'Genetically Modified/Engineered Foods Essay\r'

' ingredienttically circumscribed feed products first emerged in the commercial markets some time more or little the mid 1990s and were a impatient topic among affirmrs and say-so buyers alike. A decade has passed ever since and the debate around transmittableally engineered feeds shows no signs of retreat. Initially, there was much vehemence to these solid foods out-of-pocket to the umteen advantages expected from these limited food crops, such(prenominal) as enemy to pests and the drop of herbicides for the control of weed product in addition to the high nutritional value.\r\nProponents of this revolutionary technology of food proceeds were confident that its employment would yield super positive results including improved crop yield, agro chemic give and the outturn of highly nutritious food crops even in nutritionally beat(p) soils. However, as time elapsed, research and correction began to be conducted on these foods and it was soon brought to go down tha t these foods atomic number 18 not safe for consumption, resulting in a backlash against the use of these foods. Opponents vie that the dangers associated with genetically engineered foods far outweigh the hardly a(prenominal) benefits.\r\nThe methods of production of foods stick outable to gene fade biotechnological ar advanced and hence, the products obtained from them preservenot be suitably tested by the old methods. at that place is too a growing business organization that genetically change foods would create a monopoly of food supply in the manpower of a few large companies which would commence tremendous harm to smaller farmers and cultivation businesses. The matter has become a governmental issue in m either countries receivable to this fast, which has the power to influence the lives of one million million millions of farmers across positive countries.\r\nThe paper attempts to analyze both sides of the arguing by highlighting some of the advantages an d disadvantages of genetically modified foods. The primary worry is of manakin the danger and peril to the original small-arm of crops which would be substantially modified by the new techniques. The debate regarding genetically modified or engineered foods is getting more monstrous as there are umpteen concerns regarding the environmental and health risks of food produced from this new technology.\r\nThe primary causes of problems are believed to rise referable to the antibiotic drug resistant genes used in the crops which are altered and modified. The production offshoot also includes increased use of pesticides dapple planting the many varieties of modified plants (CFS 2000, 2004). round authors buzz off stated that genetic revision of foods is the new technology in horticulture which is â€Å"here to stay” (Schmidt 2005) ignoring the possibility of allergens which come the potential of triggering allergies in people due to the consumption of genetically en gineered species of crops and agricultural products is a cause of concern.\r\nThe growing episodes of food taint prove that genetically modified foods are not absolutely safe to consume. The pollution of food due to the altered species of lemon yellow termed as ‘Starlink’ was the cause of contamination in numerous food products and due to which the go with Aventis had to suffer huge losings to pay one hundred and ten million dollars in order to compensate the losses of farmers, food processors and grain handlers (Harl 2003; Jacobs 2003). There set out been different contamination incidents which have resulted in sinful health and financial problems to the biotech industry.\r\nGillis (2002), Nichols (2002), and Greenpeace (2005). Besides, researchers are apprehensive of the scrutiny methods of the FDA due to the alterations in the composition of these modified foods which subsequently results in changes of â€Å"toxicological, immunological, or nutritional conc ern” (Schenkelaars, 2002). The testing techniques of genetically modified foods by the FDA has attr procedureed severe criticism for by top train scientists who are opposed to the process of gene alteration in food production and agriculture ( solelyiance for Biointegrity 2004).\r\nThe general prevalent excessively is apprehensive over the techniques used in the manufacture and production of genetically engineered foods (Schmidt, 2005). Schmidt (2005) explains that bioengineering alters scientists to employ methods for combination of genes from unrelated species of plants, animals and microorganisms for which many methods are used. The genes can be by faux means trustfulnessd using intrinsic techniques to permit bacterial and viruses to â€Å"penetrate booths” or galvanic shocks â€Å"to destabilize the cell membranes” which would help in making the cell membranes â€Å"permeable”.