GMO Concerns

Hey guys, Arielle here again. In a previous blog post, Kristen debunked a couple myths about GMOs, since it is important to distinguish between misconceptions and valid concerns. If you haven't already read her post, you should check it out: GMO Fiction. In this post, some of the concerns about GMOs will be covered.

There is an ongoing debate about GMOs and we may see it on international news, hear about it on radio talk shows or even see it on social media. But what exactly is the controversy? Why are they against something that can be so beneficial to food security and possibly ending world hunger? Most concerns about GMOs are ethical where it is deemed "unnatural" and biotechnologists are accused of "playing God," (Blancke, 2015), but some may actually be important.

Pro GMO/ No GMO. Image Credit: The Doctors Channel

Environmentalists are concerned about the possibility of herbicide resistant weeds and the evolution of "superweeds," (Bawa et al, 2013) Palmer amaranth, a weed found in cotton fields, has taken root as a herbicide-resistant ‘superweed’ in many US cotton fields, (Gilbert, 2013). This however may not be as big an issue as thought to be since scientists have suggested that the combination of GM crops and sustainable methods of agriculture can greatly reduce the prevalence of "superweeds."

No GMOs. Image Credit: The Greens

Another main concern is that although GMOs have been around for quite a while, there is still a lot that is unknown, such as its exact effects on humans, directly or indirectly (Bawa et al, 2013). As such, skepticism remains as to whether GM foods are safe to consume or not.

It has been suggested that mutant genes may result from GM crops (Keese, 2008), however a study conducted shows that precautionary measures are put in place to ensure that mutations are limited and that mutations if present, would not be dangerous (Schouten & Jacobsen, 2007).

There are other concerns but I highlighted some of the main ones. Here we can see that scientists have tested and found solutions to these issues, so that they are not a setback.

Despite many studies proving that GMOs are overall beneficial and safe to use, the big debate is valid as it is our human right to be concerned, to question and to be able to clear our misconceptions especially on this topic as it may turn out to be our primary source of crops in the future. 

Sources:
Bawa, A. S., & Anilakumar, K. R. (2013). Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns—a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 50(6), 1035–1046. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0899-1
Blancke, S. (2015). Why People Oppose GMOs Even Though Science Says They Are Safe? Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-people-oppose-gmos-even-though-science-says-they-are-safe/
Feenstra, G. et al. What is Sustainable Agriculture? Retrieved from http://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/sarep/about/what-is-sustainable-agriculture

Gilbert, N. (2013). A Hard Look at GM Crops. Nature, 497, 24-26. Retrieved from http://www.ecostat.unical.it/Anania/EMAA1213/Nature,%20GMOs%202013.pdf

Keese, P. (2008). Risks from GMOs due to Horizontal Gene Transfer. Environmental Biosafety Research, 7(3), 123-149. doi:10.1051/ebr:2008014
Maghari, B. M., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically Modified Foods and Social Concerns. Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology, 3(3), 109–117. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3558185/
Schouten, H. J., & Jacobsen, E. (2007). Are Mutations in Genetically Modified Plants Dangerous? Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, 2007, 82612. http://doi.org/10.1155/2007/82612
Union of Concerned Scientists. (2013). The Rise of Superweeds - and What to Do About It. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/documents/food_and_agriculture/rise-of-superweeds.pdf
Urban, S. (2010). 8 Reasons GMOs are Bad for You. Retrieved from http://www.organicauthority.com/foodie-buzz/eight-reasons-gmos-are-bad-for-you.html
U.S. National Library of Medicine. What is a gene mutations and how do mutations occur? Retrieved from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/mutationsanddisorders/genemutation

Images:

TheDoctorsChannel.com (2016). Pro GMO/ No GMO. Retrieved from
http://cdn.almost.thedoctorschannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/gmo.jpg
The Greens European Free Alliance. (2016). No GMOs. Retrieved from http://archives.greens-efa.eu/6-reasons-to-ban-gm-plant-cultivation-in-the-eu-15790.html.