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Genetically Modified Foods: Are They Affecting You?

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Genetically Modified Foods: Are They Affecting You?
Griffin Gilreath
English 2
Food Research Paper
May 29, y
Are Genetically Modified Foods Affecting You?
Do you know what genetically modified foods are? A genetically modified organism, or GMO, is created when a gene in an organism is replaced or improved in hopes of a better organism, creating something not found in nature. A very large amount of food that we eat contains genetically modified ingredients, upwards of 85% of crops (Organic Authority). Odds are, if you are not buying foods that are Non-GMO verified, most likely GMOs are present at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Genetically modified foods makes this possible. They are the reason we can produce as much food as we do, but the effects these can have may not be worth the risk.
How …show more content…
The average American super market has over 47,000 products and the majority of these contain genetically modified ingredients. In the 1970s, there were thousands of slaughterhouses producing the majority of beef sold. Today there are only 13. Approximately 32,000 hogs a day are killed in Smithfield Hog Processing Plant in Tar Heel, N.C, the largest slaughterhouse in the world (TakePart). In 1972 the FDA conducted over 50,000 food safety inspections, and in 2006 conducted only 9,164. As a result of this E. coli and salmonella outbreaks have become much more frequents in America, and in 2007, there was over 73,000 people sickened by the E. coli bacteria (TakePart). In America food items containing GMOs are not required to be labeled, and according to NatureMoms up to 57% of people would be less likely to buy foods that are labeled. More than 60 countries, excluding the United States, require GMO food labeling because of their concerns about their health impacts, and some have even gone as far a banning GMO’s altogether (NatureMoms and Organic …show more content…
A survey of 25 Moeller students found that most of the participants believed that 50% to 75% of our food is genetically modified, when it is actually more than 80%. The study also showed that it was unclear to them which foods actually contains genetically modified ingredients. The participants were asked to mark which foods they thought contained genetically modified ingredients including; fruits, dairy, vegetables, fast food, grains, meats and organic foods. More than 50% of the participants said they thought fruits, dairy, vegetables, fast food, grains, and meats contained genetically modified ingredients. 10% of the participants even thought that organic food was GM. The participants were also asked to rate the quality of the United States’ food on a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being the best and 10 being the worst. The results of this question were a little shocking as the average rating given was a 7, and 24 out of 25 participants rated it a 5 or higher. These results do not make our nations food industry look
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