GMO Foods :: Science Agriculture Papers

GMO Foods A great deal of controversy has arisen with the advent of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), especially surrounding the production, sale, and consumption of genetically modified foods. Many people are concerned, if not convinced, that the consumption of GMO foods by human beings may pose serious health risks. The concern is centered around the notion that there could potentially be various different unforeseen consequences due to the consumption of GMO foods. In addressing potential side effects and byproducts of the creation of transgenic foods, such as potential toxicity and allergenicity, it was found that the possibility and probability of these side effects are being regularly assessed and precautions are being taken to detect and avoid them. Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) was also taken into consideration and though it is indeed possible that gene transfer of the genetically modified (GM) gene into the DNA of mammalian cells could occur, it would not have any persisten t or negative effect on the recipient. HGT into microorganisms might be a concern if antibiotic resistance was conveyed to the recipient but in light of this fact resistance to key antibiotics is not used in the creation of GMOs. Therefore, the overall potential of GM foods to have negative effects on human health due to the aforementioned phenomena is negligible. Introduction The commercial production and consumption of Genetically Modified (GM) foods is perceived by many to be a novel technology that has been poorly evaluated and could potentially be harmful to humans. Though these foods seem very new, the first regulatory approval of GM crops occurred in 1995 (A. Konig et al., 2004). It was in the mid-1980s that the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the US Office of Science and Technology Policy were working to assess the safety and need for regulation of GM crops and any other foods produced using GM crops. That puts us back at least twenty years from today in our ongoing scrutiny of the safety of GM foods.