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Genetically Modified Foods

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Genetically Modified Foods
By Wendy Du

GM Foods as a possible solution for world hungry

1. Introduction

Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOS). GMOS have had particular turns led to their DNA by genetic engineering techniques.In fact,GM foods are already becoming a part of our life.(Maessen, 1997) The 2010 estimate, the most recent, says that 925 million people were undernourished in 2010 (FAO 2010). There are clearly some very real issues that need to be resolved. The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether GM foods can solve the problem of world hungry .It covers two advantages of GM food which are increasing production and effects of environment protection,finally it will cover a disadvantage for human health.

2 .Advantages

2.1 Increase in food production

GM food should be consider as a solution to slove world hunger as it produces much higher yield than conventional crops. Firstly,Crops are genetically modified in order to make them pest-resistant, drought-resistant, higher yield per acre, faster maturing, or some other "improvement" over natural crops. They are likely to be safer than ordinary crops since they don 't have chemical pesticide on them , they are more likely to be picked and sent to market at their peak of ripeness, and are likely to last longer once you have them home in refrigerators. It 's helping to resolve the world 's hungry problem.

2.2 Advantages for environment protection
One effect of GM foods is to protect environment. Genes could also be manipulated in trees, for example to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species.(Friends of Earth,2003)

3.Disadvantages of GM foods potential negative human health
There are also critics objected to potential negative human health. As it has a Genetic engineering may



References: 1) Maessen, GDF. 1997. Genomic stability and stability of expression in genetically modified plants. 3) Schmidt, T and Heslop-Harrison, JS. 1998. Genomes, genes and junk: the large scale organization of plant chromosomes 4) Royal Society. 2002. Genetically modified plants for food use and human health – an update 5) Dr Marion Healy.2005.Food Standards Australia New Zealand.2005 6)Genetically Modified crops and food ,Friends of Earth,(2003).Retrieved January ,2003 from http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/gm_crops_food.pdf 7) Food Standards Agency

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