GM
Food
Genetically modified food contains a genetically modified organism. GMOs have
been engineered to be resilient to common agricultural diseases, viruses and
pests and therefore yield a bigger and stronger crop. GM production combines
genes from other species (including non-native species) in order to make them
resistant. The production process breaks the DNA of both species at random locations
leading to the ‘scrambling’ of their DNA. It is this ‘scrambling’
that concerns researchers and campaigners as it has the potential to produce
abnormalities in animals & humans, as well as creating toxins & allergies
in food crops. More worryingly, GM production could introduce diseases into
the environment and food chain that have never previously existed. Of the limited
testing that has been done, immunological & tissue damage was found in rodents
and tests carried out on humans showed that GM soya was not digesting but transferring
to the gut bacteria. The manufacturers of GM food, such as Monsanto, insist
it is safe and argue it will cut production costs and help end the world food
shortage. Campaigners however, are asking at what price, when the tests being
done are proving it to be an unsafe, imprecise and unpredictable practice.