Breaking downthe GMO debate
It's a growingcontroversy: Should foods containing genetically modified organisms, which arecreated in a lab by altering the genetic makeup of a plant or an animal, alwayshave packaging notifying consumers of that fact?
Ninety-two percentof Americans believe that these foods widely found in kitchens across theｃountry should be labeled before they're sold, according to a recentnationally representative survey of 1,004 people from the Consumer ReportsNational Research Center.
How can you makebuying decisions that are best for you and your family? Consumer Reports helpsyou separate fact from fiction.
AreGMOs bad for my health?
Those who supportusing GMOs point out that Americans have been eating foods containing them formore than 15 years and that there's no credible evidence that peoplehave been harmed. But saying there's no evidence of harm isn't the same assaying they've been proved safe.
A joint commissionof the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization ofthe United Nations has established a protocol for evaluating the safetyof GMOs, which it says have the potential to introduce toxins and new allergens(or increase levels of existing ones), or cause nutritional changes in foodsand other unexpected effects. Other developed nations have used thoseguidelines in creating mandatory premarket safety assessments systems forgenetically modified organisms. But the Food and Drug Administration doesn'trequire any safety assessment of genetically engineered crops, though itinvites companies to provide data for a voluntary safety review.
Animal studies commonly used to help assess human health risks have suggested that GMOsmight cause damage to the immune system, liver and kidneys. More studies areneeded to determine long-term effects. And the ability of researchers to trackpotential health effects of GMOs in the human population is hampered bythe absence of labeling.
Whythe labeling debate?
GMO labeling ismandatory in more than 60 ｃountries but not in the U.S. Opponents to mandatorylabeling here often say that it unfairly implies that foods with geneticallyengineered ingredients are unsafe. Those in favor of mandatory labels including Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports argue thateven if the jury is still out on the health impact of GMOs, shoppershave a right to know what's in their food. "Producers already must labelfoods that are frozen, from concentrate, homogenized or irradiated," saysJean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives at Consumers Union."GMO labeling is one more piece of helpful information."
It's notsurprising that much of the opposition to GMO labeling comes from GMO seedmanufacturers and the food industry, who have spent a lot of money to get theirposition out to the public. Among those contributing the most to oppose alabeling measure in Colorado were Coca-Cola, DuPont, Kraft Foods, Monsanto(which produces seeds for GMO crops) and PepsiCo.
Whichfoods contain GMOs?
The vast majorityof corn, soy, canola and sugar beets grown in the U.S. are now geneticallyengineered, and they are often used as ingredients in processed foods.
The food industryis also pushing to further expand the use of genetic engineering. A new form ofsalmon that is genetically altered to grow to maturity twice as fast as wildsalmon is currently undergoing a safety review by the FDA. If approved, itwould be the first genetically engineered food animal to be marketed.
The Department ofAgriculture recently approved a potato that is genetically engineered to resistbruising and to have potentially lower levels of acrylamide, a suspected humancarcinogen that the vegetable can produce when it is cooked at the hightemperatures used to make potato chips and french fries. The FDA hasn'tcompleted a voluntary safety review for the new GMO potato yet, but McDonald'shas stated that it is sticking to its current policy of using only non-GMOpotatoes for its fries.
Article Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150429/entlife/150429090/
Image Source: http://brandwiki.today/wellnessgospel/files/2015/03/modified-food.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Credible (adj.) ~ able to bebelieved
2. Protocol (n.) ~ the officialprocedure or system
3. Hamper (v.) ~ to prevent thefree movement, action, or progress
4. The jury is still out(idiom) ~ the people do not yet know the answer or have not yet decided if itis good or bad
QUESTIONS FORDISCUSSION:
1. Are there GMO products available in yourｃountry? Give examples.
2. Are you confident about consuming genetically-alteredfood? Discuss your answer.
3. Why do some people support GMOs? Why aresome people against it?
4. Which side are you on? Why?
