On a biological level, consumption of genetically modified foods means the potential for "pleiotropic and insertional effects," Dona explains on page 165. Pleiotropic refers to the possibility that a gene may have more than one affect on the food. The above-mentioned effects could result from an increase of "anti-nutrients"; and moreover human health could be impacted due to the use of "viral DNA," Dona continues (165). The pleiotropic affect could actually cause "…the silencing of genes, changes in their level of expression, or, potentially, the turning on of existing genes that were not previously being expressed" (Dona, 165). All of this potential interaction could biologically lead to "…the disruption of metabolism in unpredictable ways" and in the process lead to the emergence of "new toxic compounds" (Dona, 165).
Increasing the anti-nutrient level in food should not be acceptable to science or to regulators, Dona continues, because heat-stable anti-nutrients (like phytoestrogens, glucinins,…...
mlaWorks Cited
Daunert, Sylvia, Deo, Sapna, Morin, Xenia, and Roda, Aldo. (2008). The genetically modified foods debate: demystifying the controversy through analytical chemistry. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 392(3), 327-331.
Dona, Artemis, and Arvanitoyannis, Ioannis S. (2009). Health Risks of Genetically Modified
Foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 49(2), 164-175.
Food Chemistry. (2009). Environmental Effects. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://symposiummb.com/environmental-effects.
GMO
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS
isks and Perceptions Analysis of Genetically Modified Foods
Genetically modified foods have the potential of solving many of the issues that are present in respect to feeding the world's population; especially as it grows to an estimate nine billion by the end of the century. The technologies can create crops that are able to resist certain insects and are more suitable to grow in less than ideal environmental conditions. However, on the other hand, there are some real and perceived risks that are associated with these technological developments. There seems to be a general perception of skepticism regarding the safety of gene technology and the fears of potential negative implications that these modifications could produce rest in the collective consciousness of the public. This brief synthesis will consider a few of the factors that are associated with the continued use and development of genetically modified foods.
GMOs
Currently transgenic crops or…...
mlaReferences
Cabuk, S., & Tanrikulu, C. (2014). The Role of Perceived Risk, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Innovativeness in Willingness-To-Buy Genetically Modified Foods. Cag University Journal of Social Sciences, 100-122.
DeFrancesco, L. (2013). How safe does transgenic food need to be? Nature Biotechnology, 794-802.
Keese, P. (2008). Risks from GMOs due to Horizontal Gene Transfer. Environmental Biosafety Reference, 123-149.
Genetically Modified Foods
hat are Genetically Modified Foods?
Genetically modified foods (GMF) are created through a biotechnological process known as genetic modification (GM). Genetic modification -- also known as genetic engineering -- alters the genetic makeup of plants, according to the Human Genome Project (HGP). Actually what scientists are doing when they genetically modify a plant is to combine certain genes from different plant species to basically change the DNA in the resulting plant species.
The HGP paper reports that in 2006, some 252 million acres of "transgenic crops" had been planted in twenty-two countries by 10.3 million farmers. These crops (corn, soybeans, cotton, alfalfa, rice, sweet potatoes and canola) were planted in order to reportedly resist insect infestation. The sweet potatoes were modified in order to "…resist…a virus that could decimate most of the African harvest" (HGP). Fifty-three percent of those crops were planted in the United States; 17% were planted in…...
mlaWorks Cited
Daboub, Anthony J., Shane, H. Martin, Ortiz, Dennis, and Blakemore, T. Mark. "The
Regulation of Genetically Modified Foods: A Corporate Ethical and Social
Responsibility Challenge." Journal of Legal, Ethical, and Regulatory Issues. 15.2 (2012):
9-25.
One of the most interesting articles, "Genetic Engineering Risks," really described the issue with GMOs: the difference between genetically engineered organisms and their non-engineered counterparts is usually just one gene or a handful of genes and genetically engineered organisms have new genes that are put into their DNA using molecular technology; they would not have been able to do this with traditional breeding methods. "Because such a small fraction of genes is typically altered by genetic engineering, the possible risks or ecological effects of this new technology lie with the particular effects these novel genes have on physical and physiological characteristics (the phenotypes) of the newly transgenic carriers."
The fact that there is still genetically modified food happening is outrageous. I really think that it is one of the most important topics that the world faces today. So many studies have shown that genetically modified foods may cause negative health effects.…...
Protection and preservation of the environment through increased yields and reduced use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. This is because genetically modified foods grow at a faster rate and in bigger quantities which means less forest land is cleared for agriculture and the natural habitats and biodiversity is preserved. The crops are also made pest and disease resistant which means that less pesticides and herbicides are used which could pollute the environment and the underground and surface water. Drought resistant crops and seeds mean that there is less water that is needed in the growing of the crops thereby preserving the limited water supplies.
