User:Rachaelmk/Genetically modified food controversies

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Introduction

GMO's are genetically modified organisms such as plants, animals, and organisms that are altered through gene insertion for the purpose of carrying on a desired trait. This gene mutation is not a natural occurrence, as it is a process of creating and entirely new species through insertion of genes from another organism. The history behind the need for GMO's stems from the need for disease resitance, quicker growth, better taste, supply increase, and more. Research shows that 17.2% of the world's population are not provided with nutritional food, and it warrants an increase in the global agricultural yield. Not only that, but the current yield is 1.7%, when it needs to reach 2.4% in order to meet the demands and provide global nutritious foods. With all of these problems in mind, the solution was created in 1994 when a red tomato was genetically modified to slow down the process of ripening. After its approval by the Food and Drug Administration, this began the use of GMO's in the industries for food, animals, crops, cotton, and more. With this rise in GMO use and production, although it seems to have solved these issues of disease, shortage, expenses, and nutrition, there also stems potential risk factors.

Nutritional Quality

There are many countries that are suffering economically, resulting in national malnutrition. With the use of enhanced technology, selective breeding, and the modern studies of agriculture, a possible solution to this large number of nutrient deficient foods could be Genetically Modified foods. With half of the global population suffering from this lack of nutrients, utilizing GMO's give a balanced nutrition, as they posses those nutritional qualities that are not naturally found in those foods. For instance, "golden rice" is a genetically modified food that is insecticide resistant, have a substantially greater amount of vitamin A, gives a 20% increase in protein, and offers a significant increase in levels of crop maintenance.

Human Studies

While some groups and individuals have called for more human testing of GM food,[205] multiple obstacles complicate such studies. The General Accounting Office (in a review of FDA procedures requested by Congress) and a working group of the Food and Agriculture and World Health organizations both said that long-term human studies of the effect of GM food are not feasible. The reasons included lack of a plausible hypothesis to test, lack of knowledge about the potential long-term effects of conventional foods, variability in the ways humans react to foods and that epidemiological studies were unlikely to differentiate modified from conventional foods, which come with their own suite of unhealthy characteristics.[206][207]

Although long-term effects can not be determined, there is concern about the possibility that this altered gene could produce harmful effects on the development and body of mammals.These concerns are related to allergens, toxic proteins, the effect on human digestion, and infertility.

Additionally, ethical concerns guide human subject research. These mandate that each tested intervention must have a potential benefit for the human subjects, such as treatment for a disease or nutritional benefit (ruling out, e.g., human toxicity testing).[208] Kimber claimed that the "ethical and technical constraints of conducting human trials, and the necessity of doing so, is a subject that requires considerable attention."[209] Food with nutritional benefits may escape this objection. For example, GM rice has been tested for nutritional benefits, namely, increased levels of Vitamin A.[210][211]

Conclusions

With any advancements in biotechnology, specifically related to consumers and health, there also comes potential risks and benefits as well. The growing production and consumption of GMO's has allowed for a global increase in nutritional foods, aids in faster and more sufficient growth of crops, creates organisms with the most desirable traits, and more. Although, these advancements have also been met with public concern and controversy. The main areas of these concerns deal with the unknown of human health risks, the use of labeling, animal safety, environmental effects, and ethics. There needs to be additional studies and research carried out to fully understand the human, animal, and safety risks surrounding GMO's. In addition, the public's concern towards GMO's need to be taken into account to better understand the attitudes and beliefs held about this new technology.