My view on GMOs (Genetically Modified Food)
Today, more and moreGenetically-modified foods are being consumed. So what isGenetically modified foods? Genetically modified foodsare foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. Obviously, it has endowed people with its extraordinary benefits such as Pest resistance,Herbicide tolerance,Disease resistance,Drought tolerance. The list may go on and on. But have you noticed that it ,unfortunately ,hasdisadvantages ?
First of all,environmental hazards. There is a Genetically modified food, called B.t. corn. Nevertheless, B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B.t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. For example, last year a laboratory study was published inNature, an academic journal, showing that pollen from B.t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars.
What is worse, Genetically modified foods also risk human health. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A recent study shows that many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods.Moreover,there is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health, like Gene transfer. Can you imagine the baby you give birth to has 3 legs, 4 hands and 5 eyes? That’s horrible!
In spite of those advantages of Genetically modified foods, their disadvantages are An Inconvenient Truth. Since their existence has threatened the sustainability of human beings and even the survival of us, it is high time that we attached great importance to the regulation and labeling on the food market to identify if it is Genetically modified foods and take the next step. Only in this way, can we assure the food security and protect our environment.