Genetically Modified Foods - Essay Example

Genetically Modified Foods The debate regarding genetically modified foods has always been complex and continues to elicit mixed reactions. Genetically modified foods are foods-this includes plants and animals, which are developed or grown by the use of the newly developed molecular biology technology. While there are many people who believe that the use of genetically modified foods is the answer to food insecurity, there are people who feel that the consumption of genetically modified food is harmful to health. The risks posed by the genetically modified however outweigh the potential benefits that it presents and the consumption of genetically modified foods should be avoided. One of the reasons that are given against genetically modified food is that the food may contain some harmful allergens that may cause negative effects to those who consume the food. Sufficient research has not been carried out to guarantee the consumers the safety of genetically modified foods that the injection of genes into fruits and vegetables. This therefore means that the product of genetic modification (the food that is produced) is actually unstable. There is also the issue of genetic instability that renders genetic modification of food unhealthy. This means that it is not guaranteed that the new genetic material that is being inserted in the process of genetic modification is stable. The introduction of genes that are unstable will lead to the destabilization of the food that has been created which would make it harmful for human consumption. When unstable genes are introduced to foods, there is an increased possibility that some of the nontoxic elements that are in the food being modified could actually become toxic. The research into the genetic composition of foods is therefore not sufficient to guarantee that the insertion of the genes into different foods is actually healthy. It is also possible that the level of toxins that naturally occurs in foods is increased through the process of genetic modification. The toxins that are found in food and have the potential to be increased in the process of genetic modification include solanine. As there is no rule that requires food manufacturers and producers to test the foods they have produced for these substances, the food may end up harming the consumer (Nestle 28). Another disadvantage of the genetic modification of food is that it may lead to allergic reaction in people. There is a high number of people who have some form of allergy or adverse reaction to different types of food. This therefore renders genetic modification unhealthy because there is a chance that some allergens may be transferred from the food that a person is allergic to and inserted to a food that the person considers to be safe for his consumption (Teitel & Wilson 11). This will therefore lead to an allergic reaction in the person upon the consumption of foods that he had considered safe. The risk of allergic reaction from the consumption of genetically modified foods also comes from the fact that the process of genetic modification has the potential to create new allergens that could further increase the population of people who suffer from food allergies. This is made worse by the fact that there is no legal requirement that forces food manufacturers to label food as being genetically modified. The genetic modification of food makes the bacteria that cause diseases to be resistant to the available antibiotics. The anti-biotic resistance markers that are contained in the genetically modified foods are used to determine whether there is new genetic substance that has been added or transferred to the host food (food being modified). This means that during the process of large-scale production of genetically modified foods, the antibiotic markers will cause the antibiotic available to be ineffective against the harmful bacteria. An example of this is the genetically engineered maize that is grown in Novartis that has been found to contain a gene that is resistant to Ampicillin. This means that the antibiotic resistance gene in the maize can be passed on in the food chain and this would lead to the inefficiency of the Ampicillin antibiotic. The consumption of genetically modified food has therefore been found to increase the antibiotic genes in the diet, which is harmful to health (Nestle 221). Yet another disadvantage of genetic modification of food is the loss of nutritional value during the process of genetic modification. The genetic instability during the process of genetic modification can also lead to the loss of nutrients in food. The long-term effects of genetic modification on foods are not known as of yet, as the genetic modification technology has not been present for a period of time that is long enough to determine the effects. Despite the many disadvantages of genetic modification, the process has some advantages and benefits. The biggest benefit is that it has the potential to produce a bigger amount of food and therefore has the potential to solve the food security issues that are facing the world. As the population increases, food security becomes a problem. Genetic modification can meet the food deficit that is brought about by the increase in population. Another benefit of the genetic modification is that it leads to the introduction of pest resistant crops. Crops that are genetically modified do not require the application of pesticides. This means that the food is free from the harmful effects of the pesticides. The genetically modified food is also disease resistant. The process of genetic modification leads to the introduction of plants that are resistant to the diseases that would normally affect a given species of plant. Some of the plants are also engineered in such a way that they produce edible vaccines that are important in the prevention of infectious diseases that affect populations around the world (Butz & Wu 43) When it comes to animals, there are also benefits that are associated with the process of genetic engineering. The process leads to increased resistance to diseases in the animals and leads to an increase in the feed efficiency among the animals. The process also leads to a general improvement in the health condition of the animals. Despite the many advantages and potential benefits that are presented by genetic modification of food, the process has disadvantages and risks that outweigh the benefits. People should therefore avoid the consumption of genetically modified foods. Adequate research needs to be carried out for the process of genetic modification to be proven safe, and for it to be proved that it does not have any long-term health risks. Failure to do this will lead to many health problems and environmental risks. The genetically modified food that is already available in the market should also be labeled to help people protect themselves from the consumption of harmful allergens. Works cited Butz, William. Wu, Felicia. The future of genetically modified crops: lessons from the Green Revolution. Santa Monica, CA. Rand Corporation, 2004. Print. Nestle, Marion. Safe Food: The Politics of Food Safety. California: University of California Press, 2010. Print. Teitel, Martin. Wilson, Kimberly. Genetically engineered food: changing the nature of nature. Vermont: Park Street, Press. 2001. Print Read More