The Pros And Risks Of GMO Food

There are two sides to every coin, and the topic of GMO foods is a prime example of this. An assessment of GMOs analyzes and weighs the risks and benefits on health. Anti-GMO advocates point out the undeniable truth that genetic modification of plants and animals can cause bacterial resistance to develop. They also claim that GMOs increase allergy and cancer rates but this information is mostly unfounded as of today. Of course, GMOs have only been around for about two decades and extensive long-term studies are still required. On the other hand, pro-GMO people have pointed out that resistant and durable GM crops produce higher yields and create abundance. With a higher food supply, there is more accessibility and therefore, more nutrition to go around. Finally, some GMO foods are even being modified with the intention of treating worldwide health problems through people’s diets. The benefits are huge and the risks are minimal. As it stands, GMO food has the potential to feed and nourish the world more efficiently with the only notable price being stronger

Genome contamination is an indisputable byproduct of GMO foods. Seeds of Death provides a chilling example of this as it discusses how fields within a five-hundred mile radius of a GM field are at risk of being contaminated. This genome contamination can spread and drastically decrease biodiversity which is an extremely dangerous risk. For example, the Gros Michel banana was once the staple American banana that disappeared because it was attacked by a strain of panama disease and had little genetic diversity to combat the pathogen (Green). Another proclaimed genetic risk of GMOs is man and animal genome alteration through consumption. However, this has been mostly debunked as prestigious organizations like Harvard have found that “GMO-DNA was completely indistinguishable