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Genetically Modified Food
GM Foods are genetically modified to have more appealing properties or to be more practical. Some traits that are modified are resistance to insects and disease while growing, delayed ripening, better color, or larger growth. While this is good for businesses, the practice is highly controversial within some circles. There are health and safety concerns surrounding these foods.
242 Questions
That would be hard to say. It is probably the group of people who are ignorant of the issue of genetically modified food and/or who have not studied the issue from a broad perspective and varied resources.
What harmful environmental effects do gentically modified foods have on the environment?
Easy! The environment affects food in many ways. For an example, if their is a drought, that affects our food of course, because the plant does not get enough water so the plant dies, resulting in losing our food (the veggie) and if there is too much water drowning the soil and the roots of the plant, as a result the plant dies. The environment in third-world countries that are experiencing phanom right now is all because even though they are TRYING to grow food, their efforts are useless because eventually the plant will wither away from getting too much sunlight and no more water. If you are in places like the United States or maybe Canada, you should be totally thankful you are not in the same position as some other countries right now! So, in conclusion to my answer, the weather severely impacts on our food supply!
How long does it take for a GMO plant to grow?
Genetically Modified foods, or GM foods, can be genetically modified with many different goals in mind. This can be for a faster maturation time or it could be for insect resistance, drought resistance, higher yeild, etc.
Most GMO foods today are genetically manipulated to be resistant to herbicides or to produce an insecticide within the plant itself. Genetic engineering has no affect on their maturation.
What is are the ethical problems of genetically modified food?
Some of the ethical issues are:
- Relying on the companies that produce the genetic modifications to test them without bias, especially when millions of dollars of profits may be at stake and negative studies could mean that all that profit would be lost, along with the money spent for research and development.
- Biotech company employees working for Monsanto, then the FDA, and sometimes back and forth, expecially when key decisions are made concerning the regulation of GMO foods. This is called the Revolving Door.
- Possible influence of the biotech companies on the scientific community, which could result in scientists being relunctant to speak out about issues surrounding GMOs that the public should be aware of.
- Those are just some of the issues. There are many more.
Why is genetically modified food harmful?
It is not known conclusively whether GMO food is harmful. Many claim that science shows that it is safe and others claim that anecdotal evidence (non study) suggests it is not safe and could be harmful to the environment.
How is genetically modified food made?
This can be done many ways. One is using an antibody-based test such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), which can detect the proteins that are produced by GM crops. However, the ELISA is not useful for testing foods that is highly processed, because the proteins most likely destroyed & different GM foods produce different proteins.
Another way is to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to look at the DNA sequence common in GM foods. DNA is more resistant than proteins in processing & can be extracted from heavy processed foods. It is the GMO DNA sequences that's being looked for & tested.
What are the laws regarding labelling genetically modified foods?
In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency takes the lead for regulation of genetically modified foods, with help from the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and many different universities.
In the United States, the USDA regulates crops and the FDA regulates food
How long does genetically modified food last?
GMO foods last about the same amount of time as non-GMo foods.
What countries require genetically modified foods to be labeled?
Not usually, though there is a grassroots movement to get it labeled.
A child who is starving
Why do you think Canadians should have the choice to pick genetically modified food?
(Please note that the question asks for an opinion; therefore, the responses given below contain personal views, not factual information.)
Never Better GM FoodsGenetically modified food is NOT better to use in Canada or anywhere in the world for at least two reasons: // First, some studies have shown that genetically modified foods harm the environment by contaminating non-genetically modified varieties, changing the insect population, and altering the environment in a harmful way. // Secondly, no one knows the short and long-term effects GM foods will have on humans and animals. Since studies have shown that the effects on the environment are harmful, it only makes sense that eating those foods will also harm us! Sadly, most foods in the supermarkets in the US have genetically modified ingredients in them. I assume the same is true in Canada. And Here is MoreThe above poster is absolutely correct! Look what they have done with chicken and beef; loaded with hormones, so my thoughts are that the U.S. and Canada are worried about the over-weight population, but it's our own governments that allow hormones in our foods not to mention hidden fats and sugars. Genetically modified food certainly is not better for you and it's wise to read your labels, or if in doubt when buying especially meat, ask the butcher (by law they have to tell you the truth.) We have wild Salmon in Canada and then Farmed Salmon and we are fighting against having Farmed Salmon and dread the thought of some of them getting loose and setting off a catastrophe with Wild Salmon. Most of us refuse to buy it. One large food chain was selling Farmed Salmon as Wild Salmon and got caught and heavily fined. And Here is Still MoreWe continue to apply European standards to all world crop manipulation despite the fact that it has been going on for centuries. In Western countries 1% of the population is engaged or attached to agriculture. In certain African countries that figure is 80% and still 20% of that population starve. Bananas are their only form of agriculture and are effected by a deadly rust which can be fixed by inserting a rice gene. The alternative remedy is to use gigantic quantities of herbicide at a price that is beyond the capacity of the people to pay. And don't think the bananas are like the ones we Westerners prefer, they have to be peeled like potatoes and stewed to make them barely palatable. Such differences indicate the already extensive genetic modification that has taken place over hundreds of years. The word "harmful" is often used emotively to engender fear but the failure to modify crops also has harmful effects, it is simply that unmodified crops are more noticeable in Africa than in Canada where there are more alternative foods. It is interesting that the anti-vaccination lobby has an interest in genetic modification, the source of all vaccines, which, along with the discovery that cooking raw food was healthier, brought man out of the dark-ages.
