Genetically Modified Foods: April 2013

Monday, April 8, 2013

Annotated Bibliography

Fitzpatrick, Brad. "Frankenbucks: are genetically modified crops a threat to wildlife populations, and to the health of those of us who eat them?" Outdoor LifeApr. 2013: 52.Student Edition. Web. 5 Apr. 2013.

This source is credible and it tells of the damage done to wildlife due to GM crops. This source is also featured on a scholarly database which makes it even more credible. It also states an exact statement from a doctor has conducted research himself.

"Monsanto, a major producer of the genetically modified (GMO) crop seeds that have revolutionized agriculture in the United States in the last 30 years."National Review 22 Apr. 2013: 11.Student Edition. Web. 4 Apr. 2013.

This source is credible due to its history on Monsanto. It tells of the different factors associated within this company. This source is also located on a scholarly database so I doubt it is not credible.

Philpott, Tom. "Longest-running GMO study finds tumors in rats."Mother Earth News Apr.-May 2013: 13.Student Edition. Web. 4 Apr. 2013.

This source is credible due to the extensive research ran. It is also published by a scholarly database so I highly doubt it’s not credible. This source also gives various measurements.

Stiles, Smiley. "Starting locally."Mother Earth News Apr.-May 2013: 11.Student Edition. Web. 4 Apr. 2013.

This source is credible because it published through Gale so it is reliable. This source is more towards the organic side of production, but it still offers useful information. I doubt they would risk their credibility over a misdocumentation.

Turner, Lisa. "Eco-friendly eating: simple and clear-cut ways to choose foods that go easy on the earth." Better Nutrition Apr. 2013: 18. Student Edition. Web. 5 Apr. 2013.

This source is credible because it is published under a nonbiased counterpart. It tells of how 80 percent of the crops in the United States are GM foods. This source is also credible due to this being a scholarly database.

Whitman, Deborah. Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful? ProQuest, April 2000. Web. 01 April 2013.

This source is credible because the author goes through many various sources as well as some research herself. The information provided by this is directly associated with the topic itself. It is also listed in a nonbiased manner.

Draft #2

Disadvantages to Genetically Modified Foods

Many people have consumed a genetically modified food without actual knowledge to doing so. With over 80 percent of the food grown in the United States being genetically modified, I’m pretty sure that everyone has at least had one encounter with a GMF. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, we have all had some type of experience with this food. So if we’re eating something that could potentially harm us as well as the environment shouldn’t we be aware? Well many environmental activists, religious organizations, and public interests groups have all raised concerns about GMFs.

The first concern, environmental hazards has a lot to do with cross-pollination and reduced effectiveness of pesticides. When geneticists engineer a genetically modified species, it doesn’t just stay in the lab to look pretty; they actually send it on its way to do its purpose. So therefore, it’s outside amongst other species that were not the victims of gene transfer. Even though many species have nothing to do with gene transfer, they are still affected by the process of pollination. The next concern that is held in high regards is human health risks. Many people, especially children, have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. So if geneticists are taking different genes and introducing them to species that aren’t of any relation to the gene, then couldn’t that create new allergies? Another concern that is associated with this process is the fact that many effects on human health remain unknown. There have been many experiments that have been introduced to rats, and that has caused them to suffer from toxicity as well as alterations in their genetic makeup. In other words, we are eating foods that leave human health in the unknown as well leave us for being live species in a scientists’ petri dish.

Draft #1

Advantages to Genetically Modified Foods

Another factor that GMFs have that will support this growing population is the different tolerances it holds against various environmental factors such drought, salinity, and pests. Because as the world’s population increases more and more land will be used towards housing individuals instead of farming, so the crops that can’t withstand the torture associated with the areas that are most likely to not to develop into housing areas are the places that our crops will be grown. For example, GMFs are engineered to withstand extremely salty soil, killer weeds and pests, and extremely long drought periods.

