This is a definition of a genetically modified food. Genetically modified foods are organisms whose DNA has been changed in a way that does not happen naturally through breeding or natural selection. Recombinant Deoxyribonucleic Acid technology is when genes from different organisms are combined and the resulting organism is considered to be ‘Genetically Modified', ‘Genetically Engineered', or ‘Transgenic'. Crops grown commercially and/or field-tested are resistant to a virus that could destroy most of the African harvest, other crops with increased iron and vitamins that may alleviate chronic malnutrition and a variety of plants that are able to survive weather extremes. There are fruits that can be used to produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, fish that can be bred to mature more quickly, fruit and nut trees that can be bred to yield years earlier, and plants that can be used to produce new plastics with unique properties. Although there are many benefits to genetically modifying crops, there are also public concerns that focus on safety, ethics, food security, poverty reduction, and environmental conservation. There are risks associated with tampering with nature using new gene manipulation technology, including impacts on the environment, potential health concerns for consumers, and effects related to recombinant technology. This paper looks at the main issues with genetically modified foods and recombinant technology from the perspective of safety, the environment and the law. It argues that collectively these areas create significant health hazards.
Introduction
Food is an important necessity for humans; we eat to live and at least most people have a meal a day, while some others can afford three or more. This is something that is true no matter what culture you come from or what customs you have. Dining is a very important part of different celebrations all over the world, both between different families and groups of friends, and within families and groups of friends. What we really want is a healthy and nutritious meal, but are we sacrificing safety for that?
Humans have been improving plants and livestock for food production and using different conservation techniques for as long as they have been relying on agriculture for survival. The quest to grow more and better food to meet the demand of our fast growing world population has led to the genetic engineering of crops.
The health risks of these products are often, but not always, based on the study of blood analyses of mammals eating these products in short-term tests, and more rarely in long-term tests. Genetically modified food is any food that contains or is derived from a genetically engineered organism. The majority of the biotech-crops available on the global market have been genetically manipulated to express one of these basic traits: resistance to insects or viruses, tolerance to certain herbicides and/or nutritionally enhanced quality .
Genes are constantly changing by natural mutation and recombination, creating new biological variations. Since centuries ago, humans have been manipulating genes to create new combinations that would never have happened otherwise. This is done by shuffling genes, extensive crossing, and artificial selection. Most of the food we eat comes from livestock, crops, and microorganisms that have been bred specifically for that purpose. Humans have also redistributed genes geographically: the soybean is native to Asia but is now grown throughout the Americas, and the potato, native to the American continent, is grown throughout the temperate world. DNA is never static, whether it is natural or manmade.
In 1946, scientists first discovered that DNA could be transferred between living organisms. Genetic modification is an extension of this. Recombinant DNA technology is the process of combining genes from different organisms. The resulting organism is said to be “genetically modified,” “genetically engineered,” or “transgenic.” Genetically modified organisms are those whose genetic material has been changed in a laboratory in order to create new varieties of plants, animals, and other organisms with desired characteristics. GM products that are being developed include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds and fibers.
Now it is understood that there are multiple ways DNA can be transferred, which happens frequently in nature, for example with antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. Genetic modification allows for specific genes to be isolated and copied in a much more direct and controlled way than conventional breeding. The major commercialized transgenic crops are soybeans, corn, cotton and canola that have been genetically modified to be herbicide and insecticide resistant. There are other crops that are grown commercially or have been field-tested that are resistant to viruses or able to survive extreme weather. These include sweet potatoes, rice, and a variety of other plants. Bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases, fish that mature more quickly, fruit, and nut trees are some of the examples of biotechnology. The purpose of this literature review is to assess the available literature on the positive and negative health effects of genetically modified foods on human beings.
Recognize the Benefits
Genetic engineering offers many benefits. It can, for example, help fight global warming. Pesticides currently used by farmers are responsible for emitting large amounts of greenhouse gases. Scientists can change the genes of crops so that the crops will need fewer harmful chemicals. This will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the environment.
GMOs might help people living in impoverished conditions by providing them with a more stable food supply. The Canadian Journal of Development Studies released a report in 2017 which claimed that genetically altering seeds could lead to increased yields on small-scale farms. This, in turn, would generate rural jobs with improved wages. These improvements benefit the average consumer as well. If we didn't have GMOs, the amount of money Americans spend on food would go up by almost a third.
Yet there are more important issues than saving money. Despite global warming, genetic engineering offers a way to feed the world. Climate change has led to more drought. According to a 2015 paper from Harvard University, scientists can make GMOs more tolerant of high temperatures and dry conditions.
Be Wary of the Cost
Although GMOs have many benefits, they also have a lot of drawbacks. The main cost is long-term environmental damage. The report explains that when humans try to change ecosystems, the results can be disastrous. An uncontrolled chain reaction can occur over a long period of time.
An example of this would be using a herbicide to kill a pest, which would then take away the natural enemy of another pest. As the pest population grows, farmers are forced to use more pesticides. The increase in pesticide use leads to species that are resistant to pesticides appearing. This sequence of events has happened multiple times and could represent an ongoing cycle of environmental damage.
