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Pros & Cons of GMO Foods

Depending on your background and personal beliefs, you might hear the
acronym GMO and automatically think good. Or you may think the exact
opposite. Here’s what we can all agree on: The topic isn’t so black-and-
white, and it’s surrounded by plenty of confusion and controversy.

In recent years, major brands including Cheerios and Chipotle have sworn
off GMOs, arguing these ingredients don’t measure up to their standards
and may negatively affect their customers' personal health and the health of
the planet.

But that’s only one side of the story. Let’s examine the key things you need
to know about when it comes to these foods and ingredients, including the
pros and cons of GMOs.
What Is a GMO Anyway?
Genetically modified organisms (which you likely know simply as GMOs)
aren’t plants, animals or organisms that are found naturally in the world.
Rather, they’ve had their DNA changed in some way.

In most cases, scientists pick and choose the genes they want — say a
certain gene from this plant or one from this animal — and move that gene
into the cell of another plant or animal to alter its genetic makeup.

GMOs have technically been around for tens of thousands of years, ever
since humans began practicing selective breeding. Selective breeding
occurs when farmers seek out plants with desirable traits, and
then specifically breed thoseuntil the plant has changed. For example,
tomatoes used to be the size of marbles, but now they’re much
bigger thanks to the way farmers have bred them over time.

GMOs as we know them today started to take shape in the 1990s, and over
the past few decades, consumers have become more aware of (and more
confused by) them.
Read more: What Do the Labels Organic, All-Natural, Non-GMO and Fair-
Trade Really Mean?

(Image: benedek/iStock/GettyImages)

GMO vs. GE
Another acronym you’ll hear when talking about GMOs is GE, which stands
for genetically engineered. Sometimes, GMO and GE are used
interchangeably when talking about foods that aren’t 100 percent natural,
but that’s not exactly right.

Technically, genetic modification is the broader term and refers to a wide

range of methods, such as selective breeding mentioned earlier. GEs are
another example of genetic modification and are likely what comes to mind
when you think about GMOs.

Genetic engineering involves specifically changing an organism’s genes

through biotechnology. The most common examples of GE crops are
soybeans, cotton and corn, many of which are then used to create
processed foods stocked on grocery store shelves. Potatoes, squash,
apples and papayas are also commonly genetically engineered.

GMOs are used in many everyday foods, so they can be hard to get away
from. But should you be trying to avoid them? Let’s take a look at the pros
and cons of GMOs.
GMO Pro: Bigger Crop Yield
One of the major advantages of GMOs is that they help increase the
production rate of crops, which can have a significant impact in countries
faced with food shortages and famine. As such, GMO crops can help fight
malnutrition around the world, according to a 2016 study published
in Theoretical and Applied Genetics.
GMO Pro: Crop Protection
GMOs lead to these bigger yields if plant genes have been altered to
be less susceptible to disease. For this to occur, the genetic makeup of a
plant needs to be reworked to incorporate a toxin called bacterium Bacillus
thuringiensis. It helps crops avoid catching certain viruses, boosts the
effectiveness of insecticidesand is safe for people to consume.
GMO Con: Potential for Allergic Reactions
Transferring genes into an organism means the organism now contains
new proteins, which could cause an allergic response where a threat wasn’t
present before, according to a 2013 study published in Annals of Agriculture
and Environmental Medicine.

So maybe you weren’t allergic to one kind of tomato before, but after new
proteins are added, you may experience a reaction. A 2017 study published
in Hong Kong Medical Journal notes that some people who fall in the anti-
GMO camp blame GMOs for the increase in food allergies in the United
States, especially among children.

Critics of this argument point to the fact that genetic engineering isn’t
typically used in the most common sources of food allergies: eggs, nuts,
dairy and shellfish.
Falls Commercial/Moment/GettyImages)

GMO Pro: More Nutritious Foods

One of the main goals in producing GMOs is to create foods that
are packed with more nutrients than before. In 2000, for example, scientists
developed a crop called Golden Rice that was created specifically to
help fight vitamin A deficiencies.
GMO Con: Negative Impact on the Environment
GMOs have been linked to a few environmental concerns. For one, GMOs
may become more tolerant of insecticides and herbicides and may lead to
crop invasiveness, per a 2017 study published in Environmental Research.

The World Health Organization also notes it’s possible for the GMO to
move from its crop area into the wild, passing its modified genes along to
the natural population. There’s also a fear that GMOs increases the use of
chemicals in farming.
GMO Con: Risk of Toxicity
Some argue that people who fill their diet with GMOs will be at an increased
risk of toxicity and that eating GMOs can increase chances of developing
tumors, such as in the lungs, breasts or colon, according to a 2013 study
published in Annals of Agriculture and Environmental Medicine.

