are production cost and efficiency. GMF is cheap to produce and easy to grow. An example of this is corn. Thousands of tons of corn are produced each year, and about 82% of the corn on the market are genetically modified. Other advantages include pest resistance, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and salinity tolerance.
Fig.1 This is an example of what a genetically modified corn can look like. There are different colors located on different beads of corn.
As for disadvantages, there really hasn’t been any real implications or diseases associated with GMF in humans. In Canada, GMF are treated like any other food, and there are no specific laws that push for companies to label their products as genetically-modified. Though there hasn’t been human related health hazard cases, a study done in France on rats showed rats that were fed genetically-modified corn died prematurely, and tumors developed in the liver, kidney, and skin.
Fig.2 Rats that ate genetically-modified corn from Monsanto exhibited tumor growths around the body. These growths eventually lead to the death of the subjects prematurely.
So should consumers like ourselves trust the ongoing development of GMF? As of yet, there hasn’t been any concrete evidence to support that GMF can cause tumor growths, cancer, or any serious health issues in humans; however, there is a correlation between them. Presently, I think it is safe to consume GMF, but with a regulated diet including organic foods. In addition, I believe that governments should push for stronger regulations and tighter laws that govern the production and distribution of GMF.
-Daniel Liao
Sources:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/gm-tg-eng.php
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
http://www.globalresearch.ca/potential-health-hazards-of-genetically-engineered-foods/8148
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/20/us-gmcrops-safety-idUSBRE88J0MS20120920
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/mutationsanddisorders/possiblemutations
Pictures and Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAP6ZtfP9ZQ
http://docakilah.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/doctors-warn-avoid-genetically-modified-food/
