The Dangers and Advantages of Genetically Modified Food

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Good and evil are moral choices humans are free to make. As applied to technology, these moral choices present great opportunities and great dangers (Whitman, DIB). Whether you choose to consume genetically modified food or not there are still more advantages and disadvantages to it eke people claim that there is at the present moment. Other philosophers like George, S. , (1987) a senior follower at Transnational Institute of Amsterdam believe that genetically modified food is the answer to ending hunger especially in African countries and other parts of Asia.

She said that these products are the new strategies of food for the future since we have a high population and non-fertile soil in some parts of the world, genetically modified food can be given special traits and abilities to grow in harsh areas or to adapt to that particular environment and grow. She included that if ore countries in Africa could accept genetically modified food, more people will not die of hunger, but it will increase the food production.

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But since there is only one country in Africa that has allowed genetically modified food which is South Africa, solutions of feeding the rest of Africa are very small, more and more people will still struggle to feed themselves on daily basis leading to death. One of the aspects that George Susan (1987) included about genetically modified food is that she believes without genetically modified food there would be a lot of shortage of food to cater for the whole world. Take for instance China.

China has the largest population in the world that it is said if the all jump up at once the world could experience the most enormous earthquake ever experienced on Earth. The government could did not have enough natural resources to be TABLE to feed the whole country so they passed on a new law that every woman should have a maximum of 2 children, then after that she would be sterilized. That was because the population was very high that there was not enough food for everyone and again that is why most of them eat almost anything that can be consumed thou harming the body.

In Africa the situation is worse that there aren’t enough animals availTABLE and most of the people are illiterate and cannot strategies, but the worse factor is political issues. Genetically modified food are resistant to pests so there is no need of a pesticides or poisonous chemicals to be sprayed on them. Since fewer chemicals will be used in the process of growing these plants it is very good for the environment because it won’t be exposed to soil erosion, land pollution and most important transportation.

Since pests cannot feed on unethically modified foods, no crops will go to waste. Farmers will be TABLE to reach their maximum sales because nothing will go to waste. It also solves hunger problems especially in disadvantaged countries. It has been agreed that there is no enough food for the whole world to feed everybody. With genetically modified food a high yield of crops can be reached and therefore more crops are produced by farmers. Genetically modified food can be grown anywhere in the world, at any time and condition and other genetically modified food can be engineered to contain important vitamins and minerals.

Want to know it 2012). Console (2000) included that genetically modified foods increase opportunities for reduced tillage systems, it kills fewer non target organisms.They kill non targeted caterpillars and butterflies such as monarchs. It is also said that genetically modified food causes new viruses and risky side effects to human health. (Console, 2000). Some of the endangered species are believed to be affected by these products and can cause enormous change in the echo-system. Whitman, D. B. (April 2000) believes that in the next 50 years, overspent would have to feed over 12 billion people per day which can be pretty impossible if there is no new solution to the lack of food to feed the whole world. So far the only solution to feed the whole world is genetically modified foods. She also said that genetically modified food has greater dangers than advantages. Genetically modified technology will not eliminate hunger and malnutrition because dysfunctional governments and economies create problems with production, access and distribution of food.

Flawed policies, greed and incompetence will always keep some people in ignorance and poverty. Whitman, D. B. , April 2000) Want to know it (2012) site included that genetically modified food may have an everlasting effect on other organisms in the ecosystem; completely changing other plants and may cause it to be toxic to insects and animals that use plants as their source of food. The spread of insect resistant genes in crops may lead to insects being resistant to the genetic modified plants. This would cause a widespread loss of crops and plants that have the natural immunity leading to a loss of biodiversity.

Cancer Genetically modified foods share certain toxic effects on the liver, pancreas, dinned and reproductive system that may cause cancer in these organs, according to a Greek study (February 2009) “Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. ” The widespread use of recombinant growth hormone a genetically modified substance in the agricultural industry is associated with increases in GIF-I, a growth hormone that, in excess quantities, can lead to cancer. Allergies Allergic reactions to genetically modified foods may arise due to the presence of proteins derived from the plant or animal used to mood#y’ the food, according to a U.

S. Study for genetically modified food Toxicological Sciences July 2009) Current safety standards involve evaluation of the foreign proteins for allergenic potential, and a database of known allergenic proteins has been compiled, along with computer programs for assessing potential allergenic of proteins. Additionally, animal and non-animal testing methods are being developed to assist in the process of screening for allergenic.

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