The Benefits and Drawbacks of Genetically Modified Foods - Research Paper Example

? RUNNING HEAD: Franken food ‘Frankenfood’ – what are the potential benefits and drawbacks of genetically modified foods? of the University Under the guidance of Date of submission Abstract Frankenfood or genetically modified food is a much debated topic in agricultural industries. The food is genetically modified through biotechnology to yield crops of better quality and quantity. The technology has proven to be an answer for increasing food needs of the growing world in the wake of draughts, malnutrition and calamities. However, several questions have come up pertaining to the safety, legal aspects and disadvantages of genetically modified crops farming. Main safety issues include health effects including toxicities and allergies, development of unwanted genes, effects on environment and ecosystem and transfer of pollens leading to genetic crops even in non-genetic farming. This essay intends to discuss about both benefits and risks associated with genetic farming in the wake of public awareness. Introduction The last one decade has seen enormous advances in food related biotechnology, one of which is genetic modification of foods. This technology has been used to improve production and quality of foods and also to produce the desired breed of crops (Pascalev, 2003). The technology involves genetic modification of crops and genetic modification of food related organisms. Though the technology has been used to improve the quality and quantity of foods, there has been a debate among public, government and non-government organizations and biotechnology circles amount the safety of such foods. The main controversial issues include safety of genetically modified foods, labeling of genetically modified foods, government regulation policies pertaining to genetically modified foods, impact of genetically modified foods on environment, impact of genetically modified crops on farmers, role of genetically modified foods in feeding population and role of genetically modified foods in industrial agriculture (Thompson, 2006). In view of such controversies, public are concerned about the safety of genetically modified foods. Public feels insecure about the dramatic changes seen food and biotechnology and lack of awareness about policies controlling changes related to this (Kariyawasam, 2010). In this essay the risks and benefits of genetically modified foods will be discussed. The technology Genetic modified agriculture involves alteration of the genetic material of the organism by manipulating its DNA (Pascalev, 2003). For example, a set of genes are removed from the DNA of a particular organisms and inserted into the DNA of another organism resulting in seeds that are genetically modified. This is actually transfer of genetic information and this may not occur naturally in conventional breeding or conventional hybridization.. The main idea is to support the already existing traits of the plant in order to yield crop of higher quality and quantity. The most common crops for which genetic modification is applied are cotton and soy (Kariyawasam, 2010). Benefits Genetic modification is expected to increase the production of crops by 50 percent, which can thereby revolutionize the world agriculture, especially in the developing countries, thereby reducing malnutrition, improving security of food, increasing rural income and even reduce pollution of environment. The technology helps to feed the growing world population (Kariyawasam, 2010). According to Norman Borlaug, an agricultural scientist who is a Nobel laureate, "with the technology that we now have available, and with the research information that’s in the pipeline and in the process of being finalized to move to production, we have the know-how to produce the food that will be needed to feed the population of 8.3 billion people that will exist in the world in 2025" (cited in Kariyawasam, 2010). Dr. Jacques Diouf, who is the Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, has reported that, "genetic modification of crops can help to increase the supply, diversity and quality of food products and reduce costs of production and environmental degradation, as the world still grapples with the scourge of hunger and malnutrition" cited in Kariyawasam, 2010). It is argued that genetic modification of crops has the potential to cause revolution in the industry of agriculture for long term growth and food-related security (Pascalev, 2003). Also, these crops decrease the need for pesticides, decrease the number of annual sprays for pesticidal action and allow the farmers to use no-till farming (World health organization, 2012). Lack of need for tilling leaves the soil and weed cover undisturbed all through winter and this in turn decreases soil erosion and also prevents loss of ground water. All these in turn protect the biodiversity and also the structure of the soil and also help in increasing organic matter within the soil. Another major advantage with genetic cropping is that the technology improves resistance of the crop to pests and various plant diseases. The technology also helps in farming on lands that are actually unsuitable for farming and helps in reducing green house emissions (Gregorowius et al, 2011). The risk related to genetic modification of crops is mostly a perceived one. Many individuals are strongly supportive of such technology because it increases the quality and quantity of crops. There is actually no scientifically proven hazard and the risk is