What Is Going On With Our Foods?

(Are Walmart and Big)

Jouri LaCome

Period 2

November 19, 2019

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Statement of Topic:

In my research, I will be looking at genetically modified foods and what they do to our

bodies and the environment. Genetically modified foods are organisms that have had their

genetic code changed or altered in ways that are not natural to the environment. In genetic code

change, what makes the plant or organism that plant or organism is being changed from inside

for different benefits for the crop and/or the manufacturer themselves. The topic of this is the

modified organisms inside the food and whether it is safe or good for the body from food intake.

Purpose:

I am researching genetically modified foods because I want to know how genetically

modified food is effective in food health and how it affects our bodies. GMOs are prevalent in all

stores and there are lots of information that is missed through the food. When food items are

genetically modified, you don’t really know what they actually did inside of the food. Is it safe to

eat if it’s been genetically modified? I want to research this and find out what genetically

modified food is what exists inside of the food itself.

Scope:

What is being researched in this viewpoint synthesis is the food safety and proper

handling of the food in the environment and in the body. The focus is on genetically modified

foods and how the code is altered to make the food larger for more products. They are also used

to make the food last longer. They are good for some things, but there are concerns for the

environment from how the food is grown and modified through the altered code of GMOs. What

will the consequences be from growing these kinds of food? Also at what cost?
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Research:

Have you ever really thought about what goes inside of your food? What is happening

inside of our food that is being genetically modified? “Genetic engineering creates dangerous

side effects” (Genetically Modified Food is Unsafe). When using genetically modified

organisms, GMOs, on crops, the crops are exposed to side effects. They are being changed or

altered. The GMOs are also unnatural to the environment and affect it greatly. Do you suppose

those side effects are healthy for your body?

There are herbicides, a toxic substance that is harmful to plants, used that can harm

organisms. “They reduce biodiversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable”

(Genetically Modified Food is Unsafe). Research has shown that GMOs are not improving

nutrition in any way. “...information is anecdotal and contradictory, and uncertainty about

possible benefits and damage is unavoidable." What is trying to be said here in this article, is that

GMOs are promoting unhealthy ways of producing crops. In this same article, it talks about how

they use GMOs to try and make the plants tolerable of the herbicides. This means that more and

more herbicides are being added to crops every time it is used, then they use genetic

modification to fix it, and it is causing a lot of problems. This is shown with the example of an

herbicide called Roundup. “Roundup, for example, is linked with sterility, hormone disruption,

birth defects, and cancer.” Roundup is a toxin that is typically used to take care of the weeds that

grow and surround the crops which can cause a reduction of growth. While it does get rid of the

weeds, it is highly toxic to the plants as well as one can imagine. GMOs are used to make the

plants tolerant to the herbicide. Overuse of the herbicide causes the plant to be immune and
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produces ‘superweeds’. What happens after this, people consume the product after herbicides

and genetic modification and toxins, and other materials are left behind inside the body. “Human

studies show how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind inside us, possibly

causing long-term problems. Genes inserted into GM soy, for example, can transfer into the

DNA [deoxyribonucleic acid] of bacteria living inside us, and that the toxic insecticide produced

by GM corn was found in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn fetuses” (Genetically

Modified Food is Unsafe).

When it comes to GMOs and the health costs it comes with, you need to be aware of

what is being modified. This is when you should watch what you buy when you are grocery

shopping. Do you know what you should be looking for when it comes to genetically modified

foods? “Many Americans would like to know more about what they eat, including whether the

food they purchase contains genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.” There are labels that tell

you when the product is GMO-free. But what comes of that, is genetically modified food is used

under the organic label. Which would make it not very organic if it has been modified. There

have been petitions on this issue that are not being pursued because of the “scrutiny” being put

on the manufacturers. “...along with the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], and they continue

to reject petitions by organic food producers who want to label their products as "GMO-free" or

"produced without use of GMOs." (Glickman

and Merrigan). This image states ‘Know

Your GMOs’ and has percentages on the

(Bareburger)
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most common crops used in genetic modifying. The main crops that are used are soybeans,

canola, corn, and cotton. Soybeans being the highest of numbers. These are crops, along with

soybeans, you should be aware of when looking around for the GMO-free label. You need to

especially be aware of the soy. Soybeans are used in genetic modification to improve the quality

of the soy oil and to have a longer lifespan. In order to do something like this, there are things

you have to consider when messing around with the code of crops. What is going to come out of

it? For the soybean instance, soybeans create a toxic mutation. Because you are mutating the

genes, you have the toxic outcomes from the crops themselves. This is causing supposed

environmental issues with growth in farming areas.

While there is the battle of what is healthy and what a hazard is, there are important

factors in food growth and environmental factors on the other side. With GMOs, the DNA code

inside of the organism is altered in favor of enhancing the way it grows. “Approximately 40

percent of food produced in the U.S. goes to waste as it passes through the food supply chain,...”

(Genetically Modified Food is Healthy). This is because of the pesky bugs that come and eat the

crops and plants that the farmer wants to grow. It helps protect the plants without using so many

pesticides. Herbicides or pesticides are chemicals put onto crops to stray bugs and unwanted

weeds away from the plant so that it lasts longer. It is primarily used on crops that are not

genetically modified so that it can last through the production growth. Dr. Alison Van

Eenennaam states, "I think if you don't know much about [the science], it's very easy to be

misled by groups who appear to have an interest in protecting you," (qtd. In Genetically

Modified Food is Healthy). What Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam is pointing out is that there is a
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misconception when it comes to GMOs. With genetically modified foods, you can help the

production rate and the pace of crop growth. “One of the objectives for developing plants based

on genetically modified organisms is to improve crop protection. The engineered crops currently

on the market are mainly aimed at an increased level of crop protection through the introduction

of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance

towards herbicides” (Frequently Asked). As said by David Hyde, "We see an increase in

production because we limit compaction and don't go over fields so many times with pesticide

applications," (qtd. in Weeks). In this, David Hyde mentions another misconception when it

comes to pesticides. You don’t have to use it as much with

the GMOs.

