Discussion About GMO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Discussion About GMO - Essay Example In fact, it is estimated by analysts that approximately 70% of all processed foods in restaurants and supermarkets are genetically modified. While this technology can aid in crop production, in the agricultural sector, as well as increasing food nutrients, reducing pollution, slowing the ripening process, and creating pharmaceutical products, it should be controlled strictly; it has the ability to create superweeds, induce allergic responses, create genetic pollution, and pose health risks to humans and wild species. Therefore, genetically modified organisms need to be controlled stringently since they have detrimental effects on humans and the environment. GMO Foods are Unsafe GMO’s promote high health risk problems to the consumer. Even though regulation can be done, through research, to make sure they are safe, for some reason, GMOs are not regulated or tested adequately (Somerville, 2010). These tests, primarily, need strict procedures, guidelines, and duration for them to be effective. The real problem has to do with the submission procedure rather than the scientific procedure. This leads to tens of thousands of submissions to government agencies annually for approval to sell the GMOs. Because of the endless information provided to the agencies, the agencies simply go through the submissions and, sans detailed examination, scrutiny, or study, endorse them. The net result of this is that companies like Monsanto keep submitting data and research, and the government keeps approving them. Another problem with systems of safety regulation is the fact that employees at companies and regulatory agencies are the same (Somerville, 2010). For instance, Michael Friedman, who is the former acting commissioner of the FDA, is now senior VP at G.D. Searle & Co., which is a division of Monsanto. Hence, there is inadequate regulation of GMOs, despite their potentially negative impacts on the environment and human health. In addition, genetically modified organisms can lead to allergic responses in various individuals because of allergens found in the organisms. These reactions normally happen when the immune system of humans interprets them as offensive and invasive and react accordingly (Somerville, 2010). While this does not occur often, allergic reactions may be dangerous, in some cases, even fatal. Some studies have indicated that genetically modified organisms provoke reactions of the immune system. For example, rats that are given corn genetically engineered at Monsanto suffer from a significant rise in leukocytes, meaning that they undergo an abnormal activation of their immune system. To add to this experiment, it has also been proven scientifically that soybeans that are genetically modified have more allergens than the wild species (Somerville, 2010). One soy allergen known as Trypsin inhibitor is at levels that are seven times higher than in the wild species. The situation can be worsened if individuals do not know that their aller gic responses are caused by these GMOs after they eat them, which makes it difficult for doctors to diagnose the real cause because the allergens are not easily detectable in GMOs. GMOs are Costly Socio-economically There is an economic imbalance between producers, marketed foods, and large industrial corporations.