Genetically Altered Food - Annotated Bibliography Example

Annotated Bibliography Genetically altered food Thesis ment: The argument by some that genetically altered foods are unsafe for human consumption though facing refutations has some truth in it. "Review: Safety And Nutritional Assessment Of GM Plants And Derived Food And Feed: The Role Of Animal Feeding Trials." Food And Chemical Toxicology 46.Safety and nutritional assessment of GM plants and derived food and feed: The role of animal feeding trials (2008): S2-S70. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. This is a report by EFSA dealing with the nutritional and safety assessment of derived foods and feeds including GM plants. The crucial parameters in the assessment included agronomic, compositional, phenotypic and molecular analysis, which helps in identification of differences and similarities in the genetically modified plants and their close non-GM counterparts. The assessment for safety focuses on 1) possible occurrence of unintended effects from GM plants due to genetic alteration and 2) presence and traits of new constituents, newly expressed proteins and likely changes in natural constituent levels over usual fluctuations, and on the traits of the GM foods and feeds. The article shows overview of studies on nutritional and safety assessment of whole feeds and foods. The review also discusses toxicology ‘in vitro’ and ‘in vivo’ test methods. Derived food and feed and the GM plants present in the market have undergone modification via the introduction of one or more genes (Food and chemical toxicology 2008). The introduced genes express themselves in ways including providing insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. Despite the introduction of the alterations, the plants do not show any evidence of alteration in basal and phenotype composition. The assessment for the safety of derived food and feed and the GM plants uses a comparative approach (Forman, 43). This is where comparison focuses on the similarities and differences existing between genetically modified organisms and their non-GM counterparts. This article is extremely crucial for my study. From this article, I will be able to support the argument that genetically altered foods are not safe for human consumption. The changes that have occurred with studies reviewed in the article are so crucial in supporting the thesis for the topic. Aziz Aris (a, b, c, ⁎), and (c) Samuel Leblanc. "Maternal And Fetal Exposure To Pesticides Associated To Genetically Modified Foods In Eastern Townships Of Quebec, Canada." Reproductive Toxicology 31.(2011): 528-533. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. In this article, the authors concern was the fetal and maternal exposure to gluphosinate (GLUF) and the associated metabolite, 3-methylphosphinicopropionic acid (3-MPPA) and Cyr1Ab protein, and glyphosate (GLYP) and the associated metabolite, aminomethyl phosphoric acid (AMPPA). The study tested the blood of thirty-nine non-pregnant women and thirty pregnant women. The study found glyphosate and gluphosinate in non-pregnant women but not in the pregnant ones. The study also found CryAb1 toxin and 3-MPPA in the blood of the non-pregnant women, pregnant ones and the fetuses. For a successful pregnancy, there should be an optimal exchange across the maternal-fetal unit. In addition to physiological constituents, exchange via the placenta involves substances such as xenobiotics including food additives, environmental pollutants, pesticides and drugs. Genetically modified plants have increased at a high rate since their introduction in Canada in the year 1996. Glufosinate, a broad-spectrum herbicide, contain 3-MPPA, which has the same toxicological and biological effects (Roseboro, Ken , 34). Gluphosinate inhibits glutamine synthetase, the enzyme necessary in detoxification of amino acids and production of the amino acid glutamine. In animals and humans, gluphosinate also inhibits the enzyme glutamine synthetase leading to increased ammonia and reduced glutamine. The researchers detected Cry1Ab toxin in 80% and 93% of fetal and maternal blood respectively, and, for non-pregnant women, they found 69% (Aziz and Samuel, 2011). This article is an extremely valuable resource for my research as not much research is available for reference on the topic. I will use the source to support the debate that genetically altered foods have negative effects to human life. Research should aim to unearth the puzzles of the issue to obtain credible information for consumers. BLACK, JANE. "As NATURE Made Them." Prevention 64.4 (2012): 82-89. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. In this article, Black tells of the ubiquitous presence of genetically altered foods in processed foods. Genetically modified foods possess laboratory-replicating genes from animals, other plants, and viruses. The author in addition, to processed foods includes unprocessed foods in the list. Since the year 1990 when genetically modified foods introduction took place, controversy about their safety has increased overtime. Black shows the debate between the supporters and critics of genetically altered foods. According to Black, a peer-reviewed research will help to delve into the safety question of the genetically modified products. The controversial proposal to label genetically altered foods receives focus in this article. Labelling the products would give consumers a choice to make when buying. The author advocates for clarity in the issues surrounding foods subjected to genetically modification. She suggests that people would be safe if they used natural foods more than the GM products. The article by Black also gives a study by researchers from the University of Sherbrooke Hospital found in Quebec. The study done in 20005 showed the presence of an insecticide in 93% of pregnant women (Black, 2012). According to researchers, genetically modified corn is the source of the insecticide. The author also mentions a poll conducted in 2010 by Thomson Reuters in America. About 90% of the Americans support labelling of the genetically modified foods, but few people were not aware of the presence of the foods in supermarkets (Ticciati, Laura, and Ticciati, Robin, 53). The author of this article presents the issue with up-to-date facts, which makes the source crucial for my research. I will use this article to show the raging controversy of the topic and give current facts about it. Devlieghere ,Frank, Luning, A. Pieternel, and Verhé Roland. Safety in the agri-food chain. Wageningen, the Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2006. Print. According to the authors of this book, we take in the genetic information (DNA) during meals. The book essentially deals with the safety of the foods produced by the present agricultural technology. The food we eat in most cases comes from cultivated plants. The genetic information present in the in the plant foods once in the body become broken down by digestion into basic molecules. Not all the DNA undergoes breakdown. Some of the unbroken DNA comes out of the body by excretion while some may enter the blood stream. Although research shows that only a small amount of DNA gets into the body through meals, it does not tell the toxicity associated with it (Eunice Chao and Daniel Krewski, 2008). The authors argue that the tests conducted on GM foods have not shown any positive effects on animals and, therefore, no effect expected on humans. The authors indicate the relationship between the dose and response using “Roundup Ready” plants, which tolerate glyphosate. In this case, the mice, which underwent testing receiving dosages of up to 572mg/kg body weight, did not experience any adverse effects (Devlieghere, Frank, Luning, A. Pieternel, and Verhé Roland, 237). The authors, however, also tell us that, there are studies, which have shown GM foods affecting animals negatively. This book is extremely crucial as it cites researches right from a few a years after the coming of the genetical engineering in plants, which are principal sources of human food. The book will be suitable in carrying out a literature review on the topic. I will use it as one of the fundamental sources. I will use it to show that a lack of complete information does not mean that genetically altered foods are safe for human use. Teitel, Martin, and Wilson Ann Kimberly. Genetically engineered food: Changing the nature of nature. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 2001. Print. Teitel and Wilson in their book tell us that autoimmune and allergic reactions are the results of genetic combinations. Skin diseases in food and farm workers are due to some genes used as plant pesticides. The authors deal entirely with the topic of the change due to genetic engineering of plants leading to the presence of genes in foods whose effects may be deleterious. The proposal to label genetically engineered products has received a rejection from many interested parties. For instance, Monsanto Company, which leads in, the venture of GM foods, influences the politics of GM foods. The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is a United Nations World Health Organization agency regulating food, has not supported the move to label the foods. Although the government of the United States has been sluggish in ensuring the labelling the genetically modified food products, individual states have moved ahead to address the citizens’ concerns. Although there is no action taken by the Codex and Convention on Biodiversity, some countries have gone a step ahead to protect their people from any potential deleterious effects of genetically altered food (Teitel, Martin, and Wilson Ann Kimberly, 74). Corporations concerned with setting the Codex standards include Bestfoods, Nestle Foods Procter and Gamble, Inc., Monsanto, Co and Mead Johnson. The Cartegena Protocol on Biosafety aims at addressing the control of the transfer of genetically altered foods from one country to another, which is a preventive strategy against any negative impacts of the foods (Martinez Laura Martinez-Carrasco, et al, 2009). This book is a valuable resource in my research on this controversial topic in showing the politics on the topic. At the same time, it will help me in backing the argument that genetically altered foods pose health problems. I will also base my argument on the facts in this book such as the role of corporations supporting genetically altered food use like Monsanto. Works Cited "Review: Safety And Nutritional Assessment Of GM Plants And Derived Food And Feed: The Role Of Animal Feeding Trials." Food And Chemical Toxicology 46.Safety and nutritional assessment of GM plants and derived food and feed: The role of animal feeding trials (2008): S2-S70. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Aziz Aris (a, b, c, ⁎), and (c) Samuel Leblanc. "Maternal And Fetal Exposure To Pesticides Associated To Genetically Modified Foods In Eastern Townships Of Quebec, Canada." Reproductive Toxicology 31.(2011): 528-533. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. BLACK, JANE. "As NATURE Made Them." Prevention 64.4 (2012): 82-89. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2012. Devlieghere ,Frank, Luning, A. Pieternel, and Verhé Roland. Safety in the agri-food chain. Wageningen, the Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2006. Print. Eunice Chao (⁎, 1), and (2) Daniel Krewski. "A Risk-Based Classification Scheme For Genetically Modified Foods I: Conceptual Development." Regulatory Toxicology And Pharmacology 52.(2008): 208-222. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Forman , E. Lillian . Genetically Modified Foods. Edina Minnesota USA: ABDO, 2009. Print. Ticciati, Laura, and Ticciati, Robin . Genetically engineered foods: are they safe? You decide. New York City : McGraw-Hill Professional , 1999. Print. Martinez Laura Martinez-Carrasco, et al. "Consumer-Perceived Risk Model For The Introduction Of Genetically Modified Food In Spain." Food Policy 34.(2009): 519-528. ScienceDirect. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. Roseboro, Ken .Genetically altered foods and your health. North Bergen, NJ: Basic Health Publications, Inc., 2004. Print. Teitel, Martin, and Wilson Ann Kimberly. Genetically engineered food: Changing the nature of nature. Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 2001. Print. Read More