Food: Genetically Modified Organism - Essay Example

Mock Proposal al Affiliation Introduction Genetically modified foods have attracted a lot of attention due to the controversy introduced. On the upper side, genetically modified foods are on the forefront of eliminating global hunger. However, there is a downside where the genetically modified foods and all synthetic associated with them can pose a serious health problem. Health issues posed by genetically modified foods can be attributed to the way the foods are processed. The process involves either cloning, altering the genetic makeup, or nanotechnology (Karanek, 2011). The above food technologies are aimed at producing a superior quality of food in large scale as compared to the natural foods. The above processes require a combination of many processes, preservatives, and dyes so as to render the genetically modified foods safe for human consumption and be generally acceptable. Health problems can arise from the food additives used or due to the genetic alteration of the modified foods. Health problems such as allergies, attention deficient hyperactivity disorder, cancer, diabetes, renal failure, and even Alzheimer’s disease (Smith, 2014). Studies show that the above diseases which have been traced back to engineered foods are due to changes in normal metabolism of food. Food Allergies, Food allergies is one of the mst prevalent health isues associated with engineered food. Food allergies can be defined as an immune response to some foreign constituents. Genetically modified foods are fortified with various proteins that may evoke an allergic response (Smith, 2014). That is, many engineered foods are processed by addition of genes (proteins) which do not occur naturally in plants. Examples of these synthetic foods that cause allergies include soya beans and corn. Such proteins can evoke an immune response in the body. Clinical signs and symptoms that are observed in food allergies include; Abdominal pain Nausea Vomiting Diarrhoea Indigestion (bloating). However, allergies are not known to be fatal. Thus, prolonged exposure to such irritants will increase the occurrence of allergies, but they do not pose a major health issue. On the social side, allergies affect the quality of life of people and can pose a financial constraint on the victims. Attention Deficit Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD) ADHD is a brain developmental problem and is commonly exhibited by children in their early teen and even earlier. Such children have a problem focusing and they exhibit behavioural disorders. ADHD is characterized by three main symptoms. These include hyperactivity, being impulsive, and inability to pay attention. Attention deficient disorder starts during childhood and can progress into the adult life. There is no definitive cause for the disorder, but many factors have been identified as predisposing factors. These include genetic factors, changes in brain chemicals, and brain structure (Breggin, 2011). Various foods have been known to change the body chemistry and this includes the brain chemistry. Genetically modified foods contain many preservatives and additive that are aimed at ensuring a long shelf life of the processed foods and general attractiveness. These food additives have been shown to contribute to hyperactivity and inattentiveness in children. Food industries prefer synthetic dyes to using natural dyes obtained from natural plants. This is because synthetic dyes can be altered to give the texture and intensity desired. These synthetic dyes are formulated by altering their genetic composition. Once the food is ingested, some of the genetic material is incorporated in cells, and they are used in making of new genetic material in the cells. The resulting cells will have additional undesired proteins. Structures made by the cells, such as the brain may dysfunction due to the change in the chemical composition. Brain structure is dependent on the cells that make it up. Genetic alteration during cell formation can later disrupt proper brain structure formation. Currently, 5% of the child populations under the age of 7 are diagnosed with ADHD (Breggin, 2011). This number has greatly increased compared to statistics obtained before the introduction of synthetic foods. A study carried out by Dr Feingold in the 1970s, where he treated children with ADHD by putting them on a diet free of artificial additives showed that 50% of his patients responded positively (Karanek, 2011). This proved further that the synthetic additives were responsible for many cases of children suffering from ADHD. If ADHD is untreated at that tender age it can progress into adulthood. Statistics show that 1.5% adults suffer from ADHD. Permanent damage to the brain due imbalanced chemical constituents and structure damage can occur if the disorder is left untreated for a long time. This can result in a long life mental sickness which impacts negatively on the quality of life of the patients. Behavioral studies carried out on adults suffeing from ADHD shoow that they are more likely to engage in criminal activities compared to normal adults. Also, the inability to focus can render such adults to compete in the world opportunities at the same level with their counterparts and colleagues. Such adults fail to cope with both social and work relationships which affect their quality of life. ADHD can only be diagnosed by the study of behavioural changes and this renders it one of the most misdiagnosed diseases. Cancer Genetically engineered foods have been attributed to causing production of cancer cells at a higher rate compared to natural foods. This can be explained by the presence of altered genetic material in synthetic foods. Food additive and dyes used are also made of synthetic material. One of the