GM Foods essay
Genetically modified foods are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed for the introduction of new crop traits as well as a far greater control over a food 's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding. Conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. But genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used.
Some advantages of the GM foods are 1.Herbicide tolerance: Farmers only require one application of herbicide instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste. 2.Disease resistance: There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases. 3.Nutrition: Malnutrition is common in third world countries. For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of "golden" rice containing an unusually high content of vitamin A. Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. 4.Pharmaceuticals: Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable
Some advantages of the GM foods are 1.Herbicide tolerance: Farmers only require one application of herbicide instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste. 2.Disease resistance: There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases. 3.Nutrition: Malnutrition is common in third world countries. For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of "golden" rice containing an unusually high content of vitamin A. Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. 4.Pharmaceuticals: Medicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable
References: http://earthopensource.org/index.php/7-feeding-the-world/7-1-myth-gm-crops-are-needed-to-feed-the-world-s-growing-population http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CEYQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.csa.com%2Fdiscoveryguides%2Fgmfood%2Freview.pdf&ei=PbGjUpmvD8uqlAWFlIG4Dg&usg=AFQjCNECF_cB4opYawk3L1chYK3g8qE1dg&sig2=GzaT0jwJJDZ14R4YdSZLLA&bvm=bv.57752919,d.dGI http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/tenreasons.cfm