Hold the freak-out, though: Experts disagree on whether or not people

really need to be worried about this. Harvard, for example, reports that
research doesn’t support claims that GMOs lead to adverse health effects.
GMO Pro: Regulated by the FDA
It may give you some peace of mind to know that GMOs are held to the
same safety standards as other foods available to consumers in the United
States. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency regulate the products
to make sure they’re safe to eat. The FDA says foods that come from
genetically engineered plants are just as safe as non-GE foods.
A robotic lens zooms in on the yellow flower of a tomato seedling. Images of the
plant flow into an artificial intelligence algorithm that predicts precisely how long it
will take for the blossom to become a ripe tomato ready for picking, packing, and the
produce section of a grocery store.

The technology is being developed and researched at NatureFresh Farms, a 20-year-

old company growing vegetables on 185 acres between Ontario and Ohio. Knowing
exactly how many tomatoes will be available to sell in the future makes the job of
the sales team easier and directly benefits the bottom line, said Keith Bradley, IT
Manager for NatureFresh Farms. It’s only one example of AI transforming
agriculture, an emerging trend that will help spur an agricultural revolution.

From detecting pests to predicting what crops will deliver the best returns, artificial
intelligence can help humanity confront one of its biggest challenges: feeding an
additional 2 billion people by 2050 , even as climate change disrupts growing
2

seasons, turns arable land into deserts, and floods once-fertile deltas with
seawater..”

Getting the most from every acre is not an academic problem. The United Nations
estimates we will need to increase food production 50 percent by the middle of the
century.3

Agricultural production tripled between 1960 and 2015 as the world’s population
grew from 3 billion people to 7 billion.
4

While technology played a role in the form of pesticides, fertilizers, and machines,
much of the gains can be attributed to simply plowing more land—cutting forests and
diverting fresh water to fields, orchards, and rice paddies. We will have to be more
res

AI versus grasshoppers

Pests have always plagued farmers. Some ten thousand years after the invention of
agriculture, locusts, grasshoppers, and other crop devouring insects still eat profits
and gobble grains that would otherwise feed human beings. But AI gives growers a
weapon against cereal-hungry bugs.

Not long ago, a farmer in Texas checked the direction of the wind and reckoned a
swarm of grasshoppers was likely to descend on the southwest corner of his farm.
But before he could check his crops, the farmer got an alert on his smartphone from
the AI and data company he hires to help monitor his farm.

Checking new satellite images against pictures of the same parcel over a five-year
period, an AI algorithm detected that the insects had landed in another corner of the
farmer’s field. The farmer inspected the section, confirmed the warning was accurate
and removed the costly pests from his field of nearly ripened corn.

At NatureFresh Farms, the greenhouse tomatoes grow in a bed of pulped coconut

husks. It’s a nutrient-free environment that allows the growers to completely control
what goes into the plant. Sensors monitor the fruit’s progress toward perfect
ripeness, adjusting light to accelerate or slow the pace of maturation. This kind of
farming requires considerable processing power, and NatureFresh Farms uses Intel®
Xeon® processors to power its AI algorithms.

With more than 2,500 nodes, the greenhouses are a glimpse into the future of
farming, Bradley said

ourceful this time around.

What Is Local Food and Why Should

You Care?
There’s no formal definition of the term local food. But one common definition of “local”
food is food grown within 100 miles of its point of sale or consumption.

But it’s up to you to decide what buying local food means to you. Maybe it means foods
grown and produced in your state or your region. Or maybe it means that it comes from
farmers you know and can talk to — for example, at a farmer’s market or through a CSA.
And for some people, “local” is more about the values of small-scale and community-based
than about a specific geographic configuration.
More and more people want to know where their food comes from and the farming practices
of the farmers that grow and produce it. And this is important for many reasons:

 It helps you develop a connection with food.

 You become more aware of what you’re putting in your body.
 You vote every time you shop, and with knowledge comes the ability to support foods
and growers you believe in.

Why Buy Local Food? For One Thing, It

May Be Better for Your Health
Local food can be better for your health for a few reasons. To begin with, local foods often
retainmore nutrients. Local produce is allowed to ripen naturally, while food that travels
long distances is often picked before it’s ripe. And food picked fresh and in season doesn’t
have far to travel before being sold.

Choosing fruits and vegetables grown in season may also be healthier. When researchers
at Montclair State University compared the vitamin C content of broccoli grown in season
with broccoli imported out of season, they found the latter had only half the vitamin C.

Another study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that the
levels of health-promoting anthocyanin pigments more than quadrupled as blackberries
became fully ripe.

In addition, locally grown produce may be safer. When they are imported and out of season,
fruits like tomatoes, bananas, and pears are often picked unripe. And then, they are artificially
“ripened” with ethylene gas.