In this graph, it has a lot of information on the main

genetically modified crops. They are able to ‘withstand the

herbicide use’. It also mentions the nutritional benefit of the

plants from the GMOs’ makeup. With GMOs, you can

have a huge increase in growth, as shown in the graph.

Taking things back to soybeans, they have raised and 93%

of total acres have been planted. (GMO Crops). With this

information, you can see that there is a lot more going on

than what others want you to believe.

Personal Perspective:
 The perspective that should be brought up from this research is whether or not the genetic

modifications along with herbicides/pesticides are hazardous to the environment and the human

body. From my personal perspective, I do think that there are possible issues that arise in genetic

modification. There is an unknown aspect of the GMOs that you just don’t see in the packaging.

The labels have the bits and pieces, but do you really know what was altered in the DNA? That is

a scary science to be messing with to maybe have a longer lifespan of food products. While there

are these issues, they are on the side of the farmers and manufacturers. They want what’s best for

their consumers. They want a long-lasting crop that they can rely on. Bugs and weeds can get in

the way of course, so they take the best course of action to get rid of the problem. I just wonder

what the real cost of it all is to make up for it. Do we know what materials are being left inside

the body? How long does it take for it to filter out of the body? There are a lot of questions that

can’t be answered on its own. I think that one of the most important factors of GMOs is that they

are not natural to the environment. When you genetically modify something, you are causing a

direct mutation to its DNA code. That is the number one reason for me to not buy genetically

modified food because it is unhealthy and unethical. Why should I need to have bigger potatoes

when buying them? I do not think they are worth the cost of defects and viruses that come with

genetic engineering. Even if there is little pesticide/herbicide use, it is still being used. If it is

toxic to plants and neighboring weeds and bugs, it is toxic to us. I don’t think that it is safe to be

using genetic engineering and it needs to be finished.

Proposal of Action:

While there are many laws being made and being taken away when it comes to

genetically modified foods, there are ways to bring awareness to the issue at hand. I think the

best way to showcase GMOs would be through advertisements like commercials or otherwise
similar platforms. I advise that it should be done to not buy genetically modified products. It

could be used to talk about the misconceptions and how they are correct or not. I think that

people need to be aware of the risks and a lot of farmers and manufacturers sugarcoat what is in

their products. I propose that a commercial is done to point out the flaws and the ins and outs of

genetic modification in food. For labeling purposes, you could headline the advertisement with

the public being misled about GMOs.

Conclusion:
 Works Cited:

Bareburger. “Good GMO vs Bad GMO.” Medium, Medium, 16 Nov. 2018,

https://medium.com/@hellobareburger/good-gmo-vs-bad-gmo-5bd5e686040f.

Chien, Shanley. "Genetically Modified Food Is Healthy." Global Sustainability, edited by Dedria

Bryfonski, Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010988211/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=OVIC&xid=6

6633ddb. Accessed 4 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "GMOs: The Scarlet Letters of

the Grocery Aisle?" Medill Reports Chicago, 10 Mar. 2015.

“Frequently Asked Questions on Genetically Modified Foods.” World Health

Organization, World Health Organization, 15 Feb. 2017,

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-

food/en/.

"GMO Crops Worldwide." Tribune Content Agency Graphics, 2014. Gale In Context: Opposing

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91efa5e0. Accessed 7 Dec. 2019.

"Genetically Modified Food Is Unsafe." Global Sustainability, edited by Dedria

Bryfonski,

Glickman, Dan, and Kathleen Merrigan. "Genetically Modified Foods Should Not Be Sold

Under the Organic Label." Organic Food, edited by Amy Francis, Greenhaven Press,

2015. At Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

 https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010949211/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=OVIC&xid=1

77a03bd. Accessed 5 Jan. 2020. Originally published as "What an 'Organic' Food Label

Should Mean," LATimes.com, 19 Dec. 2013.

Greenhaven Press, 2016. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

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11 Apr. 2015.

"House passes GMO labeling bill." Issues in Science and Technology, vol. 32, no. 1, 2015, p. 15.

Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

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582846. Accessed 28 Dec. 2019.

Laskawy, Tom. “Are Walmart and Big Food Pushing for GMO Labeling?” Grist, Grist, 25 Jan.

2013, https://grist.org/food/are-walmart-and-big-food-pushing-for-gmo-labeling/.

Union of Concerned Scientists. "Genetically Modified Food Could Harm the Environment."

Genetically Engineered Foods, edited by Nancy Harris, Greenhaven Press, 2003. At

Issue. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010259223/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=OVIC&xid=2

011f752. Accessed 28 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "Risks of Genetic

Engineering," 2007.

Weeks, Andrew. "Genetically Modified Crops Help Farmers." Genetically Modified Food,

edited by Tamara Thompson, Greenhaven Press, 2015. At Issue. Gale In Context:

Opposing Viewpoints,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010259245/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=OVIC&xid=1
452ad68. Accessed 4 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "Farmers Say GMOs Give

Them Competitive Edge," Times-News, 28 Apr. 2013.