The genetically modified foods are more nutritious as they can be infused with important minerals and vitamins that are essential for preventing malnutrition. An example is the creation of the golden rice that contains beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin a in the human body. This leads…...
mlaWorks cited
Charles, Dan. Agriculture Department Probes Rice Flap. 6 Jan. 2007. 11 May. 2010.
Cook, Guy. Genetically Modified Language: The Discourse of Arguments for GM Crops and Food. California: Routledge, 2004.
Fumento, Michael. Golden Rice -- a Golden Chance for the Underdeveloped World
Genetically Modified Foods - Economics
Genetically Modified Foods
Genetically modified (GM) foods are changing how people in developed countries eat. There are also many economic questions surrounding them. According to Anderson (1998), society is moving toward a genetically modified world. The food the world eats, from meat to grains, fruits, and vegetables, is all going to eventually become GM food. This food can be made to be resistant to all kinds of pests and predators, which can mean less waste (Anderson, 1998). That saves a lot of money for farmers and growers, but the health concerns of GM food should not be ignored (Anderson, 1998). This particular study will provide significant insight when it comes to the true economic cost of GM food as well as the considerable human cost that also has to be considered. Often, only the economics are addressed, or only the human cost (health and safety) is addressed.…...
mlaResources
Anderson, A. (ed). (1998). Living in a genetically modified world. New Scientist (special edition). Retrieved from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/232267451_Genetically_modified_foods
Border, P. & Norton, M. (1998). Genetically modified foods - benefits and risks, regulation and public acceptance. London: Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1115027/
Murnaghan, I. (2012a). Economic impact of genetically modified foods. Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved from http://www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk/economic-impact-gm-foods.html
Murnaghan, I. (2012b). genetically modified foods and corporate power. Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved from http://www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk/gm-foods-corporate-pow.html
Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill believed in the subjugation of individual interests for the sake of society as a whole, but only when necessary. Of course, determining when such subjugation is necessary is not at all simple, and this is the task in which Mill distinguished himself as a philosopher. In his treatise on moral philosophy, "Utilitarianism," Mill proposed the "greatest-happiness principle" a sort of pseudo-mathematical, economic equation to determine the desirability of a particular action. (Mill, 1863, p. 87). This principle holds that one must always act so as to produce the greatest aggregate happiness among all sentient beings, within reason.
Principles of Political Economy
Closely connected with Mill's Utilitarianism were his views on economics, especially political economy. In "Principles of Political Economy and Some of their Applications to Social Philosophy," Mill argued that producers should be able to operate without government interference, which, in modern terms, would associate him with Laissez-Faire economics.…...
mlaBibliography
Mill, J.S. (1863). Utilitarianism. London: Parker, Son, and Bourn.
Mill, J.S. (1848). Principles of Political Economy and Some of their Applications to Social Philosophy. Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown.
Losey, J.E. & Rayor, L.S. (1999). Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae. Nature 399:6733, p 214.
Ohio State University (2000) The Impact of Genetically Modified Organisms on Human Health. (Website). http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5058.html
Section 2:
Genetically modified (GM) foods have been a hot topic of conversation over the last decade. Environmental groups, public interest groups and governmental agencies have all voiced their opinions over the increasing development and use of genetically modified foods. Genetic engineering involves transferring genes from one species of living organism to another, to provide some sort of benefit. Although the genetic modifications are typically performed on crops, such as corn and soybeans, there has also been experimentation with livestock as well. Some see genetically modified foods as simply a technological advancement that will benefit society. Others see genetically modified foods as posing significant concerns to human health and the environment.
The industry plays a significant role in this concern, as much of these genetically modified foods are allowed to enter the food chain without full disclosure to consumers. Instead, the industry should be ensuring that consumers know exactly what they are…...
mlaWorks Cited
Black, Richard. "GM 'golden rice' boosts vitamin a" BBC News. N.p., 28 Mar. 2005. Web. 4 Dec. 2010. .
"Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms --HGP Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues." Oak Ridge National Laboratory. N.p., 5 Nov. 2008. Web. 4 Dec. 2010. .
Hanten, Rev Helen. "Concerns Regarding Genetically Modified Food." Minnesota Episcopal Environmental Stewardship Commission. N.p., 26 Oct. 2001. Web. 4 Dec. 2010. .
