WHY WE NEED GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD Lane Brown
WE’VE ALL EATEN THEM HOW MUCH GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD DO WE CONSUME IN ONE YEAR?
WHAT ARE THEY? “Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.”(WHO)
RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY Desired trait Modified in donor organism Transferred to recipient organism Organism expresses said trait
ARE GMF BAD? ● “Not natural” vs. Better than “natural”? THESIS: GMF are a huge ethical debate, taking into concern that they provide many benefits, but also comes with potential risks. Taking both of these into account, I think that the benefits of GMF outweigh the risks, making them an ethical practice.
RISKS ● Long-term effects? Unknown ○ ● Allergens ○ Risk of contamination Labeling and regulations ● ○ Little to none; ‘autonomy’; Poor application Environmental effects ● ○ Loss of biodiversity, interference with natural evolution, crossbreeding ● “Ethical Eating” The moral consequence of our food choices ○
BENEFITS ● Higher quality, more nutritious Increased crop yield ● Decrease use of pesticides ● ● Can grow in harsher environments ● Last longer than organic crops Food security ●
GMF VS. NON-GMF GMF are no more harmful than conventional foods ● ● GMF have a higher growth rate and are more nutritious No substantial difference in biological makeup between the two ●
GMF VS. NON-GMF Overall more benefits
SOLUTIONS ○ Develope some laws on labeling requirements Dramatically different ■ ○ More testing and studies to disprove concerns of risks More awareness as to avoid ignorance ○ ○ Regulations / World Trade
CONCLUSION Why wouldn't we utilize GMF? Although there a lot of unknown factors relating to GMF, they should not be crossed out. They are still safe to use, produce, and consume, and overall show more benefits than risks.
CITATIONS Dizon, Francis, et al. "Genetically Modified (GM) Foods And Ethical Eating." Journal Of Food Science 81.2 (2016): R287-R291. Academic Search Complete . Web. 31 Mar. 2016. "Genetically Modified Food..10 Facts You Should Know If You Care For Your Health." Wellness Gospel . Word Press, 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. Kreipe, Marie. “Genetically Modified Food. Hamburg” Chapter One: “ Portrait: Genetically Modified Food” , DE: Diplomica Verlag, 2010. 3-15. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 31 March 2016. "Ucbiotech.org - GMO Labeling - U.S. Labeling Map." Ucbiotech.org - GMO Labeling - U.S. Labeling Map . Ubiotech, 27 Jan. 15. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. "What Are Real Differences between Organic (and Conventional Types) vs GMO Corn? | Genetic Literacy Project." Genetic Literacy Project . Genetic Literacy Project, 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. WHO. "Food, Genetically Modified." WHO . World Health Organization. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Recommend
More recommend