\r\nAll these artificial techniques facilitate the permeability of the cell membrane which otherwise evades the entry of any foreign genes or DNA from get in the original structure of the cell (Schmidt, 2005). transmittable engineering would mean going against record for the creation of new substances, the validity of which dust an unanswered question. What is worse is the fact that the indispensable boundaries of the entire animal and plant ground will be at potential risk, since genetic engineering provides scientists with the ability to combine the genes of any existence on the acquaint of the earth.\r\nThe gene of a potato can be combined with the gene of a fish by introducing the former into the latter(prenominal) or vice versa. This scientific purpose of foods is a growing concern among many scientists who feel that genetic alteration by humans can increase the levels of rude(a) toxins in plants or allergens in foods. contractable modification also increases the potential to enable plants and natural foods of â€Å"switching on genes that produce poison” (Shan, 2006).\r\nOther dangers of engineered foods include â€Å"antibiotic resistance” among foods, â€Å"increased pesticide residues”, â€Å"genetic pollution” and damage to soil fertility and the secure insects which would all subsequently cause â€Å"socio-economic hazards and honest hazards to the entire human community” (Cummins 1999). Additionally, barb of chemical hormones like the IGF-1 in animals such as the cow increases the risk of good distempers like cancers of the breast, colon and the prostate among consumers (Cummins 1999). Proponents of genetically engineered foods argue that these foods expectant without the use of chemical additives are â€Å"superior”.\r\nThe addition of food colors such as space-reflection symmetry Red and Sudan III to of course enceinte foods have resulted in several savage incidents as penninged by the BBC intelligence information (2005) and since genetically pro duced foods are grown and stored without the use pesticides or fertilizers and any kind of artificial additives, supporters advocate its use. Reports regarding the growing cases of diseases such as asthma (Salam et al 2004), cancers (Muir 2005) and other libelous diseases caused due to farming techniques and pollution is a prime concern to the proponents of genetically modified foods.\r\nHeaton (2001) affirms the many health problems which occur due to the growing use of pesticides in natural foods including hormone disturbances, repression of the human immune agreement and other neurological damages. The chemicals used as pesticides in naturally produced foods include the likes of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane which has been banned by most of the actual nations, and others such as lindane and astrazine (Shan, 2006). The pesticide residues such as organophosphates found in foods have been associated with speculative effects such as lessen male fertility, cancer, abnormalities of the fetus, and even Parkinson’s disease (BMA 1992 and Robbins 1991).\r\nAdditionally, high exposures of the farmers to pesticides have also enormously increased the risks of these farmers to cancers and other harmful diseases associated with them. (Schreinemachers, 2000; Alavanja et al. ,2003). nutritionally too, genetically modified foods are believed to viands better than their natural counterparts. Research confirms that the nutritional value of genetically modified and grown foods is more than naturally grown foods. Worthington (2001) affirms that organic crops abide far more vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which are beneficial for the functioning of a healthy body.\r\nBesides, organic foods are believed to contain much less percentages of nitrates than naturally produced foods (Williams, 2002). The report by the Soil Association compares the nutritional value of genetically modified foods and naturally produced foods (Heaton 2001). Since many food products contain less urine, which is why they shrink on storage, genetic engineering of foods hightail its to alter the structure of the plants so that the ability to retain more water in increased. This would also prevent the food from shrinking on being cooked.\r\n ancestral farming and modification of foods also qualify the use of drugs, especially in animals which reduces the risk of infections to humans. Besides, genetically engineered foods and products have higher levels of flavonoids, which act as a natural falsification mechanism against the pests feeding on them (Shan, 2006). Flavonoids also play a crucial character reference in the prevention of cardiac problems and foreboding(a) diseases such as cancer. These foods also tend to have greater ant oxidation properties, due to the antioxidants like lycopene and phyto-nutrients like tannins bewilder in them (Shan, 2006).\r\nGenetically modified foods have been an issue of debate over the doable advantages and disadvantages th ey may have on the health of humans. Thus, while it is important to adopt new technologies and procedures to better human life, the health and part should not be compromised. It is the responsibility of regulative authorities to adopt means and measures for separate testing of foods so that the general public gets maximum benefits from advancing technological processes without having to compromise health and wellbeing.\r\n'