Would you avoid Genetically Modified foods?

Genetically modified food is food containing ingredients extracted from plants or animals. Genes from another organism have been inserted. This is used for improving plants, so that plants with more useful characteristics can be developed. These may include size, nutritional content or resistance to certain viruses or fungi. It is used to replace the old method of plant breeding techniques, which is done by cross-fertilization of selected plants to produce desired species. The new technique of genetic engineering is more precise, making it possible to direct and predict changes without introducing undesirable qualities. But GM foods are not evaluated on their long-term safety. The effects of prolonged consumption are uncertain.

In the past few years extra-starch potatoes, low-sugar strawberries, wheat with extra gluten, super high-protein grains, cotton and potatoes with herbicide-producing genes that could eliminate the need for toxic sprays and many more food have been developed by genetic engineering. These good characteristics allow more food can be produced in a cheaper price and we can receive more nutrients, but at the same time many undesirable effects may happen. Some may affect our health and some may affect our environment.

Some of the genes that have been added to the food may cause allergy to some people. Without knowing which kind of genes have been added to the food, customers may have undesirable effects after taking GM foods. As these GM foods have not been tested sufficiently before reaching the consumers, so no one is certain about its safety. Many side effects may appear after prolonged consumption. Will it be a potential hazard to our human health?

Plants which are genetically engineered to have inborn herbicides may breed a new generation of "super pests". These pests may cause serious harm to the natural environment. Also, some genes may be transferred to other plants through cross-pollination, causing unintended harm, such as lose of flora and fauna biodiversity. For a kind of plant, if more of it is being genetically engineered, there will be less variation within its species. As the environment is constantly changing they will be easily endangered. These are all potential hazards to the environment.
 

Last but not least, taking GM foods is a big ethical problem. Many people cannot take some kind of food such as pork because of their religion. Some vegetables may contain the gene from an animal, religious people may have eaten them without knowing its content. This will cause a big religious problem. Also every kind of organism has its own characteristics, each characteristic has its own purpose. If we change them by genetic engineering, we are actually disturbing the ecosystem. When the ecosystem is upset many unknown hazards may appear, new diseases may be developed, natural disasters may occur. These hazards may gradually show up after prolonged consumption of GM food.

Since there are so many uncertainties about the usage of GM food and the problems it brings about, I will surely avoid GM food. We can solve the religion and health problem by food labeling. For long term I think the best way to solve all the problems of GM food is to avoid using it and stop its production.