Benefits and disadvantages of GM food

Benefits and disadvantages of Genetically Modified food

Benefits of GM food crops

~Increase in food supply
Some GM food crops are able to produce higher outputs compared to non-GM food crops. The increase in food supply leads to a decline in food prices, making food more affordable in low developed countries. This can help reduce the problems of malnutrition and improve people's health. [3]

~Improves nutritional value of food
Some GM food crops are modified so that they are more nutritious. The introduction of such foods in less developed countries can help reduce problems of malnutrition. [3]

~Reduces environmental pollution
Crops could be genetically modified to reduce the dependence on chemicals. This will reduce the amount of chemicals used in agriculture and subsequently reduce the negative impact these chemicals have on the environment. [3]

Threats of GM food crops

~ Potential health risks
GM food may include certain food substances that people are allergic to. This is due to the fact that the people may not be fully aware of the food that they eats are actually food that already have their genes altered. In 2005, a GM pea caused health problems in research mice and had to be canceled. [3]

~Loss of biodiversity express
Biodiversity refers to the great variety of living things in an ecosystem. The Environmentalists were concerned over how GM food crops can affect biodiversity. For eg, some pest-resistant plants in some ways are wiping out harmless insects. The death of these insects will indirectly affect the animals further up the food chain. Biodiversity will hence be lost due to the extinction of these plants and animals.[3]

~ Loss of natural species
Some GM food crops may also contaminate other natural crops and this process is irreversible. These will end result in the loss of natural plant species which will again leads to loss of biodiversity.

Gene pollution may also lead to the growth of superweeds, which are resistance to herbicides. The numbers of these superweeds have been increasing over the years and more effective herbicides have to be applied to get rid of them. This situation will be very difficult to handle especially when the growths of these superweeds are beyond anyone control. [3]

~ GM food may affect the nutritional value of the food. [1]

~ Reduction of the efficiency of antibiotics. In this case the bacteria will pick up the antibiotic resistant genes that are contain in the GM foods which are used as a indicator for the scientist to indicate which plants have been modified genetically. Thus, if these bacteria pick up the antibiotic-resistant genes the already growing bacteria adapting to our bacteria will be magnified. [1, 2]

~ GM food raised religious concern.

Available at:

1. http://www.geocities.com/gm_crops/questions.html (accessed 15 June 2008)

2. http://www.princeton.edu/~chm333/2002/spring/GMFoods/impactshumanconsumptioncons.html (accessed 15 June 2008)

3. Khoo Ming Ghee, Tan Say Pin. 2007, Earth: Our home Geography Elective, Marshall Cavendish Education

Regards
Aziyani