GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS & ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Transcription

1 GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS & ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY By: Team Civil Transportation Charlie Duverge Tatiana Theurer Claudia Uchuya EGN 1033: Technology Humans and Society Florida International University Dr. Sabri Tosunoglu

2 Abstract Over the years research in the field of genetic engineering has been done to alter the genes of plants and animals. These changes are made to improve the quality of the food and the lifestyle of those who eat it. Genetically modified foods have had a great impact on our society; they have a lot of benefits and a lot of cons. But the future seems promising, new technologies ahead, better tasty foods and less diseases is what this whole new world of genetically modified foods is offering us. 2

3 Table of Contents Page Introduction...Tatiana Theurer 3 Background..Tatiana Theurer 4 Pros Claudia Uchuya 5 Cons...Claudia Uchuya 6 Future of GM Foods...Charlie Duverge 7 Impact on Society...Charlie Duverge 8 Conclusion..Charlie Duverge 9 Reference 10 3

4 Introduction GMs or genetically modified foods are special sets of technologies that alter the genetic makeup of living organisms such as animals, plants, or bacteria. Biotechnology, a more general term, refers to using living organisms or their components, such as enzymes, to make products that include wine, cheese, beer, and yogurt. Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant DNA technology, and the resulting organism is said to be "genetically modified," "genetically engineered," or "transgenic." With this new technology scientists are able to insert specific genes into an animal or a plant in order to get the size, the color, and the taste of the thing that they are trying to create. One of the hard things to do during this process is locating all the important traits, for example desired nutrients or insect resistance. However, detailed maps along with dataanalyzing technologies are being generated by genome sequencing and discovery programs for lots of different organisms. Genetic engineering also allows scientists to cross species, or example they can create a plant that produces insulin, which is very important for human health. 4

5 Background Farmers have tried to modify crops forever. In the first 10,000 years that people were planting and harvesting crops, they came up with the idea of cultivating more varieties by saving and cultivating seeds from their best plants. That method was called selective breeding. This method has been used since about 5000 BC. Improvements came really slowly and really started growing up during the Renaissance, when a major scientific revolution took place. In later years the field of farming began to change at a very high speed. These changes are mostly because of the advances in molecular genetics, and allowed scientists to work with a plant s individual genes. Genes are the basic units of heredity that determine the particular characteristic or group of characteristics that an organism inherits. Agricultural biotechnology was born in the early 1980s. A huge breakthrough occurred when a naturally occurring bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens (which causes crown gall disease), was able to inject foreign genes into plants. By that time scientists started to work with plants, isolating necessary genes for diseases, a pest or a drought. Over the next 20 years more efficient methods of injecting genes into plants were developed. The first genetically engineered field crop to be marketed for human consumption in the United States was the Flavr Savr tomato, which 5

6 was endowed with genes that delayed ripening. The tomato was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994 after years of development by Calgene, a California biotechnology company. Agricultural biotechnology received a major boost in late 1996, when researchers at Monsanto began marketing a new kind of soybean. The soybean was engineered to contain a bacterial gene that allows the soybean plants to withstand the toxins in Monsanto s popular herbicide, Roundup. All farmers needed to do with this method were to spray a weed killer as needed on their crops and that was it. After that, engineered foods became a hit. The sales of engineered foods have gone up since the year 2000 and can only keep going up. Pros Genetically modified foods are very convenient and helpful to all of us. It is convenient for the buyer as well as for the farmer. They have a lot of benefits for the crops, for the animals, for the environment and for the society. The crops have now better taste and better quality. The maturation time has been reduced enormously, which benefits the farmers, they now don t have to wait for months for their plants to grow. Also the crops have now more resistance to diseases, pests and herbicides. They also have more 6

7 nutrients, yields and stress tolerance. The animals have increased their resistance, their productivity, their hardiness and they are fed more efficiently. We also get better yields of meat, eggs and milk. The animal health has also improved as well as the diagnostic methods. The environment has also benefited from this technology. We now have more conservation of soil, water and energy. We also have a better natural waste management. Our society has benefited getting food security and a better health because people are eating healthier foods. GM foods are essential if we are planning of feeding the entire world. But the true question is, are they safe? The truth is that GM foods currently available on the international market have passed risk assessments and are note likely to present any risk to human health. Cons Of course, with every new technology there are bad things that could happen. And genetically modified foods are not the exception. Some people could get allergies from the GM foods. Some people s immune system is less resistant than others. Allergies begin when a person becomes sensitized to a substance. People can be allergic to genetically modified foods because the genes of the foods have changed. Some other people say 7

8 that these foods also generate birth defects, toxicity and malnutrition in little children. It is also said that a big change in every say diet has been done, within the past 3 years a normal person s diet has changed enormously. Naturalists say that we are tampering with nature my mixing genes among species. Some other people just don t want to eat animal genes in plants and vice versa. Other problems may arise from the GM production; there can be religious problems that are because some people think that to play with the genes of something is as if they re playing God. Many religions are against that. The Future of GM Foods The genetically modified foods under research and development are mostly what one expects. Some are a little strange, but most are quite practical. New coffee plants are being tested that will be more prone to insect attacks, but harmless to humans. Also, naturally caffeine-free coffee is something many consumers could see themselves adding to their grocery lists. Vitamin-A enriched rice doesn t trail too far behind. It will also be popular internationally since vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of blindness in many third world countries. Healthier soybeans from Brazil could also be a thing of the future since Brazil is the second biggest soybean 8

9 supplier of the world. Edible vaccines may seem a bit futuristic, but needle injections may one day be a thing of the past. Not to mention, cow milk is not just good for your bones, but may also be used to produce human growth hormones for children with growth problems. High-protein milk will also make cheese-making quicker and cheaper for the cheese industry. Even disorders like hemophilia may be treated with blood-clotting agents cheaply produced in fish. Something that chefs around the world might appreciate is a genetically modified tear-less onion that will keep your eyes dry. Each one of these new projects and ideas come with the not-so-pretty side of the story. Most of these GM foods are protested against organizations like Greenpeace. The public themselves may refuse to consume GM foods like in Europe forcing producers to go back to non-gm foods. Fears like the effects these foods might have on the environment and/or human food chain is what concerns protestors and non-supporters of the new technology. However, GM foods are like every other new technology in which they come with an uncertainty of the future. Impact on society Genetically modified foods have had a great impact on society, with a lot of pros and cons the truth is now we can say that we can have apples that 9

10 resist insect attack, bananas free of viruses and worm parasites, coffee with a lower caffeine content, cabbage that resists caterpillar attacks, melons that have a longer shelf life and sunflowers that produce oil with lower saturated fat. People now have the opportunity to eat food with better taste and with better quality. It is true that some people develop allergies, and there might be some religious controversy, but overall our society is benefiting from the new alternatives of food available. Conclusion Genetically modified foods have their advantages and their disadvantages. The question is whether or not the pros outweigh the cons in order to continue expanding the technology and field of Genetic Engineering to greater benefit mankind. 10

11 References difiedfoods.cfm Encarta Encyclopedia The controversy over genetically engineered foods. 11