Introduction
In the past, people got foods from small local farms. Such foods were fresh and free from pesticides or other chemicals. Therefore, the foods were safe to eat. Unfortunately, these kinds of farms could not yield enough produce to feed the ever- increasing human population, and thus scientists started to work on the creation of new foods in a bid to meet the growing demand, which then led to the discovery of Genetically Modified (GM) foods. This topic is important as it affects the wellbeing of humanity.
According to the World Health Organisation, “Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism” (par. 1). The proponents of GM foods hold that these foods will counter starvation and food crises across the world. However, GM foods should not be eaten because they cause allergic reactions, obesity, and cancer.
GM foods should not be taken
A research on the effects of consuming GMOs showed that rats fed on GMO corn develop cancerous tumours. According to the research, “Animals on the GMO diet suffered mammary tumours…the researchers said 50 percent of males and 70 percent of females died prematurely, compared with only 30 percent and 20 percent in the control group” (Adams par. 5). These findings clearly indicate the harmful nature of GM foods. The increase in childhood food allergies in the United States has been in the news often times; unfortunately, most reports fail to link the increase to a recent radical change in the American diet. Beginning in 1996, bacteria, viruses, and other genes have been artificially inserted into the DNA of soy, corn, cottonseed, and canola plants. These unlabelled genetically modified foods carry a risk of triggering life-threatening allergic reactions and evidence collected over the past decade now suggests that they are contributing to the high allergy rates being witnessed in the modern times.
The United Kingdom is one of the few countries that conduct a yearly evaluation of food allergies. In March 1999, researchers at the York Laboratory were alarmed to discover that reactions to soy had skyrocketed by 50% over the previous year. Genetically modified soy had previously entered the UK from the US imports and the soy used in the study was largely GM. John Graham, the spokesperson for the York laboratory, said, “We believe this raises serious new questions about the safety of GM foods” (Institute for Responsible Technology par.11). GM food safety experts point out that even if someone tried to collect data about allergic reactions to GM foods, he or she would not likely succeed. “The potential allergen is rarely identified. The number of allergy-related medical visits is not tabulated. Even repeated visits due to well-known allergens are not counted as part of any established surveillance system” (Institute for Responsible Technology par.8). In the future, no one will eat fresh food from the farms. The inclination towards GM foods is a risk to the world. Nowadays, most people around the world have eaten these foods. Therefore, most probably people will start becoming sick due to the consumption of these modified foods. The effects in the health can be dangerous if people do not change this behaviour. Is important say that
Counter argument
As mentioned earlier, proponents of GM foods say that these foods will be the answer to starvation and food crises across the globe. The world’s population is ever increasing, and with the current figure at over 8 billion people, there is will be a food crisis if the issue is not handled in time. Organic farms cannot produce enough food to sustain the current demands. Therefore, GM foods are the saviour of humanity.
However, while appreciating the GM proponents’ concerns, people should not die from consuming dangerous foods. Why should people eat foods that are likely to cause more problems than the dreaded starvation and food crisis? Therefore, GM food should not be used in the name of avoiding food crises and starvation. The involved authorities should look for alternative safe ways of dealing with the problem.
Conclusion
In conclusion, GM foods are known to cause tumours and other related conditions when consumed. A research carried on rats proved this observation. The proponents of GM foods cite starvation and global food crises as the consequences of not adopting such foods. However, people should not feed on dangerous foods, which will cause more deaths as compared to starvation. Therefore, GM foods are unfit for human consumption and they should not be taken.
Works Cited
Adams, Mike. GMO Corn Linked to Cancer Tumours 2007. Web.
Institute for Responsible Technology: Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies—Genetically Engineered Soybeans 2007. Web.
World Health Organisation: Food, genetically modified 2014. Web.