Greetings!
The Advantages of GMOs:
-GM products are more appealing to consumers due to a better taste and preferable appearance (little to no discolouration, bite marks from pest, no seeds, prolonged shelf lives and better-shaped food)
-Farmers can grow more crops, on a smaller plot of land, with less time, using GMOs. This helps greatly in developing countries where just food is sparse.
-GMO’s are also used widely to feed the populace in poverty/ low-income areas.
-GM products manipulated to have a higher nutritional value, tackling the problem of vitamin deficiency.-Rice, which is a consumed by 50% of the world’s population was modified to contain Vitamin A, diminishing vitamin A deficiency in many poor countries.
-Animals can have their genes altered in order to produce higher quality products. They are also GMO’s which increase resistance to viruses and better waste management in animals. This directly correlates with a cleaner and more eco-friendly environments
-Some GMO’s are insect resistant, therefore requiring less topical herbicides/insecticides to deter pests from looting and damaging crop fields-GMO’s can make certain plants tolerant to an array of climates, preserving resources such as water and offering a wide array of food option for consumers
Disadvantages of GMOs:
-GMOs can present allergy risks as genetics modification introduces certain proteins (dependent on the GM Food), not pre-existing in the plant. Some of these proteins has the capacity to cause allergies
-Genes of GM animals have antibiotic embedded in them, to protect the animal from getting commons ailments and viruses. When a human consumes meat or a product from a GM animal, these antibiotics remain in the body. This can decrease the efficiency on an actual antibiotics.
-Antibiotic-Resistant genes are commonly added to seed in the genetic engineering. Scientists believe this is causing the epidemic of antibiotic-resistant bacteria which, as their name conveys, are immune to antibiotics.
-There could be potential link between the consumption of GM food and Cancer following an experiment which saw the premature demise of rats, while being feed Roundup(a herbicide)- tolerant corn.
Hope this helps!
-Benjamin