GM plantations in African research plantations have the usual barbed wire around them, but NOT to guard against anti-GM invaders, it is to stop the locals from stealing the rust resistant experimental crop. Once again, the motivation is different.
We in the West have the luxury to reject such modifications and yet bananas and strawberries such as we know and love, came from this same genetic modification, except it was done blind-folded. To say that genetically modified food is not recommended anywhere in the world is a down-right untruth. Apart from the African situation I have mentioned, people have been eating genetically modified foof for centuries. The common potato is one example.
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Genetically modified food is not recommended anywhere in the world for we don't know what kind of diseases they may cause on human genes in the long run. Almost all the farmers anywhere in the world would opt for organic farming which deliver not only good nutrients in the crop but also they were grown in the natures wild. A little bit of fertilizer is good to use otherwise it is important that man doesn't change the natures balance and act god at least in fields of agriculture and nutrition.
What effect does eating GMO food on your genes?
Some argue that genetically modified food has no effects on human or animal genes. They also argue that GMO foods are the same as any other foods and have no negative health effects at all. Others argue that they might cause changes to our genes, and that they do cause changes to the flora in our intestines, possible sterilization, and other health issues. The FDA has declared then to be "substantially equivalent" to non GMO foods.
In reality, we just do not know what effects genetically modified food have on our health or our genes.
What are the dis-advantages of GM food?
GM food is genetically modified to have more advantageous properties. This means bigger crops, better resistance to pests and deseases. The are not many disadvantages as far as I know, but they are a touchy subject with the general public for some reason.
How does genetically modified food help farmers grow crops under difficult circumstances?
You would have to speak directly to farmers to get their reactions to genetically modified food, but it is likely that if it makes them more profits with less effort, they like it in that respect.
Some claim science shows GMO foods are just as healthy as non-GMO foods. The FDA has declared GMO foods to be substantially equivalent to non-GMO foods. Anecdotal evidence suggests GMO foods have health issues that are unique to them. It is likely that the answer to whether GMOs are healthy is actually "We really do not know."
Should government require companies that use GMOs to label their food products?
There is no reason GMO food should not be labeled from the standpoint of he consumer. From the standpoint of the producers of GMO crops and foods, labeling GMO foods could result in consumers choosing not to buy those foods.
Why are people so concerned about genetically modified food?
People are concerned about this because genetically modified food is not natural food. It was genetically modified by a human or a machine. In either case, man made machine, and man isn't perfect. So, because of that, people are so concerned.
Is genetically modified food safe to eat?
Some say they are safe, others say they are not safe, and others say the safety of GMOs is not known. Since long-term human or animal studies were not done before they were introduced into the food chain, the safety of GMO foods is not actually known. There is some evidence that the GMOs, the herbicides used on them, and/or the substance produced in certain genetically engineered crops does cause health issues in humans.
Foods that are known to be genetically modified and sold commercially are corn, soybeans, canola, crookneck squash, sugar beets, sweet corn, and papayas. Potatoes and tomatoes have also been genetically modified, but as far as is known, GM varieties are not sold commercially. Any processed foods that contain any of the foods listed are likely to contain GMOs.
What are the concerns about genetically modified foods?
The ramifications of some of these changes may not be known for thousands of years.
Genetically modifying foods is a relatively new science. Scientists and nutritionists are not certain of all the effects of eating such foods. The capacity of these foods to cause diseases, allergies and other conditions are not well understood.
Additionally, the effects on microorganisms associated with the modified species are not known, or are poorly understood.
Does Genetically modified food help strike hunger?
in some ways yes but not if your used to eating normal everyday food in life
Some say they don't have any effect on humans that non-GMO foods have. Others will say we just don't know yet. Still others, including some scientists and doctors say they have possible harmful effects, including intestinal issues and infertility.
Should GMO food be served in the school cafeteria?
Opinions about serving food in school cafeterias will vary. Here are some opinions:
No, there are still too many uncertainties about health effects of GMO foods for them to be served to children and teens.
