The Secret Killer
A killer is on the loose. It lurks in your homes, hiding in your pantries and refridgerators. You can not escape it because it is everywhere. The killer is genetically modified foods. As said before, genetically modified foods are any foods that genetic makeup has been altered in such a way that is not natural. The first genetically altered food, created in 1994, was the "Flavr Savr" tomato. This tomato had genes inserted from an artic salmon that gave the tomato the ability to withstand freezing temperatures. Since the release of this genetically altered tomatoe, several other foods have gone through similar processes and are sold around the world. The biotechnology companies that created these foods intended for them to produce larger crop yeilds and solve many farmers problems. However, the negative effects these foods have had on society and the environement outweigh their benefits. So many people are unaware of the secret killer that lives in thier food.
Genetically modified foods were also created for the purpose of reducing the amount of pesticides that farmers needed to use on their crops because pesticides were already inserted into the crop to make them naturally resistant. However, this benefit had an unintended consquence and the use of pesticides has more than doubled in the past 10 years. The pesticides sprayed on this foods are supposed to kill bugs and weeds, and a majority of them die after taking a bit out of the plants. However, strong bugs and weeds survive and produce stronger offspring which then require stronger pesticides to kill. Keep in mind that all the pesticides inserted into the plant and sprayed over the crops are passed down directly to those who consume them. Scary thought, right? Studies preformed on rats have shown slower growth, liver damage and kidney failure in rats who consumed genetically altered seed. Biotech companies however argue that these foods are completly safe for humans.
If these foods are so harmful to society and the environement , why hasnt the government done anything about it? The Food and Drug Administration, responsible for the overseeing of these genetically modified foods sides with biotech companies saying that genetically modified foods are completly safe. Research has shown that many leaders within the FDA are former employees of the biotech industry, therefore making their conclusions rather biased. The issue of genetically modifed foods has gotten lost in the shuffle of other environmental issue but now, more than ever, it is important that we take back control of our food and demand labels on genetically modified foods so that consumers can have make their own choice whethere or not they want to eat the genetically modified foods that areslowly killing us.