One of the most hotly debated topics today is the affect (if any) that genetically modified organisms have on our population. This post will explain some of the controversies surrounding the subject, as many become fed up with the contradictive studies and continue to blunder through the grocery store, clueless as to whether or not the apple they picked up for their daughter’s lunch will have an effect on her 10 years down the road.
What is a GMO?
A genetically modified organism, or GMO, is a living thing that has been genetically engineered in a lab in order to improve or alter some gene(s). This is frequently done in foods today in order to improve quality, size, color, taste, or another quality. Genetic engineering is different from selective breeding however, because instead of choosing qualities already present in the organism and bringing these qualities out through breeding, genetic engineering also inserts genes from other animals or plants in order to add qualities that would never be present naturally.
What are some of the myths and facts surrounding GMOs?
In our country, foods and drugs that are sold en masse must pass copious amounts of tests regulated by the FDA. GMOs (so far) have passed all these tests, but keep in mind that they have only been around for a little bit more then 10 years, so any long term effects on humans could possibly present themselves in the coming years or even generations if the change is gradual enough. However, European nations strongly protest the growth and strictly regulate the use of them, and the few they do allow must be CLEARLY labeled. In the US, only some states require GMO products to be labeled. Some people believe that consuming these products can make you more susceptible to allergies or certain diseases. The truth is, GMOs haven’t been around long enough for us to know the long-term consequences if there actually are any, and the studies remain inconclusive as the results remain inconsistent or nonexistant. Another major concern is that the industry in the US might not be researching the possible consequences thoroughly enough. Due to the amount of money they make, companies might not want to provide evidence that the cheap GMO product they are using could be harmful because the expenses they would have to pay for a non-GMO product would be so much higher. Again, most of this is just speculation, but these are possible theories about the pros and cons of GMO usage.
Why do we produce GMO foods/products?
The creation of genetically modified food will almost always benefit the grower because the alterations to the genes make the plants able to withstand more environmental challenges and therefore produce more crops and more money. By making more products available, the price is driven down, causing them to be more affordable in grocery stores. In addition to the larger profit, the plants will be more resistant to disease, drought and extreme temperatures. Because the plants can be grown in excess and in more extreme conditions then ever before, countries that have a difficult time growing crops could possibly grow these with less water and efforts to protect them from their own environment.
What are some examples of GMOs that we see everyday?
Some GMO strawberries and tomatoes have a gene from a salmon that helps the fish withstand freezing cold temperatures. Engineered into strawberries and tomatoes, this helps the plants to become more resistant to lower temperatures and maybe survive a frost the farmer doesn’t see coming so that the crop can be salvaged. Along with these two plants, goats can be engineered so that the proteins in their milk become extremely strong because their genes cause them to produce the same proteins spiders produce for building webs instead of the ones naturally present in unmodified goat milk. This protein is stronger then Kevlar, and can be applied to a wide range of products.
Check Out this Video by Jimmy Kimmel!!!
We don’t know the consequences of genetically engineering organisms, or if there even are any. For now, all we can do is wait it out, eat that rather-larger-then-life apple, and see what happens.
Check out this video by Jimmy Kimmel! He Asks Anti-GMO people at a farmers market to explain what a GMO actually is, and the results are hilarious…
Visser, Nick. “GMO Foods: Key Points In The Genetically Modified Debate.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 02 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
Alford, Justine. “Myths And Controversies Of GMOs.” IFLScience. N.p., 26 Aug. 2014. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.
“Campagne France Nature Environnement: Une Plainte Déposée Auprès Du Jury De Déontologie Publicitaire.” Le Point.fr. Lepoint.fr, 22 Feb. 2011. Web. 27 Aug. 2014.
Landsman, Jonathan. “Sound the Alarm about Genetically Modified Foods.”Natural Health 365. N.p., 28 May 2012. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
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