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Are Gmo Foods Safe?

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ARE GMO’S SAFE TO EAT? Genetically modified foods, otherwise known as GM foods, have been the source of enormous controversy for the past several decades. Both sides of the debate for and against GM foods bring empirical evidence to the table in an effort to disqualify the opposition, and it is clear that much is a stake for the companies and people involved. But what does this mean for the average consumer? When the politics are shunted aside, people still want to know if what they’re eating is safe, and good for (or at least neutral to) our environment. In this essay, I will attempt to shed light on these questions with hard facts and separate the political fictions from truth. To do so, I will first explain what …show more content…

A brief explanation from Learn.Genetics.Utah.edu will help illustrate: Technology now allows us to transfer genes between organisms. For example, the tomato plant 's beetle resistance relies on a gene from a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis), which scientists inserted into the tomato plant 's genome. This gene, called cry1Ac, encodes a protein that is poisonous to certain types of insects, including the beetle. How is this done? Gene transfer technology is simply a sophisticated version of a cut-and-paste operation. Once the desired gene is identified in the native organism 's genome, it can be cut out, transferred to the target plant, and pasted into its genome… Once the new gene has been introduced, the plant can be bred to create a new strain that passes the gene from generation to generation. (pp 8,9) Another type of genetic modification, developed more recently, uses radiation to cause mutations in crop seeds. Mutations, as a rule, cause negative effects to occur in plant life and usually end up killing the plant. But occasionally, mutations will cause the plant to exhibit beneficial characteristics. According to New York Times journalist, William J. Broad, “The mutations can improve yield, quality, taste, size and resistance to disease and can help plants adapt to diverse climates and conditions” (pp8). Are GM Foods safe to eat? One of the biggest questions people are left with, given the most recent scientific

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