Our View: Genetically modified foods need research

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, food companies have been searching for a way to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

Using preservatives with canned foods was the first solution to the problem of perishable food, but as America progressed into the Scientific Age, people turned to science to create a permanent remedy to the perpetual nuisance of spoiled food. The cure for this conundrum has been discovered, but it poses a serious threat to public health.

Scientists have found that if you alter the genetic makeup of a crop by splicing a gene from another species with the plant that is being altered you will extend the longevity of the plant and ultimately create a hardier plant. An example of this modification that has been put into practice is the altering of tomatoes. Most tomatoes found in the supermarket have been modified to contain a salmon gene so the crop is more resistant to the cold.

Other common genetically modified crops are corn, apples and cotton. Many farmers advocate inserting the organic pesticide Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) into these crop genes in order to reduce the amount of pesticide sprayed on the plant while it is growing.

Of the plethora of problems that come from altering crop genes, one of the worst is that new allergens may be created. Many people have strong allergies to certain kinds of food and serious health risks arise if they eat certain things. If they inadvertently consume food with genes from an allergen the consequences could be grave. Continuing to modify plant genes could put millions of Americans in danger of experiencing an allergic reaction to a food they may have thought was safe.

Some scientists and consumers also fear that by reducing the different strains of plants we are at risk for having entire crops destroyed by blight. If there are fewer strains of the same plant during a blight then the crop may be less likely to survive.

Another complaint with genetically modified foods is consumers are not given the option of whether or not they consume altered fruits and vegetables. Currently, the United States does not require farmers to label their products if they have been genetically altered. Consumers should be informed as to whether or not the food they eat has been changed.

In Europe, genetically modified crops are not grown as much as in the United States and all genetically altered foods must have a label telling consumers that their food has been altered.

President George W. Bush has been encouraging Brussels to drop the label they require all genetically modified food to have. This move is typical of Bush. Because genetically modified foods are less popular than natural foods, Bush is pushing Brussels to change its law in order to boost U.S. crop sales. Bush should show more respect for consumers and give them the choice of what kinds of food they eat.

There is a lot of potential that comes from modifying food. Crops that were once restricted to a certain area due to climate may be grown elsewhere by altering the gene that responds to temperature, but consumers have the right to know the foods they are eating are safe and more research should be conducted on the effects of genetically modified foods before they are fed to people everywhere. Companies should not put profit before safety.

Calendar

Display Ads