Saturday, October 12, 2013

The Various Benefits And Disadvantages Of Non GMO

By Megan Landry


GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Non GMO on the other hand are those that are natural or organic. During the course of genetic modification, there is removal of one or more genes from the DNA of other organisms like bacteria or viruses. The removed genes are then recombined into the DNA of the plant in which alteration is to be done.

Genetic engineers aim to achieve improvement in production by making the altered organisms exhibit qualities similar to those of organisms where the genes are removed. When their production started, there was debate as to whether GMOs are safe, which is why most countries did not even allow their sale. Over time however, there has been increasing acceptance, though most people still opt for organic produce.

The major reason why people do not use the organic foods is the costs involved. They cost much more than GMO foods. The main reason why organic produce costs more is because there are a lot of expenses involved in their production. That aside, most of these foods are rarely treated with preservatives and are thus not expected to last longer after purchase.

There are numerous advantages of non genetically modified foods. Unlike the others, they have few chemicals if any. Those that are genetically modified are produced using sewage sludge plus a host of other chemicals. These, in addition to hormones used in animal stimulation for better productivity, pose a huge risk. Some amount of the chemicals remain on such produce.

Pesticides used are likely to leave residues on the products from such animals, something that may have a long term effect on consumers. Further, there may be leakage of hormones and antibiotics into produce, posing more risks. Farmers that use organic methods do not use chemical means for production, thus there is unlikely to be as much residue.

With the importance attached to the environment, there is need to protect it against any damages and pollution. That is one of the biggest reasons why the use of non GMO is preferred- it conserves the environment a great deal. There is no much use of chemicals.

Non GMO also have some shortcomings. For people that use them, it is such a challenge maintaining their purchase. This is because in addition to the fact that they are expensive, they are becoming more and more rare. Thus when one compares the inconvenience incurred in getting organic foods and the ease with which non organic foods are obtained, the latter are preferred.

The number of companies venturing into production of non GMOs. This in the long run makes it disadvantageous to small business enterprises. This is because over time, there is a requirement that producers and those that sell organic foods need to be certified. The process of certification is both costly and complicated. Small farmers may not afford such.

As to whether non GMO is more nutritious than GMO has not been conclusively determined. There has been the general belief that genetically modified produce is not as nutritious but this has no basis, at least as at now. In terms of nutrient value, the two are more or less at the same level.




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