Are Genetically Engineered Foods Food At All?

Genetically Engineered Foods have been around for thousands of years. Ever since the dawn of agriculture, humans have cross bred and selectively bred plants to get certain traits, such as color, size, and shape. But as technology has heavily advanced, just about any edible product is susceptible to genetic engineering, meaning, manipulation of the DNA to get certain traits. The Federal Drug Administration declared Genetically Modified (GM) foods to be healthy back in the 80’s, but GM Foods are still feared by many. GM foods are totally safe to consume, and provide benefits to the environment.

All livestock is susceptible to
diseases.
Source: Michigan State University

Contrary to popular belief, GM Foods are totally healthy to eat. By manipulating the DNA, which is the instruction for life, millions of traits can be intensified, or suppressed. For cattle: disease resistance, or even immunity, longer life spans, shorter growing periods, less food consumption, and intensified flavors may all be achieved. This year, scientists were able to “genetically engineered pigs to be immune to one of the world’s most costly animal diseases” (Devlin). Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) invades pigs all around the globe, killing them prematurely, or inhibits them from reproducing. This puts the meat industry at a loss, both economically and product-wise. Anti – GM Food advocates believe that altering an animal´s genetic makeup will have a negative effect on them, but contrary to their popular belief, “the animals showed no signs that the change in their DNA had any other impact on their health, fertility or wellbeing” (Devlin). Genetic Engineering was developed not with a bad intention in mind. Genetic Engineering was developed to improve the products as many ways as possible. The deletion or insertion of DNA sequences simply inhibits or increases the expression of proteins, and thus traits.

With GM Foods, the environment is benefitted as a byproduct. GM Foods, both animals and plants, are intended to be less costly to maintain, both money, care, and time wise. The byproduct of making products of better quality is that “genetically modified crops and animals will also be more environmentally friendly because they conserve water, soil, and energy” (Vaesa). GM Foods require less space, water, food and chemicals to be maintained. Therefore, the environment gives less space, water, and food, and is not filled with non-organic chemicals. It is a triple really, the consumer gets a product of high quality with awesome flavors, the animals/plants are less susceptible to diseases and require les to survive, and the environment retains some of its resources for a better use. How could one be against GM Foods?

The argument against GM Foods is a strong and valid one, with very adequate points. However, a considerable number everyone’s favorite foods are probably Genetically Modified, because the technology has been heavily developed and proved to be beneficiary. The strongest points as to why should Genetically Foods be limited is the ethical side of the issue. Should humans be allowed to tamper with nature’s work? GM Foods prove great benefits, they even help developing countries thrive, since they include resistance to common viruses/bacteria and provide a vast quantity of nutrients. On the other side of the spectrum, GM Foods really should not be advocated, because Nature is being interfered with. Humans are quite literally editing Nature’s work to suit their needs and desires, and humans are simply nobody to play God. Just like everything in this world, GM Foods are not perfect. GM Foods, and biotechnology, should be used with good thoughts in mind, because if not, the world as we know it today may change completely, and not in a good way.

Sources

Devlin, Hannah. "Scientists Genetically Engineer Pigs Immune to Costly Disease." The Guardian, 20 June 2018, www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jun/20/scientists-genetically-engineer-pigs-immune-to-costly-disease. Accessed 22 June 2018.

Vaesa, Janelle. "Genetically Engineered Organisms: Pros and Cons of GMO Food." Decoded, 5 Jan. 2013, www.decodedscience.org/gmo-food-pro-and-con/23179. Accessed 24 June 2018.