GMO Food Labeling
Genetically modified foods (genetically modified foods) have been an issue of controversy since their early development. genetically modified foods refer to organisms that are intended for human or animal consumption that have been modified artificially to enhance certain plant traits. Some of these traits include pesticide resistance, herbicide tolerance, disease resistance, cold tolerance, drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, improved nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and phytoremediation, which is the use of plants and animals to remove toxins from the environment. These traits promised to improve human lives and to help resolve some of the environmental issues that currently plague our society. The controversy surrounding genetically modified foods is not their use or their necessity in human society, it is fear over unintended circumstances that could have a negative affect on human lives. It will support the safety of genetically modified foods due to a lack of empirical evidence to the contrary. This…...
mlaWorks Cited
Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge. Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. USDA
Economic Research Service. Web. Accessed
1 June 2011.
Gertsberg, Denice. Lawmakers Propose Labeling in Response to Supreme Court's Monsanto
GMO peaking Notes
Thank you all for your time today. Our team is here to discuss the nature of genetically modified and engineered foods in order to evaluate their role in food service and consumption today. We have several presenters here to discuss the various elements of the presentation, all of whom will walk you through different aspects of the current environment. I will be discussing the economic factors surrounding the increased use of genetically modified foods.
The high prevalence of genetically modified and engineered foods is a relatively recent phenomenon. As seen in this graph, prior to the late 1990s, there was much lower rates of genetically modified foods in the market. 1997 actually proved a crucial year, proving to be the beginning of a steady incline of the use of genetic engineering for use in the agricultural and food industries.
One of the first crops to see significant increases in GMO…...
mlaSlide 6
As suggested previously, North and South American nations have tapped into the genetically modified crops trends more so than anywhere else, with the exception of India.
This graph illustrates how the United States has been the leader in genetically modified crops for the longest period of time. Canada and Argentina have also been using this method for long periods as well, with strong numbers as far back as 1997. Brazil and India, two other leaders in growing genetically modified foods, jumped on to the band wagon much later. In fact, it wasn't until around 2003 that these nations really began devoting larger portions of their acreage to growing genetically modified crops.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Genetically modified foods (GMOs) are a broad group of plants, animals, and bacteria whose genetic material is artificially manipulated through genetic engineering. Although GMOs are endorsed as the best solution to malnutrition in developing countries, I posit that they should be banned due to the adverse effects they might have on both human health and the environment. According to Peel (2005), the health and environmental risks posed by GMOs include: their potential to be toxic to both animal and human consumers, including organisms that may not be targeted, such as butterflies; adverse effects from agricultural chemicals used to make GM crops herbicide resistant; the possibility that GM crops might transfer the altered generic to other conventional crops with implications for biodiversity; and the risk of all GMOs becoming an evasive species that cannot be controlled by their creators. Moreover, government oversight of their production, distribution and use is…...
mlaReferences
Jonsen, A.R. (2005). Bioethics Beyond the Headlines: Who Lives? Who Dies? Who Decides? Oxford: Rowan and Littlefield Publishers
Peel, J. (2005). The Precautionary Principle in Practice: Environmental Decision-making and Scientific Uncertainty. Sydney: The Federation Press.
genetically modified foods, and discussed some of the arguments for and against genetically modified foods. The paper looks, in particular, at the decision by the U.S. To send GM grain, via the WFP of the UN, as part of their food aid to Africa. The paper concludes that the U.S. were not correct in their decision to send GM grain to Africa, were incorrect in forcing African nations to accept the GM grain, and indeed, acted unethically through their decision to act as they did.
The debate about genetically modified foods has been raging amongst academics, the media, and lay people for more than a decade now: whether they should be allowed, whether they should be sold, whether they are safe, whether they are an answer to the problem of starvation amongst developing nations. All of these questions, and many more, regularly raise their heads for debate, but the truth…...
mlaBibliography
Bhattacharya, S. (2003). 'GM crops boost yields more in poor countries'. 5th November 2003.http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/gm/gm.jsp?id=ns99993364Accessed
Concar, D. (2003). 'Key GM crop experiment lacks statistical power' 5th November 2003.http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/gm/gm.jsp?id=ns99993547Accessed
Dauenhauer, K. (2003). Health: Africans Challenge Bush Claim That GM Food Good For Them. Global Information Network June 20, 2003: 1.
Financial Times (2000). Why you can't tell genetically modified foods from the label. March 11th 2000: 5.
Genetically Modified Foods
With the emphasis lately on stem-cell research and cloning, consumer interest seems to have waned about genetically altered fruits and vegetables. Or has it? The answer to this question is of interest to a wide range of consumer businesses and organizations and & D. agricultural firms due to the socio-economic impact. According to a peer-reviewed article in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, "Who do consumers trust for information: the case for genetically modified foods?," by agriculture and economics professors at several U.S. universities, the United States Department of Agriculture and Monsanto company, determining the answer to this query not relatively easy. As the article states, "the introduction of new goods, however, creates a disequlibrium (Hausman, 1996), which in turn creates a demand by economic agents for objective information to assist in making decisions on adoption and use (Schultz, 1975). The consumer's challenge is to sort through…...
mlaReferences Cited
Becker, G.S. (1996) Accounting for Tastes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Glaeser, E.L., et. al (2000). "Measuring Trust." The Quarterly Journal of Economics 115:811-846.
