Genetically modified foods - Essay Example

How GM food production is likely to affect health, environment, and ecology at large. Annotated Bibliography Chen, Li; Lee, Dong; Song, Zhi; Suh, Hak; Lu, Bao. “Gene flow from cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) to its weedy and wild relatives”. (2004). Annals of Botany, 93, 67–73. Authors are researchers at reputed universities at South Korea and China. The article describes how outcrossing could lead to undesired transfer of genes to non-target crops and culminate into a new issue with unknown results creating long-term ecological consequences.

Authors strongly recommended that while growing GM foods an isolation zone must be established to prevent outcrossing. The experiments were conducted with rice at two places in China and South Korea. The resource is valuable in the sense that gene transfer technology should be used with caution. “Food Standards Agency”. GM Crops and Foods: Follow-up to the Food Matters Report by Defra and the FSA. Web. 9 June 2013 http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/foodmattergmreport.pdf Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Food Standards Agency have prepared a report on matters of food security pertaining to GM crops and foods.

The report highlights how delayed approvals from EU for GM crops could impact availability of animal feed for livestock. The report informs about current EU position and how GM foods are regulated and its likely implications for consumers. The report is important to understand the EU stand in reference to the GM foods for animal feed purposes. “Friends of the Earth”. Could GM foods cause allergies? Web 2006. 9 June 2013 http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/gm_alergies.pdf The site based at the UK closely follows environment concerns in relation to various issues including GM foods.

In the published article, it has been stated that it is important to check GM food for immune system response otherwise it could be lethal for those who consume it. The authors strongly recommend that unless acceptable methods are available for detection of allergenicity, no GM crop should be given approval. The site certainly gives information how GM foods could be detrimental to the health of people. “GeneWatch UK”. GM crops and Foods in Britain and Europe. Web. 9 June 2013 http://www.genewatch.

org/sub-568547 The GeneWatch is the UK based not-for-profit organization aims at investigating impact of genetic science and technologies on health, food, agriculture, society and environment. The site strongly believes that public must be made aware how genetic technologies could cause impact in their life. The site discusses various pros and cons related to GM foods providing a very good insight on this issue. “GM crops and Food Security”. House of Parliament. Web 2011. 9 June 2013 www.parliament.

uk/briefing-papers/post-pn-386.pdf House of Parliament is assigned with the task of providing balanced and independent analysis of all matters that has the basis in science and technology. Accordingly, the article discusses how GM technique can provide food security in Europe highlighting its impact on environment. The article also describes about the possibilities of producing drought tolerant and herbicide resistant wheat to benefit from this technology. The sight can provide balanced information on the issue of GM foods and crops.

Lindqvist, Anna and Verba, Terra. Golden Rice and other