The Pros And Cons Of Genetically Modified Organism

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. GMOs have been in use for about thirty years now (Bill gnazel). Over the last quarter of the twentieth century scientist have started to choose productive traits at the individual gene level and controlling the placement of genes in new crops. The study of genes began around the 1960s when Austrian monk Gregor Mendel systematically cross produced a variety of garden peas. This gave researchers the idea of cross producing crops to improve their qualities and characteristics, and eventually developed Genetic Engineering. Genetic Engineering leads to GMOs, which has created a variety of controversy since they have been in use.
Conversely, genetic engineering was introduced around 1944 when Oswald

Sadly, most of the information consumers are weary about, when it comes to genetically modified organisms is harder to find. Finding information and facts are difficult to find when the first website seen, when researching, is typically an anti-GMO website. Therefore the first thing consumers are generally going to read about is that GMOs are bad and shouldn’t be consumed. But that is only one side to the issue. One concern of consumers is whether or not genetically modified organisms are toxic to humans. One website found helps to solidify this concern by the statement, “for decades, agricultural scientists have known that a common bacteria found in the soil can produce toxins that are deadly to insects but harmless to humans because they are destroyed within seconds by the acids in the human digestive tract. The bacteria are known as Bacillus thuringiensis…” (Bill Ganzel). Bacillus thuringiensis produce a toxin- that only effects insects- called Bt toxins, around the early 90s genetic engineers discovered that they could isolate the specific genes that produced these Bt toxins. Once the genes were isolated they transferred them in another bacterium, the Agrobacterium, which has the ability to go into the nuclei of plant, such as corn, and transfer genetic materials into the corn. Although this process and the bacterium’s used are

Another concern surround GMOs is food allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies in children under eighteen have increase; from 3.4 percent between 1997 and 1999 to 5.1 percent between 2009 and 2011 (Treacy Colbert). This has become a concern based on what is being used when genetically modifying a crop. Around the mid-1990s, researchers examined a strain of GM soybeans that were engineered to contain proteins from Brazil nuts. The soybeans were tested and triggered allergic reactions in people with Brazil nut allergies, because of the test and regulations surround GM foods those soybeans never entered the market and were never sold to consumers. “The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have since established protocols for GM foods, They require GM foods to be tested for their ability to cause allergic reactions… none of the GM foods that are currently on the market have been found to have allergenic effects” (Treacy Colbert). With this being said consumers can be set at ease by know that the genetically modified products on the market, cause no threat to those with