Emmanuel Gonzalo Professor Lago College Writing 11/13/2013 Genetically Modified Foods

Gonzalo 1

Technology has affected everyone and the way they live their daily lives. When most think about technology they think about computers and other electronic gadgets. What many are not aware of is that technology can have a dark side. This dark side is when technology affects our health by eliminating the nutritional value of our foods. A majority of technologies do us good and help advance the human race but debatably genetically modified foods do not. These foods are terrible for our body and organs but many of us are highly uniformed on this matter. Consumers need to be more aware of what is going into their bodies. Genetically modified foods are a problem that a vast majority of the population is not aware of. Since the early 1990s scientists have been able to enhance the genetic make up of organisms. This enables crops engineered in a lab to be able to give off their own pesticides and have other abilities the crop would not normally have. While it truly is amazing science, most of the food we eat today is not natural. One of the main plants being modified is corn and it finds its way in a lot of the foods we eat. Someone might easily say just avoid corn and other possibly modified crops but it is not that simple. That corn can be in foods such as cereal and chips. It can also be in anything with high fructose corn syrup, which is in a lot of common foods. It can even be in meat due to that animal eating the modified crops.

Gonzalo 2 Other plants that are being modified the in the U.S. are canola, soybeans, cottons, sugar beets, alfalfa, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini and yellow squash. Today scientists are still not sure of the health effects this can impose on humans. One thing they are certain of is that they are not healthy for us. No real long term testing has been done. The FDA and USDA for some reason assume it is safe until proven otherwise. Independent scientists that discover any results must get approval from the corporations such as Monsanto before they can legally publish any findings. Those who attempt to publish studies with out permission are threatened. The safety studies conducted by the biotech industry are often dismissed by critics as superficial and designed to avoid finding problems. Tragically, scientists who voice their criticism, as well as those who have discovered incriminating evidence, have been threatened, stripped of responsibilities, denied funding or tenure, or fired(Smith). Lab tests performed on animals, such as rats, show that there are many unhealthy effects. These animals show that the bacteria from the genetically modified organisms do not fully digest but instead continue to harvest in the intestines. Scientists also acknowledge that little is known about the long-term safety of consuming food made from GM products(Godheja). Studies have also shown that infertility and other reproductive issues come up. They also heavily influence the risk of obesity in these animals. The corporations are the only ones who are allowed to perform standardized test but they up doing whatever tests they want. They also refuse to give out all information but say they are safe in their

Gonzalo 3 testing. The US government has not done its job in overseeing the testing of these products before they become available to consumers. Another known possible health effect is from the pesticides. They cause the stomachs of the insects eating them to split open. This same pesticide called Bacillus thuringiensis has been known to be the cause of death for many animals that graze from Bt plants. =Unlike regular pesticides that can be washed away, this cannot be since it is internal. Bt has cause many allergic reactions and flu like symptoms in humans. The overwhelming consensus among the FDA's own scientists was that GM foods were quite different and could lead to unpredictable and hard-to-detect allergens, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. They had urged superiors to require long-term studies, but were ignored(Smith). The issue with GMOs (genetically modified organisms) becomes more alarming when many are not aware that they are consuming it. The United States and Canada are currently the only industrialized countries that do not require the labeling of GMOs. Today, foods containing GMO products account for 60 percent of food and agriculture products sold in our markets. There are no labeling requirements to identify them as such(Anderson). The only way to avoid GMOs in food is if it says 100% organic. If it just says organic it means at least 95% of the ingredients are organic. Several countries including Greece, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria have entirely banned the growing and selling of GMOs. Most Americans think GMO foods should be labeled and many petitions have gone around. The biotech industry, big agriculture and food manufacturers are afraid that labeling

Gonzalo 4 might scare off customers and hurt their profits. Because of this they refuse to label their foods with this information. Unfortunately GMOs have made there way into almost all of our processed foods. In developing countries, efforts to meet the growing demand for food will probably result in further exhaustion of existing farmland, leading farmers to cut down more forest acreage in a search for fertile soils. GM crops offer an alternative to this environmental catastrophe by providing increased yields from existing farmlands (Pearson). As the population of the world continues to grow this might be the future of agriculture. Many nations have been having a rough time growing sufficient crops. This is due in particular to droughts, storms, and pests. The ability of the plants to possibly require less water and have pesticides will dramatically increase the success rate of crop growing. It is estimated that hunger and malnourishment that have caused 300 million deaths worldwide since 1970. Some foods might taste delicious but unknowingly are diminishing your health. I have only learned about this issue about a year ago but since I have learned about it I have slowly started taking steps to avoid these foods. Many more people need to be further educated on this subject. Once they know about these genetically modified foods and their potentially harmful effects they can make their decision, but it is unfair to unintentionally consume these foods. If genetically modified foods continue to be in our market the least the FDA should do is ensure its labeling. Everyone has the right to know what exactly is in the food they eat.

Gonzalo 5 Works Cited Anderson, Tim. "Counterpoint: GMO Foods Are Unsafe." Points Of View: Genetically Modified Foods (2013): 6. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. Godheja, Jai. "Impact Of GMO's On Environment And Human Health." Recent Research In Science & Technology 5.5 (2013): 26-29. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. Pearson, John. "Point: The Many Benefits Of Genetically Modified Foods." Points Of View: Genetically Modified Foods (2013): 5. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. Smith, Jeffrey M. "THE CAMPAIGN For HEALTHIER EATING In AMERICA." Total Health 29.2 (2007): 38-40. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. Smith, Jeffrey M. "Protect Yourself From Genetically Modified Foods." Total Health 27.3 (2005): 23-26. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.