Genetic Engineering Food: The Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Food

Decent Essays
Modern day technology has evolved tremendously throughout the past years. It has come to a point where everyday foods are being altered to fit in our lives. Many would say it is a great discovery, but others are against it. Genetic engineering of food, or in other terms, genetically modified foods (GMO), is an organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered from extracting a portion of DNA from one organism to another. Many discussions are created amongst GMO foods, including with it and against. Majority may have heard why GMO is good for the economy and everything included. However, many do not know the dark secrets that are being kept from our society. Throughout the essay an explanation will be provided why Genetic Engineering …show more content…
It has come to point where individuals created enormous corporations that generated a large amount of profit for them. This profit consisted of growing and selling food. How edible, or healthy is this food? That is the main question that is being asked amongst many concerned citizens about their health from eating food. Companies have become so advanced in food processing that they are forgetting what the proper steps for growing and selling food are. Nowadays, many different types of pesticides, hormones, and chemicals are being implemented into the production of these foods. A scientist named Michael Hansen, PHD Senior at Consumers Union, has discovered companies have been adding new spray chemicals to their crops. A new herbicide is becoming classified as a probable cancer causing carcinogen. It is popular because of the GMO crops’ inbred resistance towards it. Dr. Hansen stated, “It 's appalling to discover that an herbicide that GMO crops are specifically engineered to tolerate is actually a probable carcinogen,” (States News Service, 2015, March 23). Companies are referring to these resistant chemicals because it is a cheaper product and the company’s GMO crop has become resistant. However, when applied the chemical seeps into the crop and then consumers buy the product and are unaware of the cancer causing carcinogen in the food. Furthermore information regarding genetic engineering of food is the process of which the products are being produced. Ham, in particular processed, is a scientifically proven fact that is cancer causing. The chemical included into the company’s ham is nitrates and nitrites. These chemicals are used to preserve the meats colour. As a result, ingesting this chemical in meat products and in water, can become extremely harmful towards infants and pregnant women. Nevertheless, people should be advised of the food they are eating. A list of the top ten genetically

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    G.M.O.s: The Best Possible Solution While some people have already chosen their sides to either support or oppose Genetically Modified Organism (G.M.O.) food products, many are still weighing their pros and cons. In the article “Fears, Not Facts, Support G.M.O. - Free Food,” the author, Jane E. Brody, argues that a calm, collected look at the facts about G.M.O.s would help people realize its benefits to the society. The author mainly targets this article on changing the perspective of people who oppose G.M.O. crops. The author has fulfilled her purpose by representing G.M.O. in a positive way that shows that they are actually the best solution to deal with problems regarding increasing population and degrading environment.…

    • 765 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    For years, there has been a serious debate regarding whether genetically modified foods are safe for consumption. Due to this seemingly everlasting controversy came the rise of pro-GMO and anti-GMO groups. To truly understand the severity of the issue, it is important to first understand what exactly a “GMO” is and why it supposedly poses a threat to civilization. A Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is an organism in which “genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially placed into another plant or animal” (Institute for Responsible Technology). Doing so allows for a crop to grow at a higher yield and lower cost.…

    • 1609 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In “The Threats from Genetically Modified Foods”, Robin Mather effectively brings awareness to the American public of the harmful side effects of genetically modified (GM) foods. She shares that genetically modified foods are foods with an altered genetic make-up. This alteration has lead them to be banned in several countries. However, in the United States, GM foods are not strictly regulated and, therefore, not required to be labeled. Also, the pesticides used in genetically modified foods yield harmful side effects in animals and humans.…

    • 1894 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gmo Ethical Dilemmas

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In her article “The Ethical Dilemma of Genetically Modified Food”, Valeria Jefferson presents the conflict society is currently facing in the matter of the inherent ethics of genetically modified food (GMF). She addresses points on both sides of the argument, giving the reader a broad overview of the facts. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are defined as plants and animals that have been altered at the genetic level for a specific purpose. That purpose could be to enhance resistance to pests and inclement weather, to allow for longer and more bountiful growing seasons, or to introduce desired nutrients. In addition to being better for the environment due to the decreased need for harmful chemicals, GMF is seen as a potential solution for the pervading hunger in third world countries.…

    • 447 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Rhetorical Analysis A paper that I have written called, “To Modify or not to Modify?: An Argument for Genetically Modified Crops”, presents an argument in support of GM crops. In order to investigate the quality of the paper, I will analyze my own writing. Here I will look back on my writing, and give an rhetorical analysis regarding the persuasiveness of my argument, as well as the effects of the argument on others.…

    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    What Are Gmos Ethical?