Also, foods from local growers may contain less (or no) pesticides. Farmers have to pay an
extra fee to become certified organic. Some small-scale farmers use organic methods but
aren’t certified because they simply aren’t big enough to be able to afford the certification
fees. Even if they aren’t organic, small farmers tend to use fewer chemicals than large,
industrialized farms.

If you can, talk to your farmers at your local market and ask them what (if any) pesticides
they use. And be sure to wash your produce thoroughly to reduce your exposure to pesticides
— which is especially important for pregnant women and children.

Why Buy Local Food? It Can Be Better

for the Environment
Food is one of the leading drivers of climate change.

Eating more local food reduces CO2 emissions by reducing food miles — the distance food
travels from farm to consumer. The average piece of produce in the U.S. travels 1,500 miles,
while local food may only travel 100 miles (or less), according to researcher Rich Pirog at the
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.
Local food helps preserve green space. When local farmers are well compensated for their
products, they are less likely to sell their land to developers. Likewise, with growing
consumer demand, young farmers are increasingly likely to enter the marketplace by
developing unused space, such as empty lots, into thriving urban gardens — many of which
are grown organically.

Eating more local food can be one part of the solution. But, local is not the whole picture of
food sustainability. The impact our food choices have on the environment includes many
factors.

In some cases, food produced farther away may be more sustainable if it’s grown more
responsibly, if it carries a smaller ecological footprint, or if it’s in season.

Choosing more plant-based foods is an important part of the equation as well. If you want to
eat a more sustainable diet, look for foods that are local, organic, and low on the food chain.
The higher the percentage of your protein intake that comes from plant foods, the more earth-
friendly and healthful your diet will be.

Other Reasons Why It’s Important to

Buy Local Foods
Health and sustainability are two excellent reasons to eat more local food. But they’re not the
only reasons. Here are some surprising, and not-so-surprising, benefits:

 Fresher food tastes better – When food is picked and eaten at the peak of freshness, it
not only retains more nutrients, it also tastes better.

 Small, local farms offer more variety. Our industrial agricultural system uses a
monocrop system. But smaller, organic farmers may grow a variety of organic and
heirloom produce, which you might not find at the supermarket.

 Supporting local food aids your local economy. By choosing food produced locally,
you’re supporting your community, and you help keep local producers in business.

 Local food creates community and connection. In our increasingly online and
isolated world, loneliness is a growing problem. Getting to know your local growers
and shopping or volunteering at a local farmer’s market, co-op, or community
supported agriculture (CSA) counteracts this trend. And doing so can help you build
meaningful human connections.

 7. Sonic-enhanced © depositphotos
 A study conducted by Oxford University provided proof that food can taste
more or less bitter depending on a background soundtrack. More widespread
uses are suggested, such as using music to remove unhealthy ingredients
without people noticing.

 4. 3D-printed living food

 3-dimensional printers can create objects from plastic and metal, and they can
also print, cook, and serve foods. The Dutch designer Chloe
 Rutzerfeld suggests blending food, gardening, and 3D printing. First, a dough-
based outer casing containing edible soil and various seeds is printed. After
a few days, the seeds start growing and poke out of small holes in the case.
However, this design is currently in the concept stage.

What Are the Benefits of GMO

Corn?
Genetically modified organisms, GMOs, are designed to combine favorable
genetic traits not usually found together in nature into a single, superior
organism. GMO corn of various types has been bioengineered to include
genes borrowed from other plants in order to produce better quality corn,
resist pests and parasites, produce larger yields and to thrive under a wider
range of environmental conditions. Cornell University's Dr. Susan McCouch,
associate professor of plant breeding, says GMOs may help to alleviate
world hunger and malnutrition.

Insect Resistance
A 2003 report published in the "Public Library of Science-Biology" describes
corn modified to include genes borrowed from a soil bacterium called
Bacillus thuringiensis, Bt. The bacterium produces a crystal, Cry, protein
that disrupts the gut of insects that ingest it. GMO corn now possesses the
insect-killing ability. Over 50 related Cry genes have been found that
destroy different insect pests. Corn can now be grown where infestation
previously destroyed harvests or required large doses of toxic pesticides
pumped into the environment, often killing beneficial insects in the process.
Huge increases, measured in extra bushels per acre, have been recorded.
Bt corn starch, along with GMO soy lecithin, were used in 70 percent of
processed foods in 2002.
Disease Resistance
Corn is subject to plant diseases, including fungi and bacteria. While all
plants are susceptible to some diseases, some plants can resist diseases
that attack others. Another benefit of GMO corn is described in an
International Council for Science, ICSU, report cited by the "Public Library
of Science-Biology." Corn bioengineered to carry disease resistance genes
from naturally resistant plants contain lower levels of mycotoxins,
substances produced by fungi growing on insect-infested, non-GMO corn
crops. Myxotoxins are potentially carcinogenic to humans.
Herbicide Resistance