Some researchers believe that eating GMO foods can contribute to the development of cancer. They argue that because the disease is caused by mutations in DNA, it is dangerous to introduce new genes into the body.
However, they note that no evidence of harm is not the same as proof of safety and that reaching a conclusion will require more research. There is a small chance that the genes in food can transfer to cells the body or bacteria in the gut.
Some GMO plants contain genes that make them resistant to certain antibiotics. This resistance could pass on to humans. There is growing concern globally that people are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics. There is a chance that GMO foods could be contributing to this crisis. The WHO have said that the risk of gene transfer is low. As a precaution, however, it has set guidelines for the manufacturers of GMO foods.
Outcrossing refers to the risk of genes from certain GMO plants mixing with those of conventional crops. There have been reports of low levels of GMO crops approved as animal feed or for industrial use being found in food meant for human consumption. In the U. This is because these foods must meet the same safety standards that apply to all FDA-regulated products, and there should be no need for additional regulation. For example:. Until the new regulations come into effect, there is no clear way to know whether foods contain GMO ingredients.
GMO foods have been available in the U. The most common GMO crops grown in the country are cotton, corn, and soybeans. The U. Department of Agriculture have reported that 94 percent of soybean and 91 percent of cotton crops were genetically modified by Currently, up to 90 percent of domestic corn acres are made from herbicide-tolerant seeds. The final food product is called GM or bioengineered food. This genetic modification may be carried out to enhance the agricultural features of the crop or improve its nutritional value.
The inclusion of this substance gives the rice a yellow or golden appearance, hence its name. GM foods are a subcategory of genetically modified organisms GMOs , which also include the genetic modification of microorganisms and animals. The practice of manipulating the genetic material of crops to yield desirable traits is not new, with records dating back 10, years ago in Southwest Asia.
Traditionally, crossbreeding , grafting, and selective breeding methods were used to rear produce with specific traits and were deemed desirable for both agricultural success and consumer expectations. With an estimated world population of 9 billion by , there is an agricultural challenge to meet the growing demand for nutritious foods.
Arguably, conventional farming and food production have not been able to sustain a consistent supply. At the same time, traditional selective breeding can take at least 10 years before the desirable characteristics are portrayed consistently in the domesticated crops. However, modern-day biotechnology enables specific genes to be identified, isolated, and inserted into crops of interest to enhance their features.
Bioengineering of crops and other technological applications to food production are faster and have filled a major gap in the supply and demand chain.
A downfall of traditional farming is the susceptibility of the crop to drought, disease, and pest infestations as well as large volumes of pesticide and herbicide use. For this reason, GM foods are modified to support the reliability of the food supply and consistent quality of the final crop. Although agricultural improvements have been at the forefront of bioengineering and GM foods, some modifications have focused on enhancing the nutritional profile of foods. For example, pink-flesh pineapples in Costa Rica have high levels of carotenoids — compounds found in plants that may reduce the risk of chronic disease, such as heart disease, in humans.
The increased concentration of the essential amino acid, lysine, in corn, and beta-carotene in golden rice , are other examples. Ongoing research is also exploring how to enhance the nutritional value of transgenic products, including modifying probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health. These efforts are also of public health interest to make essential nutrients often lacking in the diet widely available to the population. This list is publicly available and serves to inform regulating bodies about which foods they must issue food disclosure notices.
It is important to note that many of these GM foods are used as ingredients to make other food products. Therefore, people most likely consume food products made with ingredients derived from GM food crops. These labels will make consumers aware so that they retain buying power and make informed food decisions.
Below is a compilation of the current GM foods around the world. All these foods have been evaluated by the FDA and determined to be safe for human consumption.
Fact: Proteins in foods are often responsible for food allergies. When genetic material is introduced to the crop, new proteins may form and be interpreted as a foreign threat in the body, initiating an immune response or allergic reaction. This is rare, but a documented case revealed that contamination from a GMO crop not intended for human consumption caused the reaction and not components of the GM food itself.
Furthermore, a study found that GM foods were either not allergenic or no more allergenic than their nongenetically modified counterparts. Although cell-cultured meat and GM foods both use bioengineering techniques, cell-cultured meat specifically uses cell tissue engineering. Not safe?
Should they be regulated or not regulated? Two things are certain: foods containing GMOs are hitting the market at a rapid pace and they are found in most processed foods. Staying informed on what GMOs are, how they may affect your body, and what foods contain them is all a part of living a healthy, balanced life. GMOs have been in our food supply for more than 20 years. They are made by scientists who have genetically introduced new traits or characteristics to an organism, allowing it to grow faster, look better, taste sweeter, resist herbicides, etc.
While the Food and Drug Administration FDA regulates foods and ingredients made from genetically engineered plants and animals to help ensure that they are safe to eat, some argue that the effects they have on the human body are not fully understood.
These include:. Immune problems. Accelerated aging. Faulty insulin regulations. Changes to major organs and the gastrointestinal system. Another concern is that because these foods are engineered to withstand herbicides , more of the toxic substances are sprayed on the plants, which ultimately increases the trace amounts of herbicides found in foods.
Instead, concentrate on eating a heart-healthy diet that is high in fruits and veggies, and low in added sugar and processed foods. Products derived from these foods, including oils, all contain traces of GMOs. The 10 most popular foods that contain GMOs are:.
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