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GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) are used for a wide range of different purposes: production of pharmaceutical drugs, experimental biology and medicine, and, of course, agriculture. The latter is the most controversial because it is directly connected to consumption.
The most popular GM foods in US are corn and soybeans (Johnson & O’Connor, 2015). Corn is the most widespread GMO product in the world, but a very little part of it is sold on the cob. Large amounts of it are used to produce ingredients for different processed foods and drinks, especially corn syrup, rich in fructose, and corn starch. But the most of the GM corn is used to feed the livestock.
Soybeans, the second largest GM crop in the US, are also used for feeding the livestock. Also, soybean oil is produced from it, which is an ingredient to processed foods and is used by many of the popular fast-food chains. An emulsifier called soy lecithin is made from soybeans, too. It is used in production of chocolate and candy.
The benefits of growing GM crops are significant. The so-called first generation GM crops are resistant to herbicides. Such crops as the abovementioned GM corn (maize) and soybeans can be grown with more effective and cheaper pesticides, which do not harm the plant itself. These crops are also modified in order to be resistant to a vast majority of viruses and fungi. Due to this, GM crops harvests are much richer. Even though the price for the GM seeds is higher, they are more advantageous for the farmers because they require less care (machinery, chemicals and fuel). Also, the result of using less herbicides and chemicals preventing contamination of crops is less damage to the environment. Moreover, the consumers of the final product will have less chemical residue (Quaim, 2010).
Second-generation GM crops are generally higher in nutrients. For example, particular vitamins can be added to crops that originally did not contain them. The so-called “Golden Rice” which is one of the first GM foods introduced to the market is rich with vitamin A which is not a feature of conventional rice. Such biofortification is an effective way to compensate vitamin deficiency in regions which require it, helping to improve the health of the population in a very inexpensive way (Quaim, 2010).
However, the effects of GMO on the environment are not clearly positive. Some biologists say that introducing unnatural change to plants is the reason for a long chain of consequences connected with the imbalance that appears in nature. “Evidence suggests that small genetic changes in plants may produce even larger ecological shifts, meaning that there is potential for GMO´s to become persistent and weedy in agricultural conditions, since they are modified to be resistant to some modern agricultural techniques” (Glass, 2013). GM plants can be dangerous for the non-target organisms like bees and butterflies. For example, the monarch butterflies are at high risk from maize.
In terms of health concern, GM food also demonstrates several negative effects. The first of them is food allergy that occurs in 5% of children and 2% of adults in the US. GM proteins come from sources that humans have not adapted to yet. This is why they often lead to negative response of the immune system. Secondly, GM foods can be more toxic to the human organism. Most of the products that humans consume produce toxins at low levels that do not harm their health. GM products may produce more toxins due to exotic genes inserted to them.
Polls show that most of the US consumers would like to see the GM products labeled (Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 2001). Because of the negative effects like food allergy or high toxicity people would like to be aware whether foods are genetically modified or not. Also, nowadays many people practice vegetarianism or veganism and are against genetic modification itself. They would like to buy and consume conventional foods.
Nowadays, when GMO labeling is not a big issue in the European counties (where GM foods are already labeled), in the US it is still opposed to. It is believed that the government is against GMO labeling because of lobbying the interests of such GM food monopolists as the Monsanto Company. Moreover, there is no clear scientific argument that would prove the harmfulness of GM food.
In my opinion, more research has to be done on the effects of growing and consumption of the GM foods. Scientifically clear arguments should be elaborated about what effects the GM foods have on the environment as well as on human health. I think that irrespective of the results of such research, GN foods should be labeled so that the people would be able to make their own independent decisions. I feel that an informational campaign should be launched in order for people to be informed about the benefits and disadvantages of GM food consumption.
I think that if people had more information about the GM foods they would become more aware about what stands behind the labels. Nowadays, the general atmosphere surrounding the GMO is negative, but many people do not quite understand why. To my mind, if the people were given enough information they would be still choosing GM foods in the markets.
As for me personally, I would not avoid purchasing GMO-labeled foods. For me, labeling would mean that the company has a transparent policy that does not attempt to hide any information from the customer. Moreover, I assume that advantages of the GM foods (less pesticide residue, better nutrition value) are a good reason for these foods to be introduced to our everyday life. In my opinion, consumption of GM foods poses much less risk for our health than such unhealthy habits as smoking, alcohol abuse etc. This is why I would not make any attempts to avoid GM foods consumption.
References
Glass, E. (2013). The Environmental Impact of GMO’s. One Green Planet. Retrieved from http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/the-environmental-impact-of-gmos/
Johnson, D., and S. O’Connor (2015). These Charts Show Every Genetically Modified Food People Already Eat in the U.S. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/3840073/gmo-food-charts/
Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology (2001). Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology Finds Public Opinion About Genetically Modified Foods “Up For Grabs”. The PEW Charitable Trusts. Retrieved from http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases/2001/03/26/pew-initiative-on-food-and-biotechnology-finds-public-opinion-about-genetically-modified-foods-up-for-grabs
Qaim, M. (2010). The Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops—and the Costs of Inefficient Regulation. Resources for the Future. Retrieved from http://www.rff.org/blog/2010/benefits-genetically-modified-crops-and-costs-inefficient-regulation
