With the passing years and developing technology, life seems to be in the hands of machines, the latest acquisition being the production of genetically modified food. Also known as genetically engineered foods, these foods are modified by inserting genes of other species into their DNA. Against the traditional art of cropping, such foods are not subject to desirable environmental conditions or soil quality. According to experts, the advantage of modified food is that it helps in preventing the occurrence of allergies and also has a long shelf life. However, a major portion of the population is against the consumption of genetically modified food and is concerned about its disadvantages. If you are also confused about the consumption of genetically modified food, read through the pros and cons given below and decide for yourself.
Advantages of Genetically Modified Foods :
Advantages of Genetically Modified Foods :
- One of the most prominent advantages of genetically modified food is that it helps in controlling the occurrence of certain diseases. Certain foods causes allergy to people. Their genetic modification alters the DNA system of these foods, thereby making them non-allergic.
- Another major advantage of such type of foods is that they grow faster than their traditionally grown counterparts. As a result, there is greater productivity and more food.
- Genetically modified foods are not subjected to monsoon or soil incompetence. As a result, in places that experience frequent droughts or have poor soil conditions, genetically modified foods come as a boon.
- A person need not bother about any additional costs, such as buying chemicals and pesticides, when it comes to genetically engineered food. The food is naturally pest-resistant.
- Genetically modified food can bring financial gain and help people fight poverty. Since the crop grows in a customized condition, it would come to the aid of people where regular crops would not prosper.
- Farming these foods can be a great way to fight world hunger. Since these crops grow faster or more effectively, increased production would help countries wherein crops may not normally prosper because of less than desirable environmental conditions.
- Genetically modified food can help people who that lack nutrients in their diet. As compared to the traditionally grown crops, these foods contain more minerals and vitamins.
- The increased shelf life of these food products helps in reducing the quantity of rotten food.
- The biggest disadvantage of genetically modified food is that they have harmful effects on the human body. The consumption of these genetically engineered foods can lead to development of diseases that are immune to antibiotics.
- Chances of developing cancer are high in people who regularly consume engineered food.
- Since it is an unnatural way of producing foods, there is an increased health hazard such as allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers and unknown effects.
- Genetically engineered food can cause potential environmental impact with the unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on other organisms and loss of flora & fauna biodiversity.
- Since the production of engineered food involves infusing animal genes in the crops and tampering with nature, it might not be good for consumption in the long run.
- Genetically engineered food would increase the dependency of developing countries, on industrialized nations. This would result in a dominance of the world food production by a few countries. New advances may be skewed to the interests of rich countries.
