Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods Essay

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The most wonderful activity a human being can experience is new flavors and foods. For example, the first time a person tastes a delicious juicy piece of prime rib or a delightful hamburger with cheese and ham, his world is never the same. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the production of food has been supplemented by science. This has triggered an angry dispute between the people who support the advances of biotechnology and people who love nature. In order to understand the controversy, we have to know the meaning of genetically modified foods. With new technological advances, scientists can modify seeds from a conventional seed to a high tech seed with shorter maturation times and†¦show more content†¦The key is in the production. The growth of GM crops is faster than the conventional seeds. For that reason, farmers can produce more and more. These seeds are resistant to cold and hot weather and have more chances to resist d ryness than the others. Also, these crops are herbicide resistant; that means that farmers can spray with herbicide and defeat the weeds without altering the crop. For that reason, a lot of money is saved by the reduced use of pesticides, and the cost of production is benefited. Almost 8.25 millions farmers all over the world planted genetically modified seeds in 2004, compared to 7 million in 2003, said the international Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)(â€Å"Biotech† 1). In addition to the strong production, as John B. Alfred, a professor in the department of food science and technology at Ohio State University, said, â€Å"These foods are as safe and nutritious as their conventional counterparts†(Alfred 1). These GM plants are modified to produce proteins that plants would not produce by natural means. They grow up with built-in Vitamin A that prevents blindness in people who have Vitamin A deficiency. Scientists have also created GM potatoes which absorb less oil when fried. That means less fat in the potato, converting popular french fries from junk food to nutritious and healthy food. Scientists have also developed an apple with a built-in vaccine which prevents childhood pneumonia (â€Å"GM Food† 1). These are onlyShow MoreRelatedPros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Food1421 Words   |  6 PagesFood, we need it to survive and thrive. Food is our source of nutrition and energy. When we consume food and water, our body breaks food down into tiny particles and sends the nutrients throughout our bodies through blood. This is called digestion. According to science, nutrients are one of the four requirements of life for all human beings. Every day, we are faced with choices about our foods. Do we eat fast food, healthy, organic or non-organic? Should we eat genetically modified foods and howRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Foods1960 Words   |  8 Pages Over seventy-five percent of the foods that are buy in grocery stores contain a genetically modified ingredient. Humans have been domesticating plants ever since 11,000 BCE. Scientists have been breeding plants together with traits that are considered beneficial to humans and trying to intensify the traits that help humans survive. By altering the genetic structure directly, scientists can efficiently give it specific traits in a more controlled environment and avoid the hit or miss aspect of naturallyRead MoreGenetically Modified Food - Pros Cons2979 Words   |  12 PagesApril 2012 Genetically Modified Food: World Wide Panacea or â€Å"Frankenfood† to Fear? Never before in history has mankind so masterfully commanded its food chain. Thousands of years ago, much of our species made the leap from a hunter-gatherer level of subsistence to an agricultural society. With agriculture, slowly but surely many modifications were made to plants and animals used and domesticated by us for the purpose of feeding ourselves. New specialized varieties with specific desirable traitsRead MorePros and Cons of Genetically Modified Food Essays589 Words   |  3 PagesPros and Cons of genetically modified food, or GMOs Genetically modified foods are a types of foods that have been genetically changed, to add or get rid of an unwanted trait in a food. For example, seedless oranges. This is a type of orange that is genetically modified (had tits genes changed) specifically so it would grow without seeds. Many foods are genetically modified today. Oranges, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and many others have had their genes changed. In fact, the average personRead MorePros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Foods2687 Words   |  11 PagesGenetically modified organisms, GMOs for short, are becoming more popular in food around the world. Scientists take genes from some different organisms to add different qualities to specific crops, like corn. With that, however, comes many unfaced challenges like the cross fertilization of natural and modified organisms, resistence to pesticides, and health complications, to name a few. As GMOs are becoming more widespread, it is also becoming more evident that thei r presence is hazardous and theyRead MorePros and Cons of Genetically Modified Foods2267 Words   |  10 Pagesdomesticated animals later and then selectively bred both plants and animals to meet various requirements for human food. Humans discovered natural biological processes such as fermentation of fruits and grains to make wine and beer, and yeast for baking bread. Manipulation of foods is not a new story, therefore. The latest agricultural discovery uses genetic engineering technology to modify foods. Farmers and plant breeders have been changing crop plants to improve characteristics such as size, resistanceRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Foods1809 Words   |  8 PagesAs the spread of commercialized genetically modified foods (GMF) products rise, the number of people exposed to genetically modified foods incline globally. The term genetically modified foods can be used interchangeably with transgenic foods, genetically engineered crops (GE) and Recombinant DNA technology and therefore defined as the enhancement of foods in which a gene of interest from one organism is extracted and inserted into the target organisms. (1) The genes of interest may be cells fromRead MoreEssay on Pros And Cons of Genetically Modified Foods3322 Words   |  14 Pagespossible benefits, from helping farmers, to improving foods, to helping the environment, to helping sick people. Genetic engineering may even one day be used to help solve world hunger. However, it also has its dang ers and risks, which need to be considered along with its benefits. The fact that not everything is known about genetic engineering, and that large corporations use it to make a profit, is scary to many people. The recent technology of genetically engineering crops, plants, and animals, whichRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of The Labeling Of Genetically Modified Foods918 Words   |  4 Pagesthan 70% of packaged foods contain GMO in the US market, there are no regulations to mandate the labeling of GM foods by the US government. Currently, the US federal government does not require any mandatory labeling of GM foods, unless the nutrition of GM foods has been changed or some toxins and allergens have been added to the GM foods (McLure). According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (â€Å"FDA†), there are also no mandatory programs to regulate foods from genetically engineered (â€Å"GE†) plantsRead MoreGenetically Modified Foods, Pros and Cons persuasive essay.1883 Wo rds   |  8 Pagesoverpowers the bad. Many experts argue that Genetically Modified foods are actually beneficial to, not only people, but animals, plants, and the world overall. Some experts even state that, not only are they beneficial, but that they also protect the environment and aid food productivity. Most farmers actually recommend GMO’s because they are easier to grow, maintain, and tend to be more profitable; however, countless other experts have come to realize that GMO foods are untested, unsafe, and unhealthy.