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Genetically Modified Organisms:
The Benefits, the Risks, and the Controversy

INTRODUCTION

Every time you step into a grocery store, you are surrounded by genetically modified food. Whether it’s a head of lettuce, or a chicken breast; unless you buy it with an organic label, it’s most likely genetically modified. Genetically modified organisms are defined as an organism whose characteristics have been altered using the techniques of genetic engineering. (Add Citation). The general principle of genetically modified organisms is to alter genetics on an organism’s genome. This is done by adding, deleting or mutating genetic material.(Add Citation). Adding DNA to an organism results in recombinant DNA. Recombinant DNA aresequences that result from the use of laboratory methods to bring together genetic material from other organisms, creating sequences that would not be found in biological organisms. The first recombinant model was created by Paul Berg. (Add Citation.) This paper will discuss the benefits, the risks and the controversy of genetically modified organisms.

HISTORY/BACKGROUND INFORMATION

In the 1980’s, it was discovered that pieces of one organism’s DNA could be transferred to another’s DNA. The first transgenic (genetically modified) plant was created in 1983. It was a tobacco plant that resisted antibiotics. Later in 1995, a now-major GMO producer, Monsanto, introduced a genetically modified soy bean seed, which was immune to herbicide. It wasn’t until 2000 that it was discovered to be possible to add nutrients and vitamins to enrich genetically modified foods. (Add Citation.) By 2004, genetically modified crops were being grown by 8.25 million farmers in 17 different countries. The United States are the leading country for advancement of biotechnology, accounting for 59% of all genetically modified crops.These crops quietly made their way into the US food industry. (Add Citation.) In 2012, 93% of soybean crops were genetically modified, and 88% of corn was genetically modified in the United States. That same year, 97.5% of canola crops were genetically modified, too. Genetically modified foods are usually created to resist disease and eliminate the need for pesticides. Scientists usually choose traits in order to create what they call super foods. Most foods in Canada contain some type of genetically modified food. (Add Citation.) Before genetically modified food is sold in Canada, Health Canada is required to check foods to make sure it’s safe to eat. It is not mandatory for companies in North America to label food that has genetically modified ingredients due to the fact that so many basic ingredients are genetically modified. However, it is mandatory to label GMOs in Europe. (Add Citation.)

BENEFITS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

There are a number of different benefits in genetically modifying crops. For example, most of these crops are pest resistant. Farmers usually use a ton of pesticideseach year, and most of these chemicals are dangerous to humans. Then the pesticides get washed off in the rain into rivers and lakes which is harmful to the water supply. By making crops pest resistant, scientists are subtracting these harmful chemicals from our food. Also, plants are introduced to new herbicides all the time, and sometimes the plants die from these herbicides. Scientists have made a way to genetically modify plants so that they are tolerable to herbicides. The herbicides that farmers use are expensive, harmful to the environment and time consuming, too. Genetically modified products are created to not be affected by herbicides, which reduces costs and limits the run off of dangerous agricultural waste. Scientists are also working to create a gene that makes plants resistant to diseases. Another benefit is that scientists have created an anti-freeze gene taken from cold water fish that is inserted into plants to keep them from freezing in cold weather. Another gene is inserted that helps plants withstand long periods of times without water. (Add Citation.) Genetically modified crops have less disease caused by insects and viruses than organic crops do, they are also more durable. They can also have certain vitamins and nutrients and are harder bruise. They create more food with less waste, meaning food will be available at a cheaper price. (Add Citation.) Genetically modified organisms have a bigger yield that results in more product. These crops have a better texture, flavour and nutritional value as well. They are also easier to ship from place to place and last longer on the shelves of stores and can feed more people with less people going hungry. (Add Citation.) Since soil salinity has become a major issue in the agriculture industry, genetically modified crops are made tolerable to the salt being deposited in the soil. Scientists are also trying to genetically modify plants to make non-food materials. For example, GMOs are used in vaccines to immunize people from infectious diseases and some potato plants are created to deliver a pharmaceutical immunization against diarrhea. (Add Citation.)

