Genetically Modified Food

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Genetically Modified food is a type of DNA technology that is used to alter genes in plants therefore bringing out desirable characteristics that can be combined and selected. Genetically modified food technology can be used for various reasons such as increasing the nutrition and population rates of food all over the world. In underdeveloped countries there is a lack of money to buy food and a limited number of crops they can buy to sustain themselves. Genetic engineering allows scientist to alter gene characteristics to fight malnutrition. An example of this would be the Golden Rice Project. This project has infused beta-carotene into rice plants so that they could produce vitamin A. The vitamin A elevated the vitamin A deficiency and created …show more content…

The benefits include scientists having the ability to replace faulty or missing genes which can allow for a cure of many diseases. One experiment was done with piglets to see their reaction to a type of non toxic corn. A type of insecticide was created that only affected the bugs that ate it, but could not affect anything else around it. This was used on a type of corn that can decrease the amount of mold, thus decreasing the amount of fumonism. The corn also helped the growth and stability of pigs that fed on it. It was shown that they had gained weight and had a greater level of health. Another benefit of genetic engineering is the higher chance of plant survival in climate change. Due to the ability to survive climate change allows for more people to grow more plants and for a cheaper price. (Key) Risks are being found out all the time due to the newness of this science. It has been found the any genetic engineering can cause severe mutations and changing of genes and their behavior. They can be permanently turned on or off and well as completely removed. The changes can cause allergies and diseases in many people.( Smith). There is also risks when it comes to labeling. Since a final decision has yet to be made many consumers do not know what they are purchasing. If their is any chemical or byproduct of genetic engineering that they may have an allergy to they would not know if it's in their food.

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