In our society we label everything, how many calories in a candy bar, how many feet in a mile how, many people live in a city, yet we can 't label a GMO food as it is. For clarity, a GMO or genetically modified organism is an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found in the organism. Gmo 's are controversial because they are relatively new, and the long-term effects of GMO 's are unknown. Food companies oppose GMO labeling on the basis that it 's misleading towards the consumers.
We are able to get a general idea of what goes in our food and yet we are unable to complete the sentences ourselves. Perhaps it …show more content…
Currently the only answer with sufficient scientific backing states yes GMO foods are pretty safe. Thousands of studies both by the food companies and independent studies have found little to nothing to cause concern in their results. In one long-term study over a period of approximately five years, it was concluded that "Results from all the 24 studies …[did not] suggest any health hazards and, in general…no statistically significant differences within parameters [were] observed"( Chelsea Snell et al Assessment of the health impact of GM plant diets in long-term and multigenerational animal feeding trials 1) Therefore when food companies claim that GMO food 's are safe they aren 't making false statements to the world 's knowledge GMO 's aren 't dangerous to humans. Gmo 's have been studied rigorously for the past twenty years or so with little dissent in views or findings, most countries even agree that considering the evidence GMO foods are relatively safe. The tests have varied from animals to plants and the results haven 't implied any adverse side effects. Studies have found that there is little to no discernible differences between gm and non-gm foods "present evidence …[shows] that GM plants are nutritionally equivalent to their non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed."(Snell et al …show more content…
Dangerous or not it is up to each individual consumer to decide for themselves and their families what they deem appropriate food. Companies argue that labeling a food GMO would cause people to misunderstand and "falsely alarm consumers"(Statement by the AAAS board of Directors on Labelling of Genetically Modified Foods par. 6). The first step is to make consumers understand to provide the evidence and then allow the individual to decide. It 's not up to us to decide for the whole it 's up to the whole to provide the information desired. The purpose of food labeling is not to restrain or even change the minds of the consumer it 's to finally give the consumer a choice. Food companies don 't want to lose money there is zero concern for what the people want although all evidence supports their claims they don 't want to lose their stake. In their minds if they inform they are essentially destroying their product. Then why not teach tell the consumers what you want them to know about GMO