Benefits and Risks of Including GM Foods in Our Diets

This paper critically discusses the benefits and risks of using genetically modified foods. It also discusses the reasons why genetically modified foods should not be introduced into our diets.

Running Head: BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET
Benefits and Risks of Including GM Foods in Our Diets
Students name
University affiliation
Date

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 2
Benefits and Risks of Including GM Foods in Our Diets
Introduction
Have you of late eaten any locally produced fruit or food? If yes, there are a huge chance
that you have eaten genetically modified fruit or food without knowing. Genetically modified
foods are also referred to as genetically engineered foods or bioengineered foods (Harrar, 2014).
These types of food products have become a great concern which have generated controversy
concerning both their environmental as well as their health impacts. Applying the current and
modern genetic engineering techniques, it is likely to introduce a particular material which is
obtained from any plant microorganism or animal species into a different plant species (Dahl,
2012). This process, thus, enables a desired trait to be reproduced as well as developed. The
eventual plant species are commonly referred to as genetically modified plants or genetically
modified foods when used to produce and develop food sources (Shoot, 2018). GMO can also
entail organisms which have been modified genetically through selective breeding. There have
been debates about the benefits and risks of using genetically modified foods. This paper will
critically discuss the benefits and risks of using genetically modified foods. Lastly, the paper will
discuss the reasons why the genetically modified foods should not be introduced into our diets.
Background Information About Genetically Modified Foods
Numerous methods if development and enhancement of genetically modified organisms
have been identified. The gene considered as the foreign one is inserted into a microorganism
cell, either an animal or plant known as the transgene (Fairfield-Sonn, 2016). The foreign gene is
integrated into the transgenic genome. In some cases, the marker genes are used are applied due
to the identification as well as recognition of the transgenic organisms. The process of

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 3
integration is dome with various methods such as injection of transgenes, transduction, the
transfer method and the electroporation method. In the transfer method, artificial fragments and
chromosomes are normally used.
Why Genetically Modified Foods Are Promoted?
Genetically modified organisms or GM foods are described as crop plants which have
created for consumption by animal or humans using the modern techniques in molecular biology
(Harvie, 2014). The GM organisms have prepared in the laboratory so as to develop the desired
traits liked improved nutritional content. The process of modification can create the exact desired
trait with almost 100% accuracy.
Arguments for Genetically Modified foods in our diet
Most of the genetically modified crops are known to have traits which are crop
resistance. Most farmers utilize a lot of chemical pesticides yearly (Kiplinger’s Personal Finance,
2017). On the other hand, most people do not prefer to consume foods that have been treated
with too much chemicals due to the resultant health hazards and the pollution that is linked with
the artificial pesticides which pollute the water and create harm to the natural environment
(Lemaux, 2008). It has been established that having GM crops can reduce the usage of chemical
pesticides.
GM crops are normally tolerant to herbicides; Plants that are genetically engineered so as
to be resistant to a particular herbicide can help in preventing damages to the environment
through the reduction of the amount of the needed herbicides. For instance, a new breed of
soybeans has been created that cannot be affected by roundup product. Empirical studies have
revealed that a lot of concentration of roundup has an effect of causing disruption in metabolic

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 4
activity of Leporinus obstusidens. Soybeans has been created which only require a handful of the
weed killer rather than large amount of weed killer, thus, reducing the cost of production as well
as restricting the dangers of waste run off.
GM crops are always resistance to diseases; there are numerous bacteria, fungi and
viruses which have the potential to cause diseases to plants. Botanical researchers have worked
to create genetically modified crops which are resistant to these mentioned diseases making them
safe for human consumption.
GM crops are tolerant to cold; an antifreeze gene obtained from the water fish was used
in creating genetically modified plants like potato and tobacco. These genetically modified plants
are able to withstand the harsh cold environment which would otherwise killed and damaged
them (Sunstein, 2017).
GM crops are tolerant to drought and salinity; with the increasing human population
which has resulted to subdivision of agricultural land, farmers are compelled to grow crops in
areas which were previously deemed as unfit for cultivation (Nelson, 2001). Creating crops
which can withstand weather conditions like prolonged drought or saline areas is therefore
important. This will aid in growing crops and providing foods for the ever-increasing human
population to curb starvation and the subsequent poverty in especially developing countries.
Phytoremediation; genetically modified crops have the potential to clean up the natural
environment by getting rid of the heavy metals in the environment.
GM crops are known to be highly nutritious; it has been reported that malnutrition has
been rife in many developing countries in the world (Mawere & Nhemachena, 2017). genetically
modified rice has been created containing high content of vitamin which can reduce night

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 5
blindness in many people. In the future researchers are planning to create golden rice which will
be rich in iron content.
Arguments against GM crops or foods and why we should not include them in our diet
GM crops or foods pose environmental hazards; there are unprecedent unintended harm
to the environment and other organisms (Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, 2013). For
instance, corn of B.t cause high rates of mortality in monarch caterpillars. On the other hand,
these caterpillars’ impact on the milkweed plants instead of corn, yet the fear is that when the
corn pollen is transferred by the wind to milkweed plants, the caterpillars can consume the pollen
and die (Vecchio et al, 2004). Another example is that there will be a reduction in the pesticide
effectiveness (Schmidt, 2005). Another instance is that there will creation of superweeds due to
the cross breeding between the GM plant and the neighboring plant. This will result to the
creation of a plant which will be tolerant to herbicide (Tsatsakis, et al, 2017; Tsatsakis et al,
2017).
GM crops are associated with human health risks; according to Key, Ma and Drake
(2008), many people in Europe and the united states of America have developed allergies which
have threatened their lives due to their allergenicity properties. GM beans and corn are therefore,
very harmful to children who are suffering from allergies. For instance, a proposal in brazil to
introduce a foreign gene into soya beans was not allowed due to the fear of causing unknown
allergic to human beings. There have been fears that GM food products have the capacity to
cause unknown impacts on the health of human beings (Krimsky, 2015). For instance, an
empirical study was conducted to evaluate the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract of
rats. Furthermore, the foreign that was given to the rats was known as a snowdrop lectin, a
flower that has been established to have toxic effect on mammals.