One last factor that I found to be incredibly striking was the fact that GMFs are being used for medicines and vaccines in third world countries! Since most of the vaccines/medicines that are made (to date) require special storage and temperature conditions that many third world countries lack, geneticists have engineered edible vaccines that are in tomatoes in potatoes. It sounds a little weird, but once I put some actual thought into it; tomatoes and potatoes are incredibly easy to ship, store, and give out. This is an ideal invention because if majority of the people in third world countries suffer from malnutrition, then it would be a little hard to find a vein or perfect area to administer injectable vaccines.

Why Aren't GMFs Labeled? -Rebuttal

The labeling of GMFs and its various food products has been an extremely controversial issue. Many industries believe that labeling these foods should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of a free market. If majority of the consumers show preference for labeled food over the non-labeled foods then the companies will have a reason to include the labels on their products. Many people argue that they have the right to know what they are eating and that the companies in food industry need to prove themselves as being in compliance with the FDA regulations.

There are a wide variety of questions that fall behind these statements. The first questions is whether or not the consumers are willing to pay for the cost of labeling GMFs since there will need to be a sorting process taking place between the GMFs from the non-GMFs. Another thing is that the farmers will have to keep the genetically modified crops from mixing with the normal crops during planting, harvesting, and shipping. So it is more than likely that the consumers WILL pick up these tabs, so are they ready for that?

Another issue that comes into play is whether or not cross-contamination will be acceptable once these labeling requirements come into play. Most companies would argue that there would need to be a 1% acceptance rate, while the consumers argue that there should be a 0% acceptance rate, which is near impossible considering the amount of human error taken into account on a regular basis. Some companies such a Gerber and Frito-Lay pledge to never use GMFs, but if they did it’s not like we would know it and neither would they if there not the ones growing and inspecting the crops.

The final issue is who would be responsible for educating the public considering that GMF labels will most likely be printed in scientific terms in order to be considered accurate. Because once looked upon at a closer view…food labels must be conveyed to display accurate information, but they need to be in a simple language that everyone can understand. So if this in itself is a HUGE challenge for the companies to stay in compliance with the different policies of food labeling, but they also have to inform the public in a simple language that doesn’t damage their credentials so it’s kind of one of those near impossible things to do when looked at from a non-biased point of view.

Why Aren't GMFs labeled?

Many questions arise when people start talking about labeling GMFs. The first question is what would actually happen if GMFs were actually labeled? Would people buy the food or would the companies lose big money for doing the right thing? In the eyes of most, the most important factor that has something to do with genetically modified foods has something to do with money.

First of all, farmers would have to keep up tabs on which crop is genetically modified and on which crop is not. It is also one of those things where if it was taken into play, then the consumers would be the ones to pick up the tab and have to pay higher prices for their groceries. Secondly, even if the products were labeled we wouldn’t be able to tell if they were GMFs or not; because the crops look exactly the same as that of something normal. I mean even if they pledge to have a zero tolerance, who’s going to be right beside them holding their hand if they decide to it anyway? No one, because the FDA doesn’t have the resources to carry out such testing to ensure compliance. So it’s kind of like what’s the point? If we cannot tell whether a crop is a GMF or not then we will most likely not know once the labels are put on; the only thing that will make that much of a difference is the increase of money that will be needed to pay for the groceries due to the labeling of these products.

Finally, the public will need to know how to read these labels if they are placed on the food. Because labels are meant to display correct information, so therefore the labels will need to be designed in a simple language that everyone can understand. So the major issue is how can the companies label the products to display accurate information without messing up the credentials behind the actual makeup of GMFs. So it’s one of those situations where we, as a public, want to be informed about what we’re eating, but we don’t want to pay the additional money that will be brought from the labeling of the food, nor will we be able to recognize the differences between whether it’s GMF or not.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

A Little More Knowledge About Genetically Modified Food-Rebuttal

Disadvantages to Genetically Modified Foods

The first concern, environmental hazards has a lot to do with cross-pollination and reduced effectiveness of pesticides. When geneticists engineer a genetically modified species, it doesn’t just stay in the lab to look pretty; they actually send it on its way to do its purpose. So therefore, it’s outside amongst other species that were not the victims of gene transfer. Even though many species have nothing to do with gene transfer, they are still affected by the process of pollination. For example, a lab study was published in Nature that shows how the pollen from a genetically engineered species of B.t corn, caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Yes, I know caterpillars eat milkweed, not corn; but the pollen from the B.t corn was being introduced to other species of plants by the wind and other insects which caused cross pollination amongst many species. And unfortunately, for the caterpillars, as well as other larvae species, B.t toxins act indiscriminately; it cannot be altered.

