Seven Most Common Gmo Foods Pros And Cons

Genetically modified foods, or GMO’s, are, “A genetically modified organism or crop containing genetic material that has been artificially altered so as to produce a desired characteristic.” (Oxford University Press (2016), oxforddictionaries.com) The seven most common GMO foods are corn, soy, yellow squash and zucchini, alfalfa, canola, sugar beets, and milk. About 85% of all corn is genetically modified to resist herbicides, which are used to kill weeds. We consume corn in many different ways. Corn syrup is one of the most commonly used corn products on the market today, used as a cheap sweetener in millions of products. Corn is also being used as a substitute in many gluten free options as the rise of gluten allergies has sky rocketed in the last decade. Soy is modified to have a higher level of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a mono saturated omega-9 fatty acid that helps to lower cholesterol. Soy is generally used as a natural emulsifier and stabilizer in many different foods. Yellow squash and zucchini are modified to contain protein genes that protect …show more content…
Foods that have been genetically modified can be grown in non-traditional locations. Places with harsh or unexpected climate conditions can now be used as farmland to produce much needed food. With the shortage of undeveloped farmland, opening up the options for normally unusable land allows us more room to produce the much-needed food. GMO foods can produce higher yielding crops. They have the potential to grow larger and faster than non-modified foods occasionally allowing for multiple harvest where in the past only one was possible. Genetically modified foods have changed the way the world thinks about food, it is no longer the scarcity that it once was. GMO food can feed more of the population and increase the health of many lives, especially in third world countries where food shortage is a real concern. GMO foods could be the answer to solving world