RISKS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

With every benefit of genetically modifying crops, there is a risk of it. For example, there are corn crops that are sold and consumed by humans that are actually meant to be used as pig feed. Also, as pollen spreads it can spread a gene from pharmaceutical crops to crops that are fed to animals. These animals would be fed food that has a drugged gene, and then the animal would be slaughtered, and humans would consume said gene. Also, the toxins used to kill pests that eat the crops can cause allergies. In fact, genetically modified foods have been linked to thousands of toxins and allergic reactions. These crops also cost more to create and are therefore more expensive to buy. There is very little testing done on genetically modified crops, which can be harmful to consumer because the producer does not know the effects of the products. (Add Citation.) Most foods have foreign genes from species like bacteria and viruses that have never been in the human food supply before, so their effects are unknown. Changes in the foods are unpredictable, and have a much higher residue of toxic herbicides. Genetically modified organisms can cause immune-reactions to non-modified foods; proteins from the non-GMOs digest slower and create more allergic reactions. Also, chemicals in GMOs can create liver problems, and the functioning genes remain inside you and create illnesses. (Add Citation.) Occasionally genes are transferred to non-targeted species. For example, weeds will crossbreed with a targeted plant and then the weed will develop the gene that is resistant to herbicides. In addition, these crops can have negative effects on human health because there is an unknown foreign gene being inserted into foods. Another disadvantage to genetically modifying crops is that it requires very expensive technology and most farmers simply cannot afford it. They will spend all their money on this technology and will end up in debt. Since they are under contracts with major agriculture companies, they make large profits but are not gaining anything. Also, the toxics that are in GMOs can cause severe effects on organs and other body systems. (Add Citation.) Genetically modified organisms can also get into the human intestine and create infections. Humans can become resistant to antibiotics as well. (Add Citation.) Most genetically modified organisms are treated as an allergen by the human body. (Add Citation.) Usually no studies are done on genetically modified foods. Health Canada has done no research on these foods because they see no threat to them. Genetically modified organisms contain a B-Toxin in them which is linked to many allergy-typed symptoms. In addition, thousands of sheep, buffalo and goat in India have died after grazing on BT cotton plants, and other complications occur because of other GM crops using BT toxins. (Add Citation.)

CONTROVERSY OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS

The topic of genetically modified organisms is a very controversial one. Companies and promoters will promise things about their product, but are proved to be wrong. Also, they never really tell what their products are made from. For example, promoters of “Golden Rice” claimed that their rice was superior to natural rice in vitamin A, but later and larger tests proved that it was in fact, inferior to natural rice. Also, corporations promise that their crops are ideal solutions to world hunger, environmental and nutritional problems but nothing is changing. People are still mal-nutritious, hungry and the world still has environmental issues. Furthermore, genetically modified crops are claimed to be the end of world hunger, however, most companies produce seeds that produce sterile offspring so farmers need to buy more every year putting them more and more in debt, and making the farmer more opt to go bankrupt. It’s also said that GMOs require less pesticides, but tests prove that it’s just that they can withstand bigger doses. Another controversy is that some organisms have genes from nuts, and some of the said organisms contain the same allergic properties as the nuts and that can cause severe reactions. Labelling the GMOs is a very big controversy. The only way to truly know that your food is not genetically modified is to buy organic foods, because they are always labeled. (Add Citation.)

MAJOR PRODUCER: MONSANTO

Monsanto is an agricultural biotechnology corporation. It’s the leading producer of genetically engineered seeds. They were among the first to genetically modify plant cells, and the first the conduct genetically modified crops. Monsanto is a huge influence on how agriculture is shaped today. (Add Citation.) The Monsanto protection act was passed in the USA that gives companies that deal with genetically modified organisms immunity in the federal courts. The bills states that even if the genetically modified organisms or genetically engineered seeds cause horrible health issues, federal courts have no power to stop their sales. However, this bill only stays in effect for a certain period of time. (Add Citation.)Also, studies have been done on rats that ate Monsanto corn, and the results showed that the rats were resistant to herbicides. It was shown that rats that were fed the herbicide itself had similar health issues to those who ate Monsanto corn. (Add Citation.)

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are many benefits, risks, and controversies to genetically modified organisms. If you are one of the people who are against genetically modified there are a few things that you can do to stay away from GMOs. Firstly, you can buy organic foods. Organic foods are not genetically modified, and they are usually labeled. You could also plant your own foods. Usually stores will know if the seeds they sell are genetically modified or not. Another option is to call food companies. They may be able to tell you if the food is genetically modified or not. There are also smaller or speciality stores that may label foods and you can consider shopping there. Lastly, you could simply voice your opinion on genetically modified crops. Contact Health Canada and let them know that you want food labeled.

Appendix I

Figure 1: James, C (2011). "ISAAA Brief 43, Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2011". ISAAA Briefs. Ithaca, New York: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).

Figure 2: (U.S. Dept Agriculture 2001) URL: http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec006group5/gm_food