Introduction
Genetically-Modified Organisms as used in agriculture refers to any animals or plants that have been produced using techniques which alter the genetic material in a manner that is outside of natural recombination. Although GMOs have been in existence for many decades, both scientists and the public hold different views concerning their adoption. Today, there are many forms of GMO food products. The majority have one of several of their genes altered while in some instances a new plant is created. For example, the triticale a new plant created by crossing wheat and rye. The biggest driver and what gives GMO food a great future is the desperation to feed the ever increasing world population. The increasing demand for food has forced researchers to seek ways of sustaining agriculture (Bagwan et al. 2010).
Causes of GMO foods
The need to improve the traits of food products is one of the reasons for GMO development. GMO developers have been researching on techniques of altering the features of both animals and plants to improve their functional traits. The tomato vegetable is a plant that has been successfully altered. The genes of the tomato were altered and through gene silencing, the ripening process was slowed down gaining longevity and increasing the storage time. The GMO tomato also has a higher content of dry matter and intensified aroma, all achieved through gene manipulation. Other plants that have been successfully modified include rice, to give it a higher content of beta-carotene. Potato has also had their DNA altered to increase the amylopectin content and lower the alkaloids content.
Food trait change has also driven GMO development in mammals. Biotechnology techniques have been used to segregate genes responsible for different traits in mammals and manipulate them to get the desired results. Transgenic animal products are a major part of GMO food. Genetic modifications in farm animals have aimed at increasing the animal’s body weight as well as a higher growth rate. For example, goats, cows and sheep have undergone gene elimination or introduction to change some traits of the milk they produce. GMO milk has lower lactose content, modified casein content and increased tolerance for high temperatures. The faster growth rate has been achieved in transgenic fishes such as carp, trout, and salmon.
Another cause for GMO food is has been to increase the nutritive and therapeutic value of food. The increased demand for food has caused researchers to seek ways of increasing the nutritional content in food products. For example, the production of golden rice in Asia has been driven by the challenge to curb vitamin A deficiencies prevalent in the regions where rice is the staple food. The rice has been modified to contain high levels of beta-carotene a precursor component of vitamin A (Beyer, 2010). Rice has also been modified to have higher iron bioavailability. Modifications have also been made on plants to make it possible to provide therapeutic substances. Although not advanced, plants are being developed to be avenues of providing oral vaccines as well as carrying components that will stimulate the human immune system in response to specific organisms.
Development of plants that are resistant to diseases and pests has led to the development of GMO food. A primary problem in agricultural sustainability is the increase in diseases and parasites that significantly reduce production under conventional farming. GMO technologies have developed techniques for eliminating some of the common pests attacking food crops (Oliver, 2014). For example, Bt maize has been modified to resist pests. There is also Bt cotton has also been modified to resist pests such as the beetle. A variety of plants has also been modified to resist pesticides sprayed when the plants are growing in the fields. In animals, modifications have been made to increase farm animal’s resistance to diseases. Dairy animals have been bred to reduce their susceptibility to common illnesses.
Effects of GMO foods
GMO foods effects include increased food availability globally. GMO plants are less damaged by weeds, pests and diseases compared to conventional plants. Consequently, they produce higher yields. The increased yields from agricultural activities translate to increased food quantities made available to the populations of the world (Matin, 2010). GMO foods have been used to address hunger and poverty challenges that governments especially those in the third world countries have been facing. GMO foods have also made it possible to feed populations in arid. GMO food modifications allow them to be produced in areas with less than ideal environmental and ecological conditions. GMO foods have also made it possible to make progress in providing needed nutrients to populations (Kramkowska et al. 2013).
Economic benefits are part of the benefits of GMO foods. Herbicide-tolerant crops and insect-resistant crops limit losses resulting from reduced weed competition and pest damage. The farmers enjoy increased crop yields in addition to reduced production costs. GMO foods have also played a major role in the endless effort in search of the much-needed food security. Agriculture –based economies have benefited from higher yields, without the need to increase farm acreage (Qaim, 2009).
The adverse effects of GMO foods include health risks associated with their consumption by humans. There is a significant amount of anxiety in the general public in regards to GMO food sale and use. The fear is that some of the adverse impacts of GMO foods on human health may not be detected immediately (Drake et al. 2008). There are concerns of food allergy as a result of new expression of genes. For example, Modified Brazil nuts have resulted in allergy resembling appearances. Health concerns also include consumption of toxic compounds such as was the case in Spain after consumption of GMO rape oil.
Conclusion
In conclusion, GMO foods have been in production for many years. The GMO foods play an important role in fighting the food security and stability challenge that the world is facing because of the increasing population. GMO food production has progressed to meet the demand within the constraints of available resources such as land, technology, labor and capital. The effects of GMO foods are both negative and positive. It is upon all the concerned parties as well as the public to fight to ensure that the benefits are maximized and the detriments reduced to levels that make them acceptable.
References
Bagwan, J., Patil, J., Mane, A., Kadam, V. & Vichare, S. (2010). Genetically Modified Crops: Food for the Future. International Journal of Advanced Biotechnology and Research, 1(1): 21-30.
Beyer, P. (2010). Golden Rice and ‘Golden’ Crops for Human Nutrition. New Biotechnology, 27: 478-481.
Drake, P., Key, S. & Ma, J. (2008). Genetically Modified Plants and Human Health. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 101:290-298.
Kramkowska, M., Teresa, G. & Krystyna, C. (2013). Benefits and Risks Associated with Genetically Modified Food Products. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 20(3): 413-419.
Matin, Q. (2010). Benefits of Genetically Modified Crops for the Poor: Household Income, Nutrition, and Health. New Biotechnology, 27(5):552-557.
Oliver, M. (2014). Why We Need GMO Crops in Agriculture. Science of Medicine-National Review, 111(6): 493-507.
Qaim, M. (2009). The Economics of Genetically-Modified Crops. Annual Review of Resource Economics, 1: 665-693.
