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Genetically Engineered Food: A New Chapter
Genetic engineering is a technology that's been around for a few decades, but companies have only recently begun using it to create new food products. These are called genetically modified organisms--GMOs.
In 2012, the FDA approved the first GE animal--an AquAdvantage salmon that grows to market size twice as fast as regular salmon. This is good news for the world's growing population, especially those in developing nations who are at risk of protein malnutrition and vitamin deficiency.
GE crops are also less expensive than their conventional counterparts. The cost of GE seeds is higher than non-GE seeds, but farmers save on other expenses due to the efficiency and performance of GE crops and produce more with less water, labour, and energy. I'm also excited about the future possibilities of GM foods like bananas enriched with pro-vitamin A, which could help prevent blindness in children in developing countries!
But there are still concerns about how GMOs impact our health and environment. While some people argue that GMOs pose several health risks, the research has yet to show any long-term effects or risks to humans or animals. Additionally, there is not enough scientific evidence to support claims that genetically engineered foods cause cancer or allergies.
Benefits Of Genetically Engineered Food
The potential benefits of genetically engineered food are fairly obvious. Imagine if you could eat a bowl of rice that could thrive in saltwater or a tomato that didn't rot for weeks after it was picked. This would be good news if you lived in a place where there wasn't much arable land or the soil was too salty to grow much of anything. And it would be good news for anyone who wants to eat a tomato in January.
The first genetic modifications have been made for such practical purposes: herbicide resistance, frost resistance, and salinity tolerance. But such things are just the beginning. The ultimate promise of genetically engineered food is not just to make existing crops better but to create entirely new ones from scratch.
No one has ever died from eating genetically engineered food. One reason for this is that, in the United States, genetically engineered crops aren't labelled, so if you aren't in the business and you don't know farmers, you probably haven't eaten them. But another reason is that there's no evidence that they're dangerous. All existing types of genetically engineered foods are at least as safe as ordinary ones.
The most common varieties are corn and soybeans engineered to resist insects or herbicides. As a result, they require less pesticide use than non-engineered crops do. This sounds like a good thing. It's a tradeoff: fewer insecticides mean more herbicides, which may or may not be better for the environment depending on what herbicide you use, how much of it you use, and how you dispose of it.
But when a crop like this is modified to protect itself against insects, it doesn't need to be sprayed with insecticide every week or two during the growing season. That's a significant change and a good one.
The other obvious benefit of genetically engineered crops is higher yields. This sounds like a no-brainer: who wouldn't want their food to feed more people?
Scientists are working with tomatoes, apples, potatoes, and corn to grow them into more vitamins. Other efforts involve using genes from fish for resistance to cold weather or increased growth rates. Scientists also hope to use genetic engineering to reduce toxins in plants such as cassava, peanuts, and potatoes, making these foods safer for people who eat large amounts of them or depend upon them as a staple.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that we should feel optimistic about where biofortification is headed. It's easy to get lost in the details and object to every potential flaw. Still, biofortification simply wouldn't exist if there weren't a concerted effort by many people to make it a reality.
We can either become paralyzed by the (not so) little details, or we can confront the realities of what it means and move forward. If you want to see biofortification continue to succeed, I urge you to do your part and educate yourself on the reality of Genetically Engineered food.
Genetically engineered foods are the most significant thing to happen to food in the past millennia. The technology is defensive and peaceful and cannot be stopped from going global. It will benefit humanity, increase food security, combat world hunger and malnutrition, as well as turn many late-blight-ridden fields into abundant sources of food production.
FAQs
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Can genetically modified food be considered healthy?
It is just as safe and healthy to consume GMO foods as non-GMO foods.
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What are the signs that a food is GMO?
Read the label or sticker number on the produce to find out how it was grown.
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What is better—GMOs or organics?
Both have their own pros and cons. There is no doubt that organic food is safer to consume than GMO food on the whole.
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Why do GMOs cost so much?
GMO seeds are expensive and farmers are liable for patent infringement if they do not purchase them every year.
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