mainly perceived from a plethora of various imaginary arguments (Kariyawasam, 2010). Risks Health effects Most of the concerns pertaining to genetic modification of foods revolve around perceived risk and also trust. Consumers have assumed that genetically modified crops are hazardous for health. This doubt percolates in their mind despite the fact that genetically modified crops are scrutinized much more than the conventionally bred crops. The main concern is over the fact that incorporation of intended gene into the genome of a crop is done using a vector that contains several other genes including those that of non-plant organisms. The foods may also carry genes related to antibiotic resistance and hence there are concerns that antibiotic resistance may be transferred animals and humans through food and products for animal feed (Halford, 2003). The estimated health hazards include direct toxic health effects, nutritional effects because of genetic modification, propensity for inducing allergic reaction, toxic properties in specific components, stability of the gene that is inserted and unintended consequences secondary to insertion of gene like antibiotic resistance (Kariyawasam, 2010). Impact on ecosystem and environment The concern is that genes which are transferred for cropping may get transferred to other unwanted varieties of crops and this raises the fear that resistant "super weeds" can dominate the surrounding. Also, this can lead to genetic diversity within the same species of crops. The ecosystem can get destabilized. There are also concerns that the wild life of farms may decline because, the technology also involves removal of weeds among crops. This can cause reduction of food supply to birds and insects leading to altered ecosystem. Thus, "GM crops bring unknown effects to the natural environmental gene flow by creating unstoppable super-weeds, which threaten wildlife and biodiversity, all of which negatively impact organic farming initiatives" (Kariyawasam, 2010). Cross pollination Natural pollen transfer can cause irreversible escape of genes to neighboring plants or to plants that are far away through downwind. In one study, it was found that rapeseed oil pollens can travel as far as 4 km even when barrier crops were planted for prevention. This can become a problem for adjacent farmers who intend to have pure non-genetic modified varies of crops. It can endanger the seeds that are indigenous and this is something to do with trust of the customers (Kariyawasam, 2010). Legal issues. One of the legal issue is related to intellectual rights and property (Halford, 2003). Another issue is due to cross pollination. Farmers who intend to sell their products in non-genetic modified crops arena may not be able to do so when tested positive for the same. Infringement, wherein some farmers can possess patented genetically modified seeds without patent holder's consent is another issue. However, intellectual property rights can cause monopoly and limit access to genetic modification technology. The idea of having patency for plant genes is also questioned (Kariyawasam, 2010). Socioeconomic issues Multinational corporations pertaining to genetically modified crops are becoming more powerful than traditional farming. This is raising new ethical and social issues (Kariyawasam, 2010). Other disadvantages Genetic modification technology is a possible threat to certain good conventional practices like saving seeds, sharing and reusing of seeds and also selling and exchange of farm-saved seeds. This is a concern because, it is very essential for farmers to gain ability to select and save seeds that have been able to adapt to local conditions, because; success of agriculture lies in this. According to Kariyawasam (2010), "the introduction of such crops could be seen as an immoral application of agricultural biotechnology because the process of modifying genes creates living things that would never occur in nature." Thus genetic modification cropping is considered as inconsistent with foundational and transcendent principles pertaining to spirituality, biology and moral values. Conclusion Genetic modification of foods has several advantages including increasing the quality and quantity of desired foods. It is however fraught with certain disadvantages related to legal and ethical issues and destabilization of environment and ecosystem. Health effects however are perceived and there is no scientific data proving this. References Gregorowius, Daniel; Lindemann-matthies, Petra; Huppenbauer, Markus. (2012). Ethical Discourse on the Use of Genetically Modified Crops: A Review of Academic Publications in the Fields of Ecology and Environmental Ethics. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. 25 (Issue 3), 265-293. Kariyawasam, Kanchana 2010, 'Legal Liability, Intellectual Property and Genetically Modified Crops: Their Impact on World Agriculture', The Pacific Rim Law and Policy Journal, vol. 19 (Issue 3), 459-485. Halford, Nigel G (2003). Genetically Modifies Crops. London, GBR: Imperial College Press .9-14, 20, 37-56, 81-100, 103-105. Pascalev, Assya. (2003). You Are What You Eat: Genetically Modified Foods, Integrity, and Society. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics. 16 (Issue 6 ), 583-594. Thomson, Jenifer A (2006). GM Crops The Impact and the Potential. Capetown: CSIRO Publishing World Health Organization. (2012). 20 questions on genetically modified foods Retrieved on 19th April, 2013 from http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/ Read More