additives commonly found in sweetened foods and beverages is aspartame. Aspartame is a synthetic non-saccharide sweetener and is used as an alternative to sugar in low caloric foods (ACS, 2011). Aspartame is a synthetic combination of two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame also contains methanol, which is metabolized to formaldehyde, which is toxic to cells. Aspartame has been associated with increasing incidences of cancer. Normal cell formation requires amino acids for the formation of a genetic code. Increased concentrations of aspartic acid and phenylalanine in the body cause a rapid process of cell multiplication. This leads to the growth of a cancer nucleus which facilitates the formation of cancerous cells. Methanol in the body is metabolized to formaldehyde, which is toxic to the cells. Formaldehyde interferes with the genetic makeup of cells. This is due to the fact that it can bind to the proteins of the genetic material being replicatedleading to its incorporation into the cells during transcription and replication. This results in mutated genetic material and thus, normal signalling for production of normal cell is disrupted. These mutations can be such that there is an abnormal disordered multiplication of cells, which is termed as cancer. Symptoms of cancer differ greatly depending on the type of cancer. Long exposure to aspartame has been found to cause brain cancer, lymphoma, and leukaemia (ACS, 2011). General symptoms include headaches and chronic pains. People also observe unusual bleeding and increased discharges. Nausea and vomiting are also observed. However, there are no clear symptoms that indicate a cancer or the type of cancer. Thus, an individual is advised to seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. Clinical signs of cancer are established through scans, screening, and even x-rays. Brain cancer is detected as an odd mass that appear in a head scan. Leukaemia is a blood cancer and its clinical signs include oddly shaped blood cells and a reduced number of cell count. Lymphomas usually attack the lymphatic system and are characterized by a painful swelling at the lymph nodes. If untreated, most cancers can metastasize affecting other organs in the body. At this level, the condition is fatal and is characterized by unbearable pain that requires the individual to be heavily medicated all the time. Discussion Many health issues that are associated with synthetic foods can be prevented. One way of achieving this is by isolating the substance that is directly related to causing the health issue. An example is how foreign proteins can cause increased occurrence of food elated allergies. Technology can be applied to allow for food production in a natural way as much as possible to reduce exposure to the synthetics. This can be achieved by technology in such a way that instead of altering their genetic makeup, the environment can be controlled to ensure mass production of food. In addition, the Food Regulatory Authority (FDA) should regulate the amount of additives and preservatives in foods. Another preventive measure is that people should be encouraged to buy natural foods rather than the processed foods especially in the diet of children. This will minimize the exposure to synthetic food stuffs and thus reduce associated effects. This defines the research question as whether if the genetically modified foods are tightly regulated and kept safe for human consumption they can be an answer to global hunger. New Research Genetically modified food use the technology in enhancing food productivity and reducing food toxins by alteration of their genetic makeup (Zarrilli, 2005). In the earlier days, new genes were introduced in the genetic makeup to give the desired effect. These genes may have been partly responsible for altering food metabolism, thus, affecting the major organs (liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal disturbances. However, new research material and advanced technology have enabled alteration of the existing genes to improve food production. This reduces the risk of introducing new protein molecules that may cause undesired effects on humans. Refined Research Question: Do genetically modified foods cause an increase in health issues and what can be done to avert the situation. Can genetically modified foods be rendered safe for human consumption? Hypothesis; Are the inserted genes in genetically modified foods responsible for health risks to humans and how this situation be improved? Research Designs There are two main research designs that are applied in a study; qualitative tests and quantitative tests (Gramatikov, 2010). Qualitative Approach In this scenario, the study undertakes descriptive, detailed events of the research being undertaken. Another benefit of qualititative research approach is that it can be used for a generalized study. Due to the widened area of research, the person conducting the study is able to collect a lot of data which will provide a rich source of information. This is especially beneficial in an area which is new or an area which is surrounded with much controversy. The main disadvantage with this type of research is that the findings are subjective to the subjects and it is hard to draw a direct conclusion. Quantitative Approach In this type of research design, the researcher utilizes numerical data to analyse the situation. This research is only possible if the research parameters are well defined and a numerical presentation is possible (Gramatikov, 2010). The major advantage with this approach is that statistics provide an easy way to draw a clearly defined conclusion. The main disadvantage is that the context of the study that cannot be expressed numerically is ignored. Research Process-methodology The research should take a mixed