Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 39 views

    Untitleddocument

    Uploaded by

    api-256399202
    This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the debate around labeling them in food. It begins by explaining that GMOs are created by combining DNA from different species to make new types of plants and foods. While GMOs were meant to increase nutrients and pest/disease resistance, studies have found potential negative health effects from GMOs like tumors and allergies. However, the FDA does not require GMO safety testing or labeling, relying instead on industry claims. The document argues that consumers have a right to know what is in their food and that with public support, progress can be made on GMO labeling in the US.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Untitleddocument

    Uploaded by

    api-256399202
    39 views4 pages
    This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the debate around labeling them in food. It begins by explaining that GMOs are created by combining DNA from different species to make new types of plants and foods. While GMOs were meant to increase nutrients and pest/disease resistance, studies have found potential negative health effects from GMOs like tumors and allergies. However, the FDA does not require GMO safety testing or labeling, relying instead on industry claims. The document argues that consumers have a right to know what is in their food and that with public support, progress can be made on GMO labeling in the US.

    Original Title

    untitleddocument

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the debate around labeling them in food. It begins by explaining that GMOs are created by combining DNA from different species to make new types of plants and foods. While GMOs were meant to increase nutrients and pest/disease resistance, studies have found potential negative health effects from GMOs like tumors and allergies. However, the FDA does not require GMO safety testing or labeling, relying instead on industry claims. The document argues that consumers have a right to know what is in their food and that with public support, progress can be made on GMO labeling in the US.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as odt, pdf, or txt
    39 views4 pages

    Untitleddocument

    Uploaded by

    api-256399202
    This document discusses genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the debate around labeling them in food. It begins by explaining that GMOs are created by combining DNA from different species to make new types of plants and foods. While GMOs were meant to increase nutrients and pest/disease resistance, studies have found potential negative health effects from GMOs like tumors and allergies. However, the FDA does not require GMO safety testing or labeling, relying instead on industry claims. The document argues that consumers have a right to know what is in their food and that with public support, progress can be made on GMO labeling in the US.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as ODT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as odt, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    Diana Gonzalez

    Period- 2/3
    Humanities
    March 3, 2015
    GMO Labeling: The 411
    Lets start with the big question: what are GMOs in the first place? GMOs are
    Genetically Modified Organisms , the DNA of different species are fused together to form a type
    of plant or food that does not exist
    naturally. GMOs were originally created
    to make a new species that could contain
    more nutrients, resist insects/diseases, and
    require less water so it may grow in
    drought-stricken areas. Because of
    this, using GMOs have become so
    common that they are in as much as 80%
    of all conventional processed foods, yet
    none of them are labeled. So why arent they labeled, and why should we care?

    The downside to eating GMOs is the uncertainty of how it can affect you. There have
    been at least 19 studies that link GMOs with organ
    disruptions. More studies have proven other effects such
    as infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging,
    faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs
    and the gastrointestinal system For example a study led
    by Sralini has concluded that rats exposed to low doses
    of both genetically modified corn and the widely used herbicide Roundup had negative health
    effects which caused them to grow tumors.
    GMO foods can present significant allergy risks to people, according to Brown
    University. Because GMOs alter with the DNA of an organism, mixing it with other proteins
    from organisms that you are allergic to, may be added to an organism that you weren't originally
    allergic to, and because your food wasnt labeled, you didnt have a chance of knowing you
    are allergic. Knowing not only raises more questions on how it will affect humans but
    also questioning why the FDA hasnt gotten involved
    yet?
    The answer would be, The FDA has placed the
    interest of a handful of biotechnology companies ahead
    of their responsibility to protect public health. By
    failing to require testing and labeling of genetically
    engineered foods, the agency has made consumers unknowing guinea pigs for potentially
    harmful, unregulated food substances. or so says Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of Center
    for Food Safety; a company that has benefited from this is Monsanto. In April 2011, the FDA
    allow Monsanto to perform their own impact studies on the GMOs they produce.The biotech

    industry (Monsanto) claims that the FDA has thoroughly evaluated the genetically modified
    foods and have found them safe. But that isnt true. The FDA
    dont require their own safety studies. Instead, if the makers of
    the GMo foods claim that they are safe, the agency has no
    further questions, all their information relies on biotechs data,
    which means they ultimately have the choice of getting a pass
    or fail grade so to speak.
    Genetically Modified Organisms not only harm our
    bodies but also our environment.
    Weeds and pests are now
    beginning to become
    immune to pesticides. Because one of the reasons GMOs
    were originally created to resist insects and weeds, they
    have had to adjust. Through out the years the pests and
    weeds have learned to evolved to these deadly
    pesticides.This makes them harder to kill which leads to
    the production of stronger pesticides. For example rootworms, one of the most destructive pests
    to corn growers led to the creation to corn is engineered with the genes of the bacteria Bacillus
    thuringiensis, poisonous to rootworms. Sadly in the last several years, farmers and scientists
    have found rootworms becoming resistant to the corn. Initially, the rootworms was only resistant
    to one of the three varieties of the modified corn. However, scientists have now found resistance
    to a second variety as well.This proves that they are slowly modifying and evolving to overcome
    these pesticides.

    If that wasnt bad enough, on Tuesday, March 26st President Obama signed the spending
    bill HR 933 (against more than 250,000 Americans who asked that he use his executive authority
    to veto it),which was primarily concerned with a threat of government shutdown. However,
    buried in the fine print was Section 735, the
    Farmer Assurance Provision aka "the Monsanto
    Protection Act" which bars federal courts from
    being able to halt the sale or planting of
    controversial genetically modified aka GMO
    or genetically engineered seeds.
    With all these setbacks labeling gmos is
    going to take everybody's help. Slowly but
    surely we are moving forward currently, 64
    countries around the world(40% of the
    population) require labeling of genetically
    modified foods.I believe with everybody's
    help we will move forward. We have the right
    to make our own decisions on what we eat.
    Lets not be the last ones know what we are
    consuming.

    You might also like