Genetically modified foods are a science project over taking our nation. But what are they? They are fruits and vegetables that have been altered in science labs to carry desired traits. These traits include the size of the plant to pesticide tolerance to a greater nutrition value. However, the ethics of genetic modification in our foods has been a heated global issue since the early 90’s.
The knowledge of genetically modified foods has been a large concept in many countries. In Europe and Japan it is illegal to have foods that are modified go unlabeled. In 2008 there was genetically modified rice found in Europe that had been shipped from China. In April of that year a mandatory certification of all food products containing Chinese rice to be tested for the experimental GM variety called Bt63 was issued (Krista Mahr-Time Magazine: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1714218,00.html)
In the U.S. this is not against the law. Crops that are in large demand, such as soybeans, potatoes and corn are greatly tested on. There has been so much genetic testing done in the U.S. most of the population has been putting the foods in their bodies for years. A company known as Kellogg’s have been using genetically modified grains since 1999.
The lack of labeling in the U.S. brings up the question of government censorship. Most of us like to know what we are eating and the affect it has on our health. Is the government intentionally censoring genetically modified foods so they can continue the tests? Or is the concern not really as important as many think?
Some companies (Silk for example) have started labeling their products packaging as “Non-GMO”. Their customers typically have a greater knowledge and concern for what they are consuming. Organically speaking, products that have been genetically altered cannot be considered organic. Many of the organic farmers test the food that they feed their animals for non-GMO certification.
Another concern of genetically modified foods and their lack of labeling is the act of the alteration itself. The plants can be altered with the genes of other plants that possess the desired traits, but they can also be used with proteins, such as Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) genes, which are lethal to insect larvae. Soybeans that were found to be genetically modified contained animal genes. This occurrence can effect vegetarianism and veganism. Clearly foods that contain animal genetics cannot be considered vegetarian, yet alone vegan.
Of course there are some significant pros to genetic modification. Most of the plants that are altered have a resistance to disease and pesticides. Many of these plants also show a greater nutrition value, which is said to help in countries that have a small amount of crops and nutrition in general.
The result of genetically modified foods is said to help third world countries in their lack of food and nutrition. It is also said to help with the state of nutrition in the U.S., but as Bill Lambrecht says in his book Dinner at the New Gene Café will we in fact need to destroy more land to make space for growing crops that are genetically modified?
The testing on the plants has been linked to some environmental hazards. In 1999 the public became concerned with genetic testing when scientists tested pollen from modified corn. The pollen lead to the result of the death of butterfly’s larvae.
There has not been any evidence of harmful or positive affects of the genetically modified foods on humans. This may be because there has not been enough research done on the genetic modification itself. Or it may be because people have been consuming the products for so long they have built up immunities to the foods themselves.
The necessity of genetic modification has not been determined to be unimportant or a normal progression of scientific development. China’s development of GMO food leads to concerns of the production of altered food to have the potential of getting out of control. (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1860289_1859808_1859810,00.html).
Hopefully with the precautions other countries and some brands are taking against genetically modified foods will lead to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take the same precautions in labeling their food, while scientists continue to test the health risks of the altered foods and so the public can determine if they want to put such things in their bodies and help decide if this is the direction the world’s governments will take in future of food production.
