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- Written By: Diana Bocco
- Edited By: Bronwyn Harris
- Last Modified Date: 27 January 2012
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2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation
Genetically engineered food, also known as Genetically Modified or GM food, is food that has been altered at the genetic level to produce a better tasting, longer lasting, or more resistant product. Vegetables and other crops are the most common type of genetically engineered food. Corn, for example, has been altered to be naturally insect-resistant, while tomatoes have been modified to slow down the rotting process. Genetically engineered food has its pros and cons, which include:
PROS
- Genetically engineered food is cost effective. Because it is designed to resist pests and prosper under non-optimal conditions, it can also help people in areas where regular crops would not prosper. Large savings in production may lead to financial gain and help fight poverty.
- Genetically engineered food can be naturally pest-resistant and thus reduce the need for additional chemicals, pesticides, and other dangerous additives.
- Genetically engineered food may help reduce world hunger, at least in theory. As new species are altered to grow faster or more effectively, they can be used to feed poor nations or chosen for countries where crops may not normally prosper because of less than desirable environmental conditions. Some companies now claim to be producing crops that can help against certain diseases or provide specific nutrients, such as milk proteins and iron, which would otherwise not be available to some populations.
CONS
- Genetically engineered food is too new for us to know if it may have an effect on the human body. Modifying the essence of a food may also alter the dynamics of it in ways not known. Since many of the alterations include adding chemical properties to the crops, some people fear what effect those same chemicals may have on us.
- Poor countries will not have easy access to genetically engineered food unless directly given to them, which means that the world's richest nations will control the market. This may result in a high dependency on the side of the poor nations, which will in turn lead to a broken economy.
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anon220482
Post 47 |
You can't build a peaceful world on empty stomachs and human misery. — Dr. Norman Ernest Borlaug (1914-2009) |
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anon220479
Post 46 |
how do we feed 7 billion people? |
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anon179521
Post 45 |
Could you please name one or two crops that have been genetically modified to produce a better tasting product? Here's a harder one - a more nutritious product? As far as I can tell through all research avenues, the most common Genetic Modification - like 99.99 percent - is the addition of a bacteria gene to the plant's genetic material to allow the use of Monsanto's RoundUp - a genetic defoliant, which kills any plant that does not have the bacteria gene. Best example would be the "Canola" plant - a commercial name which is short for Canadian Oil, given to the Rape Seed plant to hide its real identity. The Rape Seed plant had never before been used to produce an edible oil - being used instead as an industrial machinery penetrating oil and a glossifier in printing inks. One would thus suspect that its genetic modification would have something to do with making it edible for humans. One would be wrong. It is still an inedible oil and should not be consumed by humans, but it can be sprayed with RoundUp and not die, which is its only genetic modification. Monsanto paid the Canadian Government Big time to promote Canola Oil as a health food - in fact, there's a good chance that all the hype about Omega3 fatty acids being the newest miracle food on the block, is entirely due to the fact that its the only thing they have been able to find in Canola oil that is not toxic. A wise Geek does his homework before promoting anything, unless the wise simply stands for the ability of getting the best commercial advertisers to pay for your site. Monsanto (or whatever the company has renamed itself this year) pays big time for ads and "no questions asked" customers. |
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anon168646
Post 44 |
the few things that were written were somewhat helpful. but i would have like to see more pros as well as cons. |
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anon157211
Post 39 |
Not enough info for the pros. But thanks anyway. i guess. |
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anon157116
Post 38 |
Thanks. this helped for my school essay. |
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anon155551
Post 37 |
if anyone needs another con, genetically modified crops kill animals all the time. For example, they killed over 1000 Monarch caterpillars in one season because of their 'bug Repellent' modification. Don't quote me on that. look it up yourself. |
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anon137147
Post 32 |
Watch "The Future of Our Food" from National Geographic channel. On Netflix right now. That is loaded with information about how the DNA of seeds are altered and with what. They have to use a e. cholea DNA gene along with a couple other DNA genes to alter seeds to be what the chemists want. It is eye opening. |
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anon130493
Post 31 |
Con GM foods produce their own pesticides. how can that be good for humans? FDA scientists found GMOs could lead to allergies, toxins, disease, and nutritional problems. American Academy of Environmental Medicine cites horrific results of gmo animal feeding studies including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, organ damage, and gastrointestinal disorders. |
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anon126894
Post 27 |
i think they are not safe. if the antibiotic genes inserted into most Gm foods were to transfer, it could create a super disease. Because they are resistant to antibiotics! |
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anon104049
Post 21 |
That was so helpful! Thank you so much! I really needed the cons for my debate! |
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anon82399
Post 18 |
thanks. i really needed those last points for my debate. |
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anon82027
Post 17 |
Thanks anon20523! I needed more cons. lol. |
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anon80640
Post 14 |
Not enough cons! |
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anon80370
Post 13 |
This was very helpful for my project on genetically engineered crops pros and cons. |
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anon79194
Post 12 |
Wow, thanks! i needed it for a homework assignment! I got everything right! Thanks a lot. |
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anon75259
Post 11 |
In Africa, the current mass producing farmers are being threatened and murdered. There are calls to drive the farmers off the lands. In SA there is a revival of the public singing and condoning of the song 'shoot the boer (means farmer)' Is there a connection with genetically modified crops?
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anon73003
Post 10 |
I'm doing this for a school project and I've got to say that this has been a very helpful resource! Thanks a lot! |
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anon63772
Post 6 |
Thanks for the info! |
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anon20523
Post 1 |
Con -- GMO crops can lead to farmers using MORE pesticides and herbicides, not less, because the GMO crops can "handle it". Con -- Roundup ready soybeans have already led to "superweeds" that are resistant to all weed killers, and there will almost certainly be more superweeds because of this technology. Con -- "Superbugs" (resistant to pesticides) are also almost certain to develop, or already have developed because of gmo technology. Con -- Native, wild insects that live close to certain gmo crops (bt corn) are also killed. Con -- Humans can have severe allergic reactions to certain gmo foods (starlink corn). Con -- A very small number of large companies will control the seed supplies for the world. The seeds cannot be saved by individuals, which is a very important issue, especially in the third world. |
