GMO Foods

Genetically Modified Crops are the foods that have a gene extracted from an organism and placed in a different food by a scientist. The main aim of Genetically Modified Crops is to create a food that is able to survive even the effects of harmful chemicals such as pesticides or herbicides. Another purpose of genetically modified crops is to increase shelf life of food items. 

Gene technology is a sub-discipline of modern biotechnology that makes use of living things to make or change the product. Some of the commonly genetically modified food items are corn, tomato, beets, potatoes,  alfalfa, soya beans, canola oil, rice, wheat, meat, poultry, Processed Foods like convenience foods, condiments, salad dressings, juice, soda, vitamins, chocolate including many frozen meals, heat and serve meals.

As recently as a decade ago, GM agriculture was virtually non-existent, but has since expanded rapidly, both in terms of total area planted and the number of countries involved.


Advantages

• The agricultural process is kinder to the environment by using less pesticides, fertilizers and water. 
• Gene technology is one of the best solutions to the problem of world hunger. It can increase production and lower the cost of food. 
• Gene modification can boost immunity and develop inbuilt vaccines for livestock and poultry.
• Gene technology can remove lactose, so that lactose-intolerant people can eat dairy products.
• Crops could be grown in areas suffering from drought and salt.
• Genetically Modified crops are faster and cheaper.
• Genetically Modified Foods are often thought to be more nutritious, tasting better and last longer.
• Many people rely on genetically modified foods for medicines, e.g.,insulin for diabetics.
• Genetically Modified Foods are safe.

Disadvantages

• Most food manafacturers are unable or unwilling to provide information on whether or not their products contain Genetically Modified ingredients
• Genetically Modified Crops can contaminate other crops simply by pollen being blown by wind from one field to another.
• World starvation has more to do with wealth distribution rather than the inadequate production of foods.
• Sometimes genetically modified crops have allergenic effects.
• New viruses could evolve from the mass production of GM crops.
• The more that gene technology is used, the worse the environment will become.
• Pests may develop resistance to GM crops that have been designed to kill them.
• GM crops produce religious complications.
• GM crops may produce ecological side effects (Monarch butterfiles)

The scientific body of knowledge surrounding GM agriculture is still inconclusive, but the future of GM crops will likely be decided more by political and regulatory realities than by any scientific consensus. Faced with uncertainty about genetic modification, and often pressured by its many vocal opponents, many governments now highly regulate the use of GM crops. These regulations are often so complicated that only large agrochemical corporations have the resources to successfully navigate them and gain approval for GM crops.

Today, anti-GM protests are prevalent and regulatory barriers to extensive GM use remain very high. GM bans in the European Union and Japan will keep demand for conventionally grown foods strong. In the future, though, increasing economic competition between GM and non-GM food exporters—and concern over soaring world food prices—may supersede such dissent. China, with its rapidly growing economy and burgeoning population, has heavily invested in agricultural biotechnology and now accounts for more than half of all world expenditures on GM crops, entirely financed by the Chinese government. In the future, increased use of GM agriculture in China and increased funding for high-quality scientific research may eliminate some uncertainty. Until then, a precautionary, case-by-case examination of the potential benefits and risks of each GM crop will be the most practical way forward.