One of the most urgent problems the world is currently facing is the spread of GMOs. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) include microbes, plants, animals, and other organisms whose genetic composition has been altered using genetic engineering or transgenic technology in a lab, as defined by researcher and non-GMO advocate Marabelli, R (Marabelli, 2005). Bioengineers, in simple terms, extract DNA from a test subject and alter it to improve its performance. Examples of genetically modified (GM) foods include those bred to increase size and colour. It is admirable that bioengineers are working to make food look better, but what about the potentially dangerous substances they are also adding? Bioengineers are altering plant stem DNA to make them toxic to pests, but this is not thought to harm humans. Would you like to eat an enormous fruit that, after being digested, eliminated bugs? Businesses are only trying to manipulate the food market and endanger consumers’ health by releasing GMOs into the environment. People must know the risks associated with GMOs; thus, they must be labelled as such.
Products derived from crops have always been organic. Before then, leftover seed from plants was used to cultivate crops. Now that GMOs have introduced foreign DNA into the modern world, humans face new dangers. Most foods that contain GMOs have yet to have their safety determined. Biochemists cannot guarantee that GMOs will have no harmful consequences, and current technology cannot check the food’s safety. Biotechnology advocates argue that genetic modification could improve the health benefits of various foods. This means people can acquire all the necessary vitamins from a single diet. Getting all your vitamins from a single food product could be convenient, but then our meals would no longer be natural. Food containing GMOs can potentially increase cancer rates, allergy rates, and immune system dysfunction. The preliminary research results were discussed in an article by Aslaksen, I., and Myhr, I., published in 2007. Aslaksen claimed that “immune system breakdown” resulted from feeding GM potatoes to rats (Aslaksen & Myhr, 2007). Why should we allow food to contain GMOs when we know they are bad for animals and us?
Clean water, air, and soil are essential for plant growth, but GMO contamination of organic crops in the last decade has devastated environmental protection efforts and the organic farming industry. In order to help reduce environmental damage, biochemists promise that GMO crops will be immune to harmful insects and pesticides. However, the resistant genes introduced into the crops may quickly spread throughout the ecosystem. The introduction of genes into crops has led to the development of superweeds and insects. The bug now produces the poison because biotechnology has altered the ecosystem, eliminating beneficial insects (Chainark, 2008).
One of the most important tenets of organic farming, preventing contamination and maintaining cleanliness, is severely compromised by Transgenic crops. The wind disperses GE plant seeds, which contaminate wild vegetation. Both genetically modified and organic crops are vulnerable to contamination. Buffer zones have been set up between GMO cultivation and organic farming to prevent cross-contamination, yet it still occurs (Ciliberti & Molinelli, 2005). If damage has been done to a farmer’s land, it cannot be returned to its previous condition. The areas where GM crops are grown are contaminated with GMO pollen. There will be GMO contamination once GM crops are planted. The organic farming industry will be wiped out due to genetic contamination. Planting organic vegetables is the only way to stop genetically modified organisms from taking over the world.
Financially motivated biotechnology conglomerates are imposing GM crops on the world. Many countries’ agricultural sectors have undergone reforms to increase output and make the sector more reliant on domestic businesses. In a future where multinational corporations rule the agricultural sector, both consumers and farmers will see diminishing returns from mass production, while agribusinesses like Monsanto reap the vast majority of the financial benefits. Soybean products sold by the Monsanto Corporation require three to four times as many herbicides as those from non-GM crops (Domingo, 2007).
The Monsanto family stands to profit greatly from the sale of unavailable seed varieties to all farmers. The entire global food sector will be under the hands of these multinational conglomerates. If all the food in the world is genetically modified (GM) or made from GM crops, we will no longer have access to healthy organic food. Now, everyone must eat genetically modified organisms. The few surviving authentic seeds on Earth would be hoarded by industries, which would then likely start selling them. These businesses do not care about enhancing public health or eliminating global hunger. These businesses only care about creating tons of money for themselves (Ewen & Pusztai, 1999). The strongest defence against corporate deceit and fake food products is a global ban on genetically modified organisms.
Some Americans may be eating GMOs without realizing it since they are pervasive in our food supply. All foods should be labelled, and people should be free to choose whether or not they consume foods that have been genetically modified. Most of the United States’ most important crops were produced using genetically modified organisms. Ninety-one percent of American-grown corn is genetically modified. Due to the widespread consumption of maize-based goods, all GM foods must be clearly labelled for the safety of consumers. Labelling satisfies consumers’ right to information. Those who do not wish to eat foods from genetically modified crops can look for those products marked as such. Corporations will lose money if they continue to push genetically modified foods, but consumers will stop buying them once they realize the risks. The detrimental effects of eating GM food will only be noticed if people are educated about them (Séralini, Cellier, & De Vendomois, 2007). Educating the public about GMOs’ effects on food and the environment is important.
Lastly, this is necessary to prevent the hidden agenda of large corporations. So that people in the United States can avoid consuming potentially dangerous foods, GMOs should be labelled. As we do not yet know the long-term detrimental effects of each GMO product, its use should be prohibited worldwide. Eating these GE crops could harm our health and should be avoided. Eating something without knowing what chemicals have been put into it is risky. Industry claims that GMOs are not the solution to world hunger. Hunger can only be eradicated once humanity masters the art of sharing. There is enough food to go around, and if people make the right decisions, we can feed the globe despite the rising population and shifting environment. Ultimately, it comes down to helping those in need and avoiding greed. As there is already enough food to feed the world’s hungry, genetically modified organisms are not one of the solutions to world poverty. Avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has more benefits than using GMOs. More education on GMOs could lead to a ban on them, which would be good for everyone’s health and help the world move toward becoming a greener, more prosperous place.
References
Aslaksen, I., & Myhr, I. (2007). ”The worth of a wildflower”: Precaus-tionary perspectives on the environmental risk of GMOs. Ecol Econ, 60, 489-97.
Chainark, P. (2008). Availability of genetically modified feed ingredient II: investigations of ingested foreign DNA in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Fisheries Science, 74, 380-390.
Ciliberti, R., & Molinelli, A. (2005). Towards a GMO discipline: Ethicalremarks. Vet Res Commun, 29, 27-30.
Domingo, J. (2007). Toxicity studies of genetically modified plants: a review of the published literature. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 721-33.
Ewen, S., & Pusztai, A. (1999). Effect of diets containing genetically modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine. Lancet, 1353-4.
Marabelli, R. (2005). Aspects Connected with the Enforcement of the EU Provisions on Genetically Modified Organisms. Vet ResCommun, 19-26.
Séralini, G., Cellier, D., & De Vendomois, J. (2007). A new analysis of a rat feeding study with a genetically modified maize reveals signs of hepatorenal toxicity. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol, 596-602.
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