Genetically Modified Food

Introduction

Last decade reported a great development in genetic industry especially in genetically modified food that starts discussion about their consumption. As plant management issues with respect to human health and sustainability the GM food issue is part of debate.

GM food refers to crop plants cultivated for consumption through latest molecular biology techniques where stable change is brought by an organism through exposing it to radiation or chemicals. The latest procedures and developments of modern genetics have made possible the direct manipulation of the genetic makeup of organisms.

The theory; Genetically Modified foods

People all over the world are aware of it or not, but GM food has probably creep into their diet. These plants passed through modification process in the laboratory to increase the productivity from desired traits such as improved nutritional content.

Genetic modification process includes the insertion or deletion of desired genes. Some processes are adopted in this regard for transfer of genes so that desirable features. In the process of cisgenesis, organisms produced through breeding, genes are artificially transferred.

In transgenesis, through horizontal gene transfer, genes from other species are inserted and organism reveals a newly developed property. In nature this can occur only when exogenous DNA penetrates the cell membrane.

Artificial practice may require transfer of genes as part of an attenuated virus genome or physically adding another DNA into the nucleus of the proposed host by means of a micro-syringe from a gene gun.

C) How the two sides in the discussion differ

Benefits: one side of the discussion

Effective and Efficient

Genetic Engineering facilitators tell farmers that they stand to reap gigantic revenues and profits from cultivation of GM crops. The input is costly but savings are ensured on pesticides. For cultivation of GM crops, latest biotechnology is in use which needs skilled labor and complex, sophisticated and costly equipment. Big corporations need sufficient resource deployment in laboratories, infrastructure, equipment and human resources, and this cause GM crops to be more expensive for farmers. Farmers are told that Gm crops are reasonable option for them as it requires a shorter time for cultivation of the desired product and it is precise as well.

Herbicide-resistant crops

Herbicide resistant is another quality of GM crops. This implies that cultivators could spray these crops with herbicide and removes the weeds, without damaging the crop. Practically, the quantity of herbicide consumed in a season would be reduced, with a reasonable efficiency in costs for cultivators and end users. Biotechnology corporations are testing with food and cash crops that have ability to be genetically modified to be salt-tolerant and not dependent on fertilizer and increase of productivity. However, facts have not yet supported independently the claims of herbicide.

Improved quality food

Genetically modification can also be applied to animals to be leaner, grow quickly with comparatively less food requirement. These modifications can be made for specific purposes in different animals like enhanced milk production in cows and buffalos. Again these modifications step forward for productivity in quality and cost for those who are ...