The next concern that is held in high regards is human health risks. Many people, especially children, have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. So if geneticists are taking different genes and introducing them to species that aren’t of any relation to the gene, then couldn’t that create new allergies? My answer is yes, it could and they could be life-threatening as well because if they took a gene from a peanut and inserted it into a strawberry then there will be no possible way of knowing that this has occurred since GMFs are not labeled. Another concern that is associated with this process is the fact that many effects on human health remain unknown. There have been many experiments that have been introduced to rats, and that has caused them to suffer from toxicity as well as alterations in their genetic makeup. In other words, we are eating foods that leave human health in the unknown as well leave us for being live species in a scientists’ petri dish.

So when will be informed of the potential disaster that could possibly happen when faced with GMFs? We honestly cannot say because like I said earlier, it’s as though we ourselves are being looked upon as specimens in a petri dish. Scientists are just waiting to see the outcome of their delightful experiments and so far no one has been able to do anything about it.

A Little More Knowledge about GMFs

Advantages to Genetically Modified Foods

Since the world population continues to grow over a staggering 6 billion people and is predicted to double to a whopping 12 billion in the next 50 years, coming up with an adequate food supply to feed all of these people is a MUST! So even though genetically modified foods are considered Frankenstein, they can also be considered for the number of benefits they house as well. One beneficial factor that GMFs house is the key to stop malnutrition; Malnutrition is one issue that many countries, especially those who are that of a third world country, face. Many people in third world countries rely on a single crop such as rice for the main part of their diet. So it’s pretty hard for them to get all of the necessary nutrients for them to survive and refrain from malnutrition. So if all of the rice grown in this country is genetically engineered to contain all of the necessary nutrients that is needed to prevent malnutrition, then malnutrition along with many other problems could virtually disappear.

Another factor that GMFs have that will support this growing population is the different tolerances it holds against various environmental factors such drought, salinity, and pests. Because as the world’s population increases more and more land will be used towards housing individuals instead of farming, so the crops that can withstand the torture associated with the areas that are most likely to not to develop into housing areas are the places that our crops will be grown. For example, GMFs are engineered to withstand extremely salty soil, killer weeds and pests, and extremely long drought periods. So with GMFs being able to do this, which means we can grow crops in undesirable areas for housing and not waste any food since they are engineered to withstand environmental situations from wherever they are placed.

One last factor that I found to be incredibly striking was the fact that GMFs are being used for medicines and vaccines in third world countries! Since most of the vaccines/medicines that are made (to date) require special storage and temperature conditions that many third world countries lack, geneticists have engineered edible vaccines that are in tomatoes in potatoes. It sounds a little weird, but once I put some actual thought into it…tomatoes and potatoes are incredibly easy to ship, store, and give out. This is an ideal invention because if majority of the people in third world countries suffer from malnutrition, then it would be a little hard to find a vein or perfect area to administer injectable vaccines.

In conclusion, I must say that overall GMFs aren’t that bad! They have extraordinary characteristics than that of a regular fruit/vegetable. And with the growing population they are ideal to have since most of the good farmland will more than likely go towards housing. Moreover, GMFs give are engineered to give a perfect balance of nutrients to those who lack the resources to obtain these nutrients regularly as well as treat them once they become sick. So how can we not love GMFs? Afterall, they seem to be what will save us in the future once the world starts to become overpopulated.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

What are Genetically Modified Foods- Rebuttal

Genetically modified foods, GMFs, is a terminology that is most commonly used to describe crops/plants that have been created for human consumption. These foods have been created in labs to enhance desired traits such as an increased tolerance for herbicides or an improved nutritional content. The enhancement of these desired traits is brought to life by genetic engineering. The geneticists that work behind the scenes of genetic engineering, are responsible for isolating a desired gene and inserting it into any crop that they desire. For example, a geneticist can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that same exact gene into another plant so that the newly modified plant will have drought tolerance as well. Kind of nifty, huh?

