GMO has managed to evolve and grow over a period of time despite the unending criticism and bad reputation that is portrayed the human population. The current amount of food that is being produced through genetically modified procedures have been improved on factors such as hunger and food security that have been dealt with through the great efficiency that is created through the genetically modified food. However, a disputable topic that has existed and have haunted the reputation that is associated with genetically modified food. There is an all-around general feeling that GMO poses a threat to the risk of health to its consumers and due to it unnatural nature and the fact diabetes stand a chance of increasing, even cancer and obesity are amongst the consumers it should be regulated. Therefore, it calls for a debate in whether various standards and regulations should be introduced on the production, consumption and the use of genetically modified foods and animals. A highly-tested hypothesis it can be stated that Genetically modified organisms that were created to prevent a potential food shortage in our country (Parekh, S.2010). As controversial that GMOs are, the improvement of crop creation and other foods which have been receiving assistance over the past decade. The fight for GMO labeling has intensified over time with the statistics from the state of California and Canada showing that more than eighty percent of the populations in these places want GMO products and food to be clearly labeled for the sake of consumer knowledge and overall health consciousness.
Under the continuing use of GMO, one problem that is faced with is on food or crops that includes various risk to health that are posed by the use of different chemicals. The modification process of animals and plants that are produced for the consumption by humans have an excessive use of chemical poses an excessive amount of risk concerning health and its consumers. Statistics show that the resulting effects when dealing with health is due to the products of genetically engineered whose impact on the world population which is due to general health. These studies also show that human health with respect to GMO show that the overall health risks that are posed by GMO range from liver functioning, immune system, endocrine system, cancer potential and the general effects on the gut bacteria on human beings. In general, according to many scientists, the Genetically modified products triggers various primary conditions in the body of human beings hence opening up and weakening the immune system leading to the entry of other secondary level diseases and health conditions. These primary reactions by the body towards the introduction of genetically modified products include allergy, asthma and inflammatory reactions amongst the various groups of people. Organ damage and reproductive system complications are the key effect of GMO amongst animals such as livestock fed with GMOs in the long run.
Another factor and problem as a result of GMO is the various environmental impacts and pollutions as a result of the extensive use of GMO and its application. Numerous environmental concerns have been triggered regarding the use of GMO. In the process of using genetically engineered products on crops various environmental agents might facilitate the transfer of the various genetically modified chemicals and crop products such as pollen to the neighbouring crops and environments. These agents involve the use of wind and insects such as bees that transfer pollen from one crop to another encouraging the mixture of the GMO products with other crops in the environments leading to secondary impacts. Study and recent statistics have shown how the roundup gene was found on a radius of 10 kilometers after its application at a single location leading to the worrying and concerning opinions of the effects the application and use of the chemicals actually spreads to the neighbouring locations bringing about a general effect and impact in unwanted environs. The use of pesticide on weeds has created room for the rise of generally resistant weeds as an adaptation strategy leading to the resistance by GMO crops and the loss of effectiveness leading to the creation of new strategies in order to improve the effectiveness of the GMO crops in the long run, it therefore calls upon the scientists and researchers to be able to come up with a more effective solution in order to be able to manage and control the various environmental effects that come about due to the use of the GMO and new strategies on how to manage the resistant nature of the crops in adopting to new pesticide and chemically engineered solution in facilitating farming (Kjellsson, G.2001).
Lack of organic certification on the various foodstuffs being sold on stores may pose a great problem in having to differentiate between the modified foodstuff and products and the organic natural products. This is also coupled by the fact that the government and the various authorities have failed in their mandate to endure that the genetically manufactured products in the shelves being sold to consumers are correctly labeled to ensure consciousness and knowledge of the fact that the food may pose health risk. It can also be noted that the increasing amount of undocumented genetically engineered produce may lead to complex situations if incase the government would like to label and document them. The fact that the products that sit in the shelves today are over 30,000 categories makes it hard to be able to label them as genetically modified.
Some solutions have been floated on how the government should adopt and be able to deal with the various problems arising due to the excessive use of the genetically modified products; these suggestions have been contributed by researchers, scientists and common citizens who have been able to feel the effect of GMO. The various solutions include; the adoption of family farms and garden to encourage domestic consumption, more government involvement in the fight against the spread of genetic engineering adoption of more organic diets.
References
Parekh, S. R. (2010). The GMO handbook: Genetically modified animals, microbes, and plants in biotechnology. Totowa, N.J: Humana Press.
Kjellsson, G., & Strandberg, M. (2001). Monitoring and surveillance of genetically modified higher plants: Guidelines for procedures and analysis of environmental effects. Basel: Birkhäuser-Verlag.
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