Genetic Modified food causes health Issues
Introduction
Society and culture determines the dietary choices of individuals since people grow up eating food that is found in their culture, and becomes part of them. The support for human society comes from its ability to produce enough food to cater for the entire population but at the same time, avoid exhausting or even destroying the future capacity for production of such quantities of food. This may need a sustainable intensification of methods that can improve the yields on the society’s farming land while preserving important forest covers and lands. Genetic engineering can lead to achievement of these goals as has been indicated by various studies on development of crops that are highly nutritious, greatly resistant to draught and floods and various diseases that hinder the required yields. GMO has been hailed as technique that can ensure that the society does not lack food for all its population even when producing such quantities is not possible due to emerging diseases and continuously changing global climate. A problem arises when the food consumed by the society causes health issues rather than providing the nutritious benefits to the members. In this sense, introduction of GMO food has brought about a debate on its effects on human health when it becomes part of culture. This issue is important given that production of sufficient is a major goal that the society aims at achieving. However, the possibility of negative health issues that may arise due to the use of genetic engineering places big questions on the suitability of this method in growing crop. The public health issue in the society is as much important as food security.
This paper aims at exploring the impact of Genetically Modified Food on human health and any complications arising from these foods. Are GMO foods safe for human consumption?
Background
The issue of GMO foods has been a contentious one since the invention of this technology and too long periods for these foods to regarded as safe. Over two decades have passed by since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) termed GMOs as generally safe which meant that the industry was not obliged to carry out safety studies over the long-term. This lead to the issuance of license to organizations to produces food products such as Bt Corn which has grown to about35 percent of all corn farming in United States (Smith, 1). In fact, its use has been increasing with time. The agency was responsible for carrying out tests so as to identify the potential impacts of planning the Bt corn to the environment. Other countries such as the British government and the European Union have embarked on directing the development of the appropriate protocol for testing the safety of these food products. Various scientific studies have been performed with an aim of testing the safety of GMO foods and use the evidence to conclusively place the products in the right category in terms of health impacts.
Methods and procedures
The research will focus on various studies that have been done with an aim of exploring the safety of genetically modified foods and a specific reference to scientific based evidence. The aim is to have an understanding on the extent to which these foods deviate from the initial aim of using genetic engineering to have enough food for the population in the society. The deviation in this case is in terms of negative impacts of consuming these foods. An exploration of expert opinions based on the research will provide an insight of the safety of these foods.
This paper uses different sources that involve scientific research done on the effect of genetically modified food on human health and experts’ opinion on such impacts. The first sources is an article detail a long-running study on GMO where researchers finds traces of tumors on rats that have been fed on low doses of the corns . The French research highlights the chronic effects that cannot be related to a single effect. The results of the study indicate a serious negative health effects on rats such as kidney, liver and mammary tumors that leads to premature death (Philpot, 13). This source is important in the research because it is comprehensive .The other article highlights the ecological effects of corn that has been genetically engineered. The Bt corn may destroy ecology of streams whose water is draining in fields where the crop is grown (Royer, 1). The other source is an interview with an expert in GMOs who highlights the problem of consuming of crops –soy – with GMO traces and the existing evidence that shows such foods as inherently unsafe (Smith, 1). The other source involves a ban of GM foods in School Menus in Taiwan due to perceived health effects. The last source touches on ethical issues related to use of GM products especially due to their unknown impact on the environment. Analysis of these articles will give real picture of the problems of related to the GMO products.
Conclusion
Given the issues related to the consumption of genetically modified products, it is important to explore how they affect the human health in the society. This research aims at exploring how the impact of genetically modified foods on human health.
Works cited
Philpot, Tom. "Longest-Running GMO Study Finds Tumors in Rats." Mother Earth News, 2013, pp. p. 13. SIRS Issues Researcher
Royer, Todd V. , Tank , Jennifer, Whiles , Matt, Rosi-Marshall Emma J..Genetically Engineered Corn may Harm Stream Ecosystems." NSF News, 09 Oct, 2007. SIRS
Smith, Michael. “Genetic Modification "Inherently Unsafe"” An interview with Jeffrey Smith
"GM Foods Banned from School Menus." China Post, 15 Dec, 2015, pp. n/a. SIRS Issues Researcher
"Genetically Modified Food." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/PC3010999249/OVIC?u=txshracd2512&sid=OVIC&xid=a49973f9. Accessed 7 June 2018.