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, have created tension on what is ethical in the food industry. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, GMOs are “genetically engineered foods [that] have had foreign genes inserted into their genetic codes.” Also, many places have found that there are multiple positives and negatives to GMOs, which is why there is such a divide on whether they are healthy to consume. Furthermore, people should know why GMOs are being made, the difference between GMOs and selective breeding, and how genes are chosen and used in GMOs.…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Monsanto Dilemmas

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The luxury of being able to feed the world is overwhelming, more so that it blinds one's judgment. The long term effect of GMOs are unpredictable; they impose serious threats to health and people should have the right to determine whether they want to consume them or not. Putting one’s health into the hands of production companies does little to assure safety. The public is not aware of the dangers they are exposed to or the fact that they are potentially putting their life at risk. GMOs have been around since the early ‘80s, between then and today no one is certain of the long term consequences that follow the consumption of genetically modified food.…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Gmo Cons

    • 1164 Words
    • 5 Pages

    (8) According to the Non-GMO Project “Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced.” (9) An increase of 15 times is a stark difference form the above of how less herbicides have to be used due to the advantage GMO crops give. Now that GMOs have been put out into the environment they cannot be recalled potentially creating unchangeable consequences. Lastly, because GMOs are created using biotechnology companies have been able to file patents that restricts the use of their seed.…

    • 1164 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Every human loves to eat food, but does humans really know what is in these foods. Although certain foods are different, there has been controversies on Genetically Modified Foods around the globe. GM foods consist of growing foods with genetically engineered materials that don’t normally occur naturally. GM foods are created with various selected genes that come from one organism which is then transferred to another. Genetically Modified foods are quite controversial because GM foods enhance the taste, there is suspected health risks and potential negative effects on the environment when growing.…

    • 92 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Even a food as simple as an apple can be manipulated into something new. Walk down the produce aisle of any supermarket, and there are probably a dozen different varieties of apples, if not more. One such variety is the SweeTango apple. SweeTango apples are a hybrid fruit, not resulting from naturally occurring cross-pollination, but created in a laboratory at the University of Minnesota (Seabrook). The parent plants of a SweeTango are the Honeycrisp and Zestar apples, both of which are lab-created species.…

    • 1026 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Introduction Genetically modified foods have become a major concern and have caused controversy regarding both their health and environmental effects (2). ' Using modern techniques of genetic engineering, it is possible to introduce specific genetic material derived from any species of plant, animal, or microorganism, or even a synthetic material, into different species of plant' (Journal 1) This allows a desired trait to be enhanced and reproduced. (3) (4) ' The resulting plants are commonly known as genetically modified (GM) plants; when used as food sources, they are known as GM foods.'…

    • 1492 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Pros And Cons Of GMO

    • 1705 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Do The Pros of GMO’s outweigh the Cons? Since the introduction on the genetically modified organism in the mid to late 1990’s many people have debated on their economic and environmental impact, as well as their safety for human consumption. Many companies like Monsanto and Dow Agro-science that produce these bioengineered foods have conducted research on the topics of environmental and economic benefits as well as the safety of GMO foods. The results of the studies conclude that genetically modified foods are safe, economically beneficial, environmentally sensible, and have no danger to the people that consume them.…

    • 1705 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    “Are Engineered Foods Evil” is an excellent essay written by David H .Freedman. The essay’s strength lies in opinions of experts, facts, statistics and evidence. However, the essay is appealing due to its changes in tones and inclusion of different perspectives. Thus, making this essay a must read one.…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Millions of Americans consume genetically modified food on a daily basis without them even noticing or acknowledging its existence. According to World Health Organization, Genetically Modified Foods is referred as, "...foods derived from organisms whose genetic material, DNA has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally...”. However the government assures that GMOs, genetically modified organisms, are not dangerous to consume, but not all civilians are convinced. Therefore, genetically modified foods is a continued controversial issue in the United States and in other countries. Proponents in favor argue that the products of GMOs is an advancement for biotechnology and humanity, while opponents argue that GMOs is inhumane, unnatural…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays