Avoid GMOs And Start to Buy Organic Food

Leonid Suchkov Professor Lesley Broder English 24 1 11 February 2019 Avoid GMO products Recently, food products produced with the help of genetic engineering have become widespread in the world. The production of genetically modified organisms is associated with the insertion of another’s gene into the DNA of other plants or animals to change the properties of product. As a result of this process, artificial introduction of new genes into the organisms. In the media there are opposing views on the safety of genetically modified organisms. However, after the experts analyzed the positive reviews, it turned out that almost every “scientific” study, the conclusion of which is “GMO harmless!”, was funded by the manufacturers of such products. Therefore, I think it is difficult to consider them objective.

Scientists note that even despite the lack of long-term studies of animals and humans, what is already known to science causes serious concern about the health status of people, animals, plants and the environment. The USDA reports that 88% of corn, 93% of soybeans, 90% of cotton and canola are GMOs (USDA ERS). And therefore, it affects each of us, as well as health next generations. Every day we eat GMO and don’t know anything about it. I’m against GMO products for many reasons, I believe all relate to GMO crops are bad for animals, farmers, humans and the earth, because our food, water and air are important factors in our health, and we want to be healthy we must consume quality and healthy foods.

I think everyone should understand all the risks and effects for health of using Gmo, because scientists don’t have enough researches about genetic engineering and long term studies haven’t been done on their impact to the human body. In Dana Perls book ”The next generation of Gmos” she explains very simple and clear that in general GMO is food produce from organisms whose “DNA has been modified by unnaturally way, artificially manipulated in a lab through the introduction of a gene from a different organism”, also create “combinations of plants, animals , bacteria and viruses “ that don’t occur through traditional methods.(Perls 17) The genetically modified products is artificially derived in laboratories. Perls wrote that alien genes of not only other plants, but even animals are added to the plant’s personal code.

This is done in order to increase the frost resistance of plants, protection from pests, taste, yield. Modern scientists are achieving results in short time, whereas as 40 years ago scientists have been spending decades to improve it. The most common GMO products include: potatoes, soybeans, strawberries, corn, beets, canola, tobacco. Disputes don’t stop. Manufacturers claim that there is no harm from these products, and many researchers state the opposite. In my opinion this is natural, because production and sale of GMO products is a big business. Manufacturers of such products earn at high growing of the Gmo crops, while producers of natural products earn their products. Also, we can add to risks that these products contain proteins, genes that are foreign to our body, they cause allergies and reduced immunity. If you use these products constantly, the risks of various diseases increase. A striking example: Sweden and America.

In MD Martin Donohoe research “Health and Environmental Consequences of Genetically Modified Foods and Biopharming”, he shows that in Sweden only 7% of the population is allergic, the country has a ban on GMOs, but in The US, 70% of the population suffers from allergic reactions, here GMO products are allowed for sale even without marking. Donohoe explains that Gmo plants have many toxins and his researchers have shown that with an excess of GMO products, there is a risk that the human becomes resistant to drugs. This is due to the fact that in GMO products use genes that are resistant to antibiotics, and they are able to integrate into a human cell. The list of risks can be supplemented by the fact that in such products there is an excess of pesticides, GMO products can cause mutations. Nutrients in them are much less than in natural.

In article Julie Beck “Americans believe in science, just not its findings”, she introduces results by Pew Research Center how 88 percent of scientists say they’re” generally safe” safe to eat, however only “37 percent of the public agrees.” and also” 67 percent thought scientists don’t have a clear understanding of GMOs’ health effects.” (Beck 109) And these fears are growing every day to avoid further consequences, need to long research about genetic engineering and we exactly don’t know how GMO products impact to the human body. With all the negative research the harm of GMO products is not obvious and is not fully proven. Moreover, they have supporters. In book Jennifer Thompson “Seeds for the Future, The Impact of Genetically Modified Crops on the Environment.” Thompson says that natural products are not able to feed the entire population of the planet. In addition, due to climate change, many fruits and cereals produce too low yields, but GMOs are not sensitive to climate change. She explains that GMOs affect productivity of grow and resistance to herbicides, pests and diseases.

One of the main arguments in favor of GMOs is their cheapness compared to natural products. Yet none of these arguments is worth human health. And I’m against this position, because they are talking about changing our genotype. At present, I think the science about Gmo is technically imperfect and knowledge of influences this cell to the DNA is very incomplete. As a result of artificially adding a gene, can happen unexpectedly results, in the worst case, as a new dangerous virus. My opinion that knowledges of the environmental impact of genetically modified organisms is completely inadequate, because can happen various possible environmental complications and changes in the environment can not be corrected, since the released genes cannot be taken back. I think many people know about risks of Gmo and wants to avoid this products. In a published survey about GMOs to student of English 24 class in Kingsborough Community College, all people answered that they knew about GMO and most consider it a risk to eat them.

This result shows that people at least understand problem and maybe avoid of eating these products or do think about it. I’m very glad that people agree that’s products should be labeled and this is important signal, because everyone will start to think and research about risks. But it is better to begin from yourself, because no restrictions or labeling won’t help without own support and believe. Trying to protect themselves from GM crops, many countries have introduced labeling on products with GMOs. In the world there are different approaches to the labeling of products with GMOs. Theresa Papademetriou pointed out in the USA, Canada this product is not labeled, but they put organic and non-Gmo Labels, in the EU countries the 0.9% contains Gmo is accepted, in Japan and Australia 5%. Also she reported in The European Union first accept laws that GMOs to be labelled in 1997, but unfortunately only in 2013 Connecticut became first state to order a labeling law and only July 7, 2016 U.S. GMO Food labeling bill ‘Vermont Law’ passed Senate. (Papademetriou) I think the problem stems from the lack of knowledge of the effects of GMO crops on the human body. The effect that produce genes embedded in GMOs is unknown.

Man has never consumed them before, and therefore it is unclear whether they are dangerous. American Public Health Association and Nurses Association reported that health problems increased after GMOs were introduced in 1996, chronical illnesses jumped from 7% to 13%. (AHPA), also GMOs increase heavy use of toxic pesticides and herbicides polluting air, water and soil. And especially need to say about “Monsanto Protection Act” ( Farmer Assurance Provision, Section 735 ), this is how food corporations as Monsanto got protection by Government. All these factors make us think about the risks and effects of GMOs. The main solution to the problem is regulations and restrictions by government agencies as FDA, USDA and EPA, but unfortunately in Canada and the USA labeling of Gmo food is voluntary, while in Europe all food which contains GMOs must be labelled.

The debate about GMOs has been going for a long time. On one side of the debate is the idea that genetic engineering is progress for humanity. The other side believes genetically modified foods are unsafe for human consumption and harmful to the environment. I think a GMO companies are not enough regulated by the government ,and for long time they were against the labeling of their products , also they spend huge amounts of money for lobbying, instead of revealing to people all risks and effects of their products. So, while the government begins to protect us from GMO, people can start doing it themselves. The best way to avoid GMOs we should start to buy organic food, that is the easiest way to avoid GMOs, and when you buy organic you also avoid pesticides and other chemical additives. Or trying to buy Non-GMO project verified is free of GMOs, but other toxins from conventional methods of agriculture are a given if the food is not organic. My opinion is important to avoid processed foods containing ingredients from corn, soy, canola sugar beets. I believe if even a small percentage of us start rejecting brands that contain Gmo ingredients, food companies won’t use them. Also, the key is to educate people and try to avoid these products.