Well in a sense, it kind of is. But one of the craziest things about genetically modified foods is that geneticist can take genes from non-plant organisms and transfer them into plants that are meant for human consumption. For example, geneticists have taken B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis), a naturally occurring bacterium that is deadly to insect larvae, and inserted it into corn so that the corn will produce its own pesticides against certain insects. So once you think about it, it’s kind of like we’re putting all of these different pesticides and chemicals into our bodies because once a gene is placed in the genetic makeup of an organism that we consume, it’s kind of near impossible for it to be taken out, right?

But it’s okay, because you’re probably one of those people who reads all of the labels on your food before consuming it so it’s impossible for you to have come across a GMF. Unfortunately, what most people don’t know is that the FDA does not require companies that produce these genetically modified products to label them as just that. They can put a regular label on the food and not even hint to it even being genetically modified. Moreover, 80 percent of the crops grown in the United States are genetically modified, so therefore it is a high chance that every American has come into contact with a GMF at one point or another.

And if you’re one of those people who only eats locally grown food or food that comes straight out of your garden then it’s impossible for you to come into contact with GMFs, right? Wrong. GMF seeds have the tendency to spread with the wind. You could think that you are consuming all organically grown crops, when you are really consuming a GMF. Because GMFs aren’t weird alien like foods, they look just like the normal stuff. So unless you are a scientist or a professional “GMF picker” then I’m pretty sure you have consumed a GMF at one point in your life.

*The pictures throughout this blog are meant for my visual readers out there, because I know that it is easier to comprehend something with pictures due to me being a visual person myself. And plus it adds a little "pizzazz" to the blog! :)*

What are genetically modified foods?

When an average family sits around a dinner table to eat a wholesome meal, they don’t think about the possibilities of their food being mutated. Nor do they suspect that the food they are consuming could possibly kill them. Unfortunately, most Americans don’t because when they buy their food from the grocery store, it is usually an assumption that the food is traditionally grown on a farm with the usual traditional standards. Well truth behind the matter is that this type of assumption is only real in the organic world. When food is bought in a commercial grocery store, anything is fair game. So therefore, you are most likely consuming a food that has been genetically modified.

Now I’m pretty sure your next question is…what the heck is a genetically modified food or in other words a GMFs? Well GMFs are foods that have been modified by transferring genes from one organism to another in order to achieve more desirable traits. The desirable traits that are usually seeked after have something to do with pests’ resistance and nutrient rich foundations. They seek out the use of pests’ resistant traits so that many pests that are usually attracted to crops will not be able to damage them due to their new genetic makeup. Nutrient rich foundations are followed after so that nutrients that are hard to come by in regular foods can easily be obtained in the GMF due to the addition of it in the lab.

Now if you’re saying that there is NO way possible that I can be consuming genetically modified foods because I read all of my labels. Well I hate to bust your bubble, but 80 percent of the food consumed in the United States is genetically modified. The most common GMFs that Americans consume daily diets are soybeans, corn, tomatoes, and canola. However, you should not feel alone because many people fail to realize that they are consuming GMFs due to the FDA requiring the companies that produce these foods to label them as genetically modified.

So to make a quick recap over what you just read, YES you have most likely been victimized by the GMF system without even realizing it. And if you’re one of those people who grows all of their fruits and vegetables, unless you make every single item you consume from scratch, you have been victimized too. Because most commercially ran companies such as Heinz, General Mills, etc. use GMFs due to them being cheaper than the good, organic wholesome stuff! J But don’t feel ashamed because like I said earlier, most people have been victimized by the GMF system and haven’t even realized it.