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 6
It has been established that Gm foods do cause damage to the liver (Rajan & Letourneau,
2012), for instance, rats that were fed on GM potatoes were found to have atrophied and small
liver. This shows that such foods are safe for human consumption. Most of the GM foods cause
failure in the reproductive system as well as death of infants (Cephin, Cephin and Salobeir,
2004). The testicles of rats which were fed on GM soybeans revealed strange alterations. The
same soybeans were fed to young mice in which their sperm cells changed. Their embryo also
showed significant changes. This shows that having such foods in our diet is harmful to our
reproductive system as well as to young ones. Generally, GM foods are unsafe for human
consumption since they cause toxic reactions in the digestive tract of human beings
(Nutraceuticals World, 2016). For instance, rats which were fed GM tomato developed lesions in
the stomach which can lead to deadly hemorrhage.
Conclusion
Even though GM plants have some significant importance, they have some dangerous
health effects not only on the life of human beings but also on other mammals. Therefore, we
should not introduce them in our diets.

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 7
References
‘More Americans Embracing Plant- Based, Organic & Non-GMO Foods’ 2016, Nutraceuticals
World, vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 16–36,
‘Should You Worry About GMOs?’ 2013, Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, vol. 31, no.
9, pp. 4–5,
‘The Verdict on GMO Foods: Safe to Eat’ 2017, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, vol. 71, no. 2, p.
71,
Cephin, S., Cephin, N. and Salobeir, K., V 2004, Possibilities and dilemmas of using transgenic
food in human nutrition. Acta Agricult Sloven; 1: 105-11.
Dahl, R 2012, ‘To Label or Not to Label’, Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 120, no. 9,
pp. A358–A361,
Fairfield-Sonn, J., W 2016, ‘Political Economy of GMO Foods’, Journal of Management Policy
& Practice, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 60–70,
Harrar, S 2014, ‘How Can You Tell If They Are Real or Modified?’, Good Housekeeping, vol.
258, no. 8, pp. 97–100,
Harvie, A 2014, Food Security: Challenges, Role of Biotechnologies and Implications for
Developing Countries, Biotechnology in Agriculture, Industry and Medicine, Nova Science
Publishers, Inc, Hauppauge, New York,
Key S, Ma J., K, Drake P., M 2008, Genetically Modified Plants And Human Health. J R Soc
Med; 101(6): 290-8.

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 8
Krimsky, S 2015, ‘An Illusory Consensus behind GMO Health Assessment’, Science,
Technology & Human Values, vol. 40, no. 6, pp. 883–914,
Lemaux, P., G 2008, Genetically engineered plants and foods: A scientist’s analysis of the
issues. Annu Rev Plant Biol; 59: 771-812.
Mawere, M & Nhemachena, A 2017, GMOs, Consumerism and the Global Politics of
Biotechnology: Rethinking Food, Bodies and Identities in Africa’s 21st Century, Langaa RPCIG,
Oxford,
Nelson, GC 2001, Genetically Modified Organisms in Agriculture: Economics and Politics,
Academic Press, San Diego, Calif,
Rajan, SR & Letourneau, DK 2012, ‘What Risk Assessments of Genetically Modified Organisms
Can Learn from Institutional Analyses of Public Health Risks’, Journal of Biomedicine &
Biotechnology, vol. 2012, pp. 1–8,
Schmidt, CW 2005, ‘Genetically Modified Foods Breeding Uncertainty’, Environmental Health
Perspectives, vol. 113, no. 8, pp. A526–A533,
Shoot, B 2018, ‘Trust in Transparency: Study Shows Labeling GMO Foods Improves
Consumers’ Attitudes’, Fortune.com, p. 1,
Sunstein, C., R 2017, ‘On Mandatory Labeling, with Special Reference to Genetically Modified
Foods’, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, vol. 165, no. 5, pp. 1043–1095,
Tsatsakis, AM, Nawaz, MA, Kouretas, D, Balias, G, Savolainen, K, Tutelyan, VA, Golokhvast,
KS, Lee, JD, Yang, SH & Chung, G 2017, ‘Environmental impacts of genetically modified
plants: A review’, Environmental Research, vol. 156, pp. 818–833,

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF INCLUDING GM FOODS IN OUR DIET 9
Tsatsakis, AM, Nawaz, MA, Tutelyan, VA, Golokhvast, KS, Kalantzi, O-I, Chung, DH, Kang,
SJ, Coleman, MD, Tyshko, N, Yang, SH & Chung, G 2017, ‘Impact on environment, ecosystem,
diversity and health from culturing and using GMOs as feed and food’, Food & Chemical
Toxicology, vol. 107, pp. 108–121,
Vecchio, L., Cisterna, B., Malatesta, M., Martin, T., E. and Biggiogera, M 2004, Ultrastructural
analysis of tests from mice fed on genetically modified soybean. Eur J Histochem; 48: 449-54