Hausman, J. 1996. "Valuation of New Goods under Perfect and Imperfect Competition," in Bresnahan, T. And R.J. Gordon, Eds., The Economics of New Goods, Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Huffman, W. (2004) et. al., "Who do consumers trust for information: the case of genetically modified foods." American Journal of Economics 86(5): 1222-1230.
Geneticly-Modified Crop Economics
Genetically-Modified Crop Economics
Economic Issues: Consider production, consumption, costs, variables of supply-demand, corporations, private enterprise, impact on the nation's economy (employment, displacement, outsourcing).
Are certain industries impacted more than others?
As it relates to genetically-modified foods and crops, there are several major industries involved. Obviously, the main industry involved would be agriculture. The genetically-modified crops are used for a variety of reasons. First, the modified crops can be used to discourage or stop certain insect infestations or disease infestations in the crops. Another reason for the modifications can be to get good yield as well as large units on the crops such as larger tomatoes, more wheat and so forth. ome agencies and people in general are very leery or even hostile towards genetically modified crops and they actively resist the free flow and sale of these goods and/or they want warnings to be posted on the crops to let consumers…...
mla
Genetically modified or genetically modified foods have been calling global attention for both their benefits and risks. genetically modified foods have been described as foods manufactured from organisms whose genetic material or DNA is artificially modified (WHO 2014). The change is done by infusing a gene into the organisms from another or different organism. Most genetically modified foods are recently produced from plants. The prospects are to derive them from GM microorganisms or animals in the future. The purpose is to optimize yield while increasing resistance to plant disease and/or tolerance to the effects of herbicides. Other prospects include modifying the very nutrients contained in foods, controlling causes of allergy, or raising the efficiency of food production systems themselves. For protection, all these modified foods should be thoroughly and appropriately screened before launching into the market. Codex guidelines by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the WHO are used to…...
mlaBIBLIOGRAPHY
CHGE. Genetically Modified Foods. Center for Health and the Global Environment:
Harvard School of Public Health, 2012. Retrieved on June 27, 2014 from http://www.chge.med.harvard.edu/topic/genetically-modified-foods
HGP. Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. Human Genome Project Information:
City College of San Francisco, 2008. Retrieved on June 27, 2014 from http://www.fog.ccsf.edu/~cpogge/Bio41L/GMfoods.pdf
1. Should social media platforms be held responsible for monitoring and removing hate speech?
2. Is the death penalty an effective deterrent for violent crime?
3. Should college athletes be paid for their performance?
4. Are stricter gun control laws necessary to reduce gun violence?
5. Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
6. Is climate change a result of human activity?
7. Should the minimum wage be increased to a livable wage?
8. Is affirmative action still necessary in today's society?
9. Should standardized testing be the primary measure of student achievement?
10. Is privacy in the digital age a fundamental human right?
11. Should the use....
Certainly! Here are some suggestions for argumentative essay topics:
1. Should the minimum wage be raised?
2. Is climate change a real threat?
3. Should the death penalty be abolished?
4. Should college athletes be paid?
5. Is social media harmful to our society?
6. Should gun control laws be stricter?
7. Is genetically modified food safe to consume?
8. Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
9. Is online education as effective as traditional classroom learning?
10. Should animals be used for scientific research?
Feel free to choose a topic that interests you and develop a strong argument supported by evidence and reasoning. Good luck!
If you're looking for....
Yes, there are several essay topics that present opposing viewpoints on environmental issues. Some examples include:
1. Should nuclear power be considered a renewable energy source?
2. Is genetically modified food beneficial or harmful to the environment?
3. Is fracking a necessary method for obtaining natural gas, or does it pose too many environmental risks?
4. Should wildlife conservation efforts prioritize protecting endangered species, or focus on preserving habitats and ecosystems?
5. Is climate change primarily caused by human activities, or is it a natural phenomenon that is beyond our control?
6. Should carbon taxes be implemented to combat climate change, or are there more effective....
While proponents of genetically modified foods argue that they offer numerous benefits such as increased crop yields and improved nutritional content, the potential risks associated with consuming these genetically modified organisms (GMOs) far outweigh any possible benefits, including adverse health effects, environmental harm, and threats to biodiversity. One major health risk associated with consuming genetically modified foods is the potential for allergic reactions. When genes from one organism are inserted into another to create GM foods, it is possible that new allergens could be introduced that were not present in the original food. This could lead to serious allergic reactions in....
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