Identify Your Risk
Most GMOs are able to withstand the pesticide glyphosate, but this genetic change is still controversial because it's possible that the pesticide could cause cancer. The use of glyphosate rose dramatically from 1995 to 2002, going from 2,500 to 30,000 tons a year. This increase shows the dramatic rise of growing GMOs. Almost all of the soybeans and corn grown in the United States have been genetically modified.
Glyphosate residue can end up in the genetically modified food grown in treated fields through a process called desiccation. If you eat this kind of food, glyphosate might end up in your gastrointestinal tract. This exposure likely has negative consequences. This means that as the amount of glyphosate in someone's body increases, so does their likelihood of being diagnosed with autism.
One way to avoid exposure to glyphosate is to look for products in the U.S. that have a special label indicating that they do not contain the substance. That label includes the statement Non-GMO Project Verified. The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization thatlabeling in compliance with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service rules. The following guidelines cover how companies can make claims on labels or in labeling.
Protect the Macroenvironment
The impact that GMOs have on the environment is still a top concern for many people. If farmers don't take measures to keep genetically modified crops in a specific area, they could spread beyond that area. Bees may transfer pollen from genetically altered corn between fields. Who is responsible for the potential damage if this transfer goes through?
The article demonstrates that there is a transfer of information between the two systems. An experimental field of transgenic bentgrass that was planted in 2002 was still appearing in nearby areas 13 years later. The authors argued that there are other factors that could explain these results, not just pollen transfer. One of the most important factors is wind dispersal, which is difficult to control.
Similar issues arise with genetically modified salmon. A mathematical model suggests that if transgenic animals were to be released accidentally, it could lead to the end of the wild population. Manufacturers can prevent the adverse effects of the Trojan gene by taking specific measures. To prevent the spread of genetically modified organisms, these animals must be kept isolated and sterile.
Protect the Microenvironment
Environmental damage might also happen at a smaller scale. The roots of transgenic plants can, for example, release toxic proteins into the soil. One issue with transgenic plants is that some of them become resistant to antibiotics, and this antibiotic resistance can spread to the surrounding soil. The most disturbing part is that few researchers have taken the time to test the impact of GMOs on the soil.
Save the Animals
Genetically modifying animals can create ethical issues about how those animals are treated. Animal rights activists say that genetically altered salmon experience physiological changes that are cruel. A 2018 article in the Transactions of the American Fisheries showed that these salmon have changes in their organs and bones. The changes have a negative impact on the swimming ability.
These genetic changes also bring up darker issues. A paper published in 2019 showed that transgenic salmon have a greater rate of survival in crowded conditions. The reason they are able to survive is because they better manage cannibalism and starvation.
Protect the Children
The widespread use of glyphosate also affects human lives. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans. Glyphosate is likely to damage the genetic structure of humans. The herbicide also seems to alter human pregnancy. This means that for every 10 pregnant women in Indiana, 9 of them had detectable levels of glyphosate in their systems. Furthermore, the presence of glyphosate was linked to shorter pregnancies.
There is a correlation between exposure to glyphosate and birth defects. A paper in Birth Defects Research in 2017 found that women exposed to herbicides were more likely to have children with heart conditions. This correlation is supported by findings in laboratory animals. Neonatal rats that were exposed to glyphosate had changes in their bodily development.
The report recommends taking measures to reduce your exposure to glyphosate, a herbicide used in agriculture. The authors suggest that organic produce is preferable and that there are other ways to manage weeds. It's also important to follow the manufacturer's directions. You can minimize your exposure to herbicides by wearing protective equipment and keeping people away from sprayed areas until the herbicide has dried.
Adverse Effects of GMO Crops
There is a big difference in what manufacturers and the public think about GMOs. There is a gap between what manufacturers believe about the safety of GMOs and the public's fear that they are not safe. A 2016 report in the journal Sustainability describes the importance of including everyone as genetic engineering inevitably moves forward. In Norway, GMOs can only be used if they are ethically justifiable and socially acceptable.
GMOs have a large number of side effects and possible risks which suggests that they are not safe at this time. Manufacturers must put more barriers in place to guarantee the safety of the environment and society. Scientists must do more research to ensure that these barriers are effective.
Conclusion
Genetically-modified foods can help solve world hunger and malnutrition problems by increasing yield, and help preserve the environment. The newest applications of biotechnology, like molecular biology, genetic engineering and transgenic technology, have a lot of potential uses in food production, including with micro-organisms, plants and animals. GM foods have both positive and negative impacts. The benefits of genetically modified foods include higher yields, tolerance to cold, drought, and salinity, resistance to insects and diseases, improved nutrition, and the ability to produce pharmaceuticals and clean up environmental contamination. Despite the fact that GM foods have several positive aspects, they also have many negative impacts on living beings. The advantages can be expressed as environmental benefits, health benefits, economic opportunities as well as legal protections. The risks associated with GM foods are toxicity, allergenicity and genetic hazards. The potential sources of these effects include the inserted gene and the proteins it produces, as well as the possible disruption of natural genes in the organism. A biosafety regulatory regime has been developed in many countries to regulate the movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to avert their possible risks on biodiversity, human health and the environment.
