Some Complications of Genetically Enhanced Foods

By Ben Mester


GMOs, also known as genetically modified organisms, are a comparatively new sort of organism in the world, the consequences of which haven't yet been fully measured. Many people fear widespread corruption of the country's food sources, so much so that a return to the original will become most unlikely and the original food that we once produced will no longer be available.

To some degree, this has already happened. Many of the original strains of wheat and other crops have faded from use, in lieu of other hardier strains of wheat that are more well suited for the climate of the United States. So the variety of crops that were once produced has faded in the face of bigger production techniques.

But in the short term, many persons worry that some GMO foods have negative side effects that the unmodified foods don't always come with. There have been many cases of persons growing sick or dying from genetically modified foods, like in 1989, when many people died due to a genetically modified version of the supplement L-Tryptophan. Not just that, but the upward thrust of cancer appears to have a relationship with certain genetically altered products.

One of the most often debated is the genetically modified growth hormone rBGH that's given to cows to improve their milk production. Most people have heard of this growth hormone, and many are worried that the constant use of this hormone is leading to premature development in teens and colon and breast cancer in adults. Though tests are not yet concluded, many are worried over the continued use of genetically modified products like rBGH.

One big issue in America is that many products containing genetically modified foods aren't forced to label that they contain genetically modified components. This means that many persons are unwantingly eating large supplies of genetically altered foods. Though natural healthfood shops abound, it can be very pricey to eat an all natural diet, and it'd be nice if there were an easy midrange solution. But finding information on which products contain genetically modified foods can be rather tough.




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