Should Food Products Be Labeled If They Contain Gmos Essay

Genetically Modified Foods ' There has been a great deal of controversy over genetically modified foods (GMOs). First, many individuals and organizations oppose the concept of altering the genetics of foods for any reason. And secondly, there is a hot debate as to whether or not food manufacturers should publish / label their packages as containing GMOs. This paper covers the controversies and provides several angles to the debates.

The way in which companies modify food genetically is through " ... the use of recombinant DNA biotechnological procedures that allow the genetic makeup" of the seeds to be changed materially (Schneider, et al., 2014). There are two ways GMOs can be produced through "recombination": either by moving genes from one organism to another organism; or by making changes in genes within an organism "that are already present" (Schneider, p. 1). The changes that occur after being genetically engineered result in what Schneider calls, "the expression of attributes not found in the original organism" (p. 1). Foods that have been genetically engineered include: a) "delayed-ripening tomatoes"; b) "pest-resistant crops ... " such as beetle-resistant potatoes; and c) herbicide-tolerant soybeans (Schneider, p. 1).

Who Benefits From GMOs?

The Sierra Club,...

...

In fact the big agribusinesses like Monsanto are " ... artificially remaking life by crashing through the natural barrier between species" in order to genetically manipulate certain foods and then patenting their manipulations (Sierra Club). The Sierra Club claims that genes from genetically manipulated crops can potentially be spread to crops in a nearby field, or to "wild species," which would create a "major disaster for the welfare of the planet and its inhabitants." How is the Sierra Club exerting influence on the need for labeling food packaging (so consumers know there are GMOs in their food)? The Sierra Club and other groups are supporting legislation authored by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Peter DeFazio called the "Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act" (Sierra Club, p. 1).
On the other hand, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), another interest group (that has in the past been a critic of food companies and of "artificial and unhealthy ingredients in foods") does not oppose genetically modified foods (Jalonick, 2014). The CSPI says there is no evidence that GMOs are harmful, but what seems to be…

Sources Used in Documents:

Works Cited

Jalonick, M.C. (2014). Debate over genetically modified foods continues amid confusion.

PBS News Hour. Retrieved September 15, 2015, from http://www.pbs.org.

Kopicki, A. (2013). Strong Support for Labeling Modified Foods. The New York Times.

Retrieved September 16, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com.
Monsanto. (2012). Labeling Food and Ingredients Developed from GM Seed. Retrieved September 15, 2015, from http://www.monsanto.com.
University of Florida IFAS Extension. Retrieved September 15, 2015, from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
Sierra Club. (2015). The Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act has been reintroduced. Retrieved September 16, 2015, from https://content.sierraclub.org.


Cite this Document:

"Should Food Products Be Labeled If They Contain Gmos" (2015, September 16) Retrieved April 16, 2024, from
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/should-food-products-be-labeled-if-they-2155240

"Should Food Products Be Labeled If They Contain Gmos" 16 September 2015. Web.16 April. 2024. <
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/should-food-products-be-labeled-if-they-2155240>

"Should Food Products Be Labeled If They Contain Gmos", 16 September 2015, Accessed.16 April. 2024,
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/should-food-products-be-labeled-if-they-2155240

Related Documents

One of the most controversial issues in food politics today is the question of genetically modified organisms. Many consumers dispute whether such products are safe at all. But while the evidence regarding the safety of GMOs continues to be debated within the scientific community, another debate has arisen, specifically regarding the need to label products which contain GMOs within them. Because of the ubiquitous nature of GMOs in agriculture, GMO-containing

Labeling Gmos the Use of
PAGES 3 WORDS 1119

.several aspects of gene insertion may be more hazardous than traditional plant crossbreeding" (Roseboro 2011). The memo came to light during the 1990s when a suit was brought against the FDA, arguing that allowing GMOs to be released into the market unlabeled "violated the U.S. Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which mandates that new food additives be established safe through testing prior to marketing" (Roseboro 2011). The suit was not

GMO producers also feel that this would give consumers the impression that GMOs are unhealthy or unsafe and that non-GMO crops are preferred (Raab & Grobe, 2003). Valid scientific evidence is lacking as to whether GMOs are healthy or unhealthy in the long run. However, support is building for the position that regardless of the outcome, consumers have the right to know and to make an informed decision. Producers in

Reliance on GMOs and Biotechnology and Potential Environmental and Health Consequences The modern consumer may not be aware of what it is that he or she is actually buying when they go out to the grocery store. When they pick up an apple or tomato, they might very well be purchasing a myriad of chemicals which the producers of that product have inserted into the food. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are

FSMA Preventative Controls Rule and GMO Labeling Introduction During his campaign Donald Trump pledged to roll back regulations. Upon entering the White House, President Trump made good on that promise with the January 30, 2017, Executive Order (EO) entitled “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.” The EO directed federal agencies to abolish two regulations for every new regulation implemented (PMA, 2017). In terms of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), food

Ethics of Food Production
PAGES 2 WORDS 732

Food Genetically Modified Crops -- America says 'Yes' while the European Union and the Sudan says 'No! Recently, the famine-stricken nation of the Sudan turned away an entire load of crops and seeds that could have filled the bellies of many of its hungry citizens. Why did it do so? Was it madness? No, it was because of the fact that the products in question contained genetically modified crops. "Eat GM or