BHS420 Module 2 SLP

Genetically modified foods Michael Thomas BHS 420 Quantitative Reasoning Module 2 Study Long Project Professor Dr.Sherry Grover Abstract In the wake of scientific breakthroughs and the embracing of new technology by the global community there has been emergence of genetically modified foods. Genetically modified foods are foods resulting from organisms whose genetic materials (DNA) have been adapted in a way that does not occur in nature, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a diverse organism (Freedman, 2009).These foods are modified to desired traits such as resistance to herbicides to drought and improved nutritional content aimed at saving the worlds hunger problem. In recent times there has been controversy over the safety and effects of GMOs on human health. This paper will discuss to a reasonable extend the controversy surrounding the effect of long term use of GMOs on human health basing on the following articles and journals. Whitman, D. (2000). Genetically modified foods: harmful or helpful? Retrieved from /discoveryguides/discoveryguides-main.php on July 30, 2011 The author tackles the GMF (Genetically Modified Foods) issue by summarizing the outcomes of the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) meeting held in November 1999 in Washington, D.C.The author looks at the pros and cons of GMF. The benefits derived from GMF include pest resistance and herbicides tolerance in crops arguing that this will save the farmers the financial burden of acquiring pesticide and herbicides and avoid the possible health hazard that comes from agricultural waste run off. Disease, cold and drought resistance will save the world huger and starvation. Additional nutritional value will eradicate malnutrition in third world countries. Clean up of heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil through phytoremediation and affordable medicine in plants is also discussed. On the other hand critics of the same argue that several health risks are common with the foods. Allergenicity is mentioned with reference to children in the US developing life threatening allergy to peanuts and other GMFs .In line with the same there`s fear that creation of a new allergen will cause allergic reactions to susceptible individuals. Its also argued that GMFs have potentially unknown risks to humans basing on a research on rats fed with lectin induced potatoes that showed a major difference from control breeds hence this could be possibly transferred to humans though not yet proven .The paper also discusses regulation of GMFs and the governments role in this. In Europe,the occurrence of food scares such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (cow s disease) has courted controversy on possible effect on humans. The need to label and asses the foods before entering the market is highly emphasized with calls for the congress to act faster on the issue. The author concludes by accepting that GMFs have the potential to solve world`s malnutrition and hunger problems but she is also quick to note that ther...