Advantages and Disadvantages of GMOs in Biotechnology (Essay Sample)

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Advantages and Disadvantages of GMOs in Biotechnology
Biotechnology has been used as one of the eco-techno-political technologies in the 21st century. Many developed and developing countries have developed technological strategies to improve their food productivity in different fields. This has led to the establishment of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). This technology was first used in 1980s when it was first introduced for industrial production of the medicinal products, pharmaceutical industry, and food distribution where gene technology applications was involved (Parekh 117). Developing countries have maintained that the application of GMO technology have provided great contributions to sustainable agricultural production in both small scale and large scale farming activities. This paper answers question seven by defining GMO and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using GMO in biotechnology.
Definition of (GMO) and Process.
This is the process of taking genes from two different plant species or animal species and combining them. This genetic modification was first applied to microorganisms. The insertion of defined foreign genes into the genome of the bacteria, yeast or molds resulted into genetically modified organisms (GMO), the products which was found to be very useful for human and later used in industries and pharmacy. The process of combining these inter-species genes called recombinant of DNA technology does not actually have checks and balance that are normally imposed naturally during the traditional breeding and therefore it may results to genetic instability risk. It’s difficult for one to make correct predictions about long term effects of the GMO crops, fruits, and vegetables on the human being as well as the environment. In addition, carrying out comprehensive and proper testing is either very impractical or very expensive, and there are also lots of information in genetics that scientist have not yet known or properly understood.
This has resulted to the ongoing debate about the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified organism (GMO). The countries growing the GM Crops have vastly increased in the recent years and the dangers and benefits of genetically engineered crops and foods are causing lots of intense debate. This means a great deal to humanity since genetically engineered crops are very productive and looks appealing than the natural or traditional food crops. The Genetic modifications of animals and plants have been justified by the potential for improvement of food situation worldwide, an increase in the food nutritional value, an increase in the yields of crops, and pharmaceutical development preparations of the proven clinical significance.
Advantages of GMO
Studies have shown that the increasing number of transgenic food products on the food markets have inflicted the belief in human that genetic modification of animal and plants provides profits. The improvement potential of agronomic, technological and utilitarian characters or traits prompts food producers to increase the frequent use of the achievement provided by the genetic engineering. There are numerous advantages that accrue as a result of GMO that are discussed below:
Genetically Modified Crops
There is the need for countries to produce nutritious foods from the GM crops, safe, and inexpensive foods to help feed the worlds growing population. The major advantage of the GM food crops is the potential promise of the future food security, particularly for the small scale as well large scale farming in the developing countries. The GM crops are much more productive and have better yields as compared to the natural crops and therefore with the use of GM crops more food products will be produced that will be able to feed the world fast growing population. For example in corn, the GM technology has resulted to increased yield of the product and in soybeans the GM technology has resulted to saving of chemical inputs and labor.
In addition, studies have found that the use of GM in crop production will lead to higher yield with shorter growing durations of crops, use of less chemical fertilizers in crop production, advanced management of pest with minimal use of pesticides in crop food production, development of higher drought resistant crops, and with increased nutrient quality as compared to natural food crops. This will results to low cost of food production hence more production of food. This will further make production of food to be economically efficient.
Moreover, GM crops have some other more advantages such as inbuilt resistance to the crop diseases, pests as well as weeds, very environmentally friendly since they require reduced use of pesticides and herbicides, due to the resistance of the food crops there is possibility of the food products staying longer as they can be shipped for long distances to places where the production is very low or even kept in the shop shelves for longer periods time without going bad before getting the right customer to buy the products. Besides GM crops have the capability of thriving and surviving in areas or regions with adverse climates and poor soil. There’s the possibility that the GM food crops have the ability of eliminating the allergy causing properties in some food products as well as the food being more nutritional with batter flavor for human consumption.
Genetically Modified Animals
The Genetic modification of the domesticated animals as well as fish have been more controversial than the one for GM crops. This has led to very sensitive stories about cloning making news headlines around the world. Research studies have found that biotechnology has already been introduced into the breeding programs to speed up genetic improvements including the (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) DNA based marker selection assisted (Nelson 98). Biotechnology research in animals is being conducted in many both developed and developing countries, mostly on domestic cattle as well as on pigs, goats and chickens.
There are many advantages that are associated with Genetic modification of animals such as increased wool production in transgenic sheep, it leads to production of disease resistant farm animals, production of leaner meets from pigs and pigs with environmentally friendly waste manure, increased milk production from the domestic cattle, and with GMO one is able to alter the milk composition to be lactose-freely. However, for one to achieve a reliable and consistent improvement, traits relevant for animal production must be controlled by many DNA genes.
In addition, it was found that fish are relatively simple to genetically modify since they have reproductive biology. Fish is the most modified species that all other vertebrates combined. For example the Glofish is one of the Genetically Modified fish that has already been availed commercially by the USA for aquarium. It was found that many companies in North America have just been waiting for the federal approval to sale Atlantic salmon that grows at 400-600 % more quickly and 25% less feed because of a Chinook salmon gene added, that’s controlled by a cold activated promoter gene from the ocean pout fish (Nelson 218).
On the other hand consideration should be given to the effects and risk that are associated with GM animals to the human health. Great care should be taken to prevent transmission of pathogens from animals to human being that may be associated with the animal-derived products (Parekh 147). Both the Genetically Modified farm animals and genetically modified fish especially requires strict standards of genetic security.
Disadvantages of GMO
While Genetic modification of Organisms such as in crop production might create the possibility of elimination of world food shortage and ensuring future food security, concerns are being raised over the negative impacts that the GM foods are associated with its introduction as well as proliferation of increased use. The concerns have been exacerbated by the intense spread of the GM crops use and increase in the land areas that are allocated for their productions. The rapid increase in the spread of these crops have been associated with trade linkages held by big companies that have heavily invested in the gene technology. A lot of concerns are therefore being raised concerning genetic engineering of food not only for safety, altered nutritional quality of foods, allergic situations, carcinogenicity, and toxicity, but also for the adverse effects it will have on the environment.
Studies have shown that GMO have lots of dangers from the facts that no one can accurately predict the long term effects of the Genetically Modified foodstuffs on the human health as well as on the environment. Scientist are able to choose which genes to manipulate, but they do not know where exactly in the DNA to insert the foreign gene and have no capability of controlling expression of the gene. Genes do not work in isolation from others and therefore changing a few genes could lead to changing of the whole picture of the gene with unpredictable different effects in different circumstances.
In addition, studies have shown that Genetically Modified companies do not label their products as GM food products. This results to biasness concerns in affecting the businesses since GM food products looks appealing and have more flavor and therefore more preferred by customers not knowing the greatest health effects it may have on human being. Not labeling the GM food products is unfair and wrong to the consumers who should have absolute right to know the content of the food product they are buying and indeed make the rightful decision whether to buy a GM food product or not to buy. Some individuals may have religion or moral objections even though the health s...