method research. Mixed research method will allow the investigator to collect data without any limitations to scope as synthetic foods are still relatively new to the market. The study would involve taking data and gathering information about all the possible health issues that arise from synthetic foods and the components responsible. A mixed research method would suit the study as there is a wide area of study that would involve identifying synthetic components causing health problems and the particular health issues involved. This would require the use of qualitative research method in order to gather all the information without the limitations of statistics. Quantitative research allows for quantification of data. An example is in quantifying the prevalence rates that are exhibited by the health issues. This can be obtained by obtaining hospital data for a given group of people for a specified period of time. Ethics section The ethics standard include four main principles. These include informed consent, confidentiality, safety, and honesty when giving results (Resnik, 2011). Informed consent Before a new product is passed safe for human consumption, intensive tests are done to establish its safety. This requires participation of volunteers. The ethics committee does not allow the institution carrying out the study to pay the volunteers. The process of enrolling must be free and the volunteers must not be subdued into participating in the study. The volunteers are supposed to give their free willed permission. In order to do that, the institution is charged with the mandate to explain how the study will be carried out and any negative or positive effects that the individuals may experience. Informed consent is given when the participants are fully aware of what they are engaging in and any negative effects they may suffer. For this reason, some group of people who are considered as vulnerable are exempted from such studies as they cannot give a free informed consent. Such groups of people include the armed forces under command, young people, the poor, and people with mental disorders. Safety The products are first tested with animal species before the human trials begin. In this case, the metabolic effects produced from the product are compared in different animal species. Some animal species, especially the rats are considered to have a similar metabolism process with humans. Thus, if no adverse effects are observed in animals, trials can be consented to the human level. The product must also be very beneficial in order to reach the human trial stage. Any harmful effects arising from the test products should be anticipated and victims treated immediately and testing discontinued if the tests are more harmful than beneficial. Confidentiality This is aimed at protecting the participants of the study. The volunteers should remain anonymous and the results should be recorded in such a way that they do not reveal their identity. This is because making such information public can lead to the victimization of the participants. In many cases, the research participants are identified by use of coded characters. Any personal information about the participants should be kept hidden. Honesty This is the act of providing accurate results as obtained from the study and reporting any fatalities that may occur. This is usually the hardest standard to meet. Implementing the ethical standards The implementation of these standards is not easy. Close supervision is one of the strategies that can be applied to ensure that the standards are met (Resnik, 2011). Honesty in results taking can be ensured by having independent investigators also collecting the data. Safety and protection of the volunteers are achieved by having medical personnel whose primary goal is to the volunteers. Conclusion Genetically modified foods were aimed at solving the world hunger. It involves mass production of top quality foods by the use of technology. However, a lot of controversy about their safety has always been a blocking block. This is due to a number of health issues that have markedly increased since the introduction of synthetic foods. The most prevalent issues include ADHD, which is associated with young children and it can progress into their adulthood. Another prevalent health issue associated with artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame is cancer, which can be fatal. Food allergies are also prevalent and they result from protein structure alteration. GM foods can be rendered healthy by reducing the amounts of preservative and dyes. Regulation of synthetic components by the FDA can help in minimizing the risks of exposure. References American Cancer Society (A.C.S). (2011). Aspartame and Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/othercarcinogens/athome/aspartame Breggin, P. R,. (2011). A Misdiagnosis, Anywhere. The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/12/are-americans-more-prone-to-adhd/adhd-is-a-misdiagnosis Gramatikov, M., & Tilburg Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Civil Law and Conflict Resolution Systems. (2010). A handbook for measuring the costs and quality of access to justice. Apeldoorn: Maklu. Kanarek, R.B. (2011). Artificial Food Dyes and Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder. Resnik, B. D. (2011). What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis/ Smith, J.M,. (2014). Genetically Modified Foods Unsafe? GM Foods and Allergies. Global Research. http://www.globalresearch.ca/genetically-modified-foods-unsafe-evidence-that-links-gm-foods-to-allergic-responses-mounts/7277 Zarrilli, S., & United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2005).International trade in GMOs and GM products: National and multilateral legal frameworks. New York: United Nations. Read More