Genetically Modified Foods Nowadays, science and technology constitute the primary productive force. More and more technologies are on their way being widely used in various fields. For example, in order to increase food yield for a large population, specific changes have been implanted into crops’ and animals’ DNA. Scientists transfer the DNA from one species to another in order to make the target species obtain some different characteristics, such as protecting against pests or containing more proteins. According to Paul Lurquin, “any species can be modified by genes from any source,” which theoretically means that people can make an animal or plant born with any advantage they want. From these statements, we can clearly see the hopeful future and benefits this new born technology will bring us. However, some experimental analyses reports make people upset. Based on some tests on guinea pigs, the results reveal a negative trend: those lives which are fed genetically modified (GM) foods for a long time will sustain to an internal injuries. However, whether the same effect will come up in human beings or not cannot be known yet. About this newly researched and developed technology, the most significant thing for people to know is whether its application on food will do harm to their health or not. Considering the bad result on mice, some scientists infer that eating GM foods will lead to bodily injury, but the other research staffs do not think so; they think the former’s point of view is too extreme and arbitrary. Since GM food has been developed only a few years, there must be many uncertainties waiting for further research. “No one really knows whether nanotechnology is hazardous or not,” said Pat Mooney, who successfully campaigns against GM foods. “We have hundreds of products on the market right now, but few people have been looking into whether they pose any dangers” (qtd. In Masci). The safety of GM food has aroused furious contention in academic circle, and no final conclusion has yet been reached. Because of the negative effects on guinea pigs and some other animals, some people insist that eating GM food can do harm to humans’ health. Some people hold such an opinion: because this kind of food is not nature born but be made by modern technology, and up to now, this technology is not highly developed containing so many unknown factors, they regard it as an alien matter, which will surely have a bad influence on their bodies. In case of being influenced by eating GM food, rather a large group of people prefer to eat so-called “normal” food. Till now, although there is no authoritative conclusion on this GM food, there is much evidence proving the GM foods to be harmful to some animals, so the majority remains hesitant. According to Susan Phillips, “Genetic engineering, the science of moving pieces of DNA from one organism to another, is a high-profile component of the high-stakes world of biotechnology.” It involves the insertion or deletion of genes. In order to make crops and animals gain good qualities, scientists have to take specific genes from other species and then added to the original ones. Selecting optional characteristics at option by means of transferring genes is much faster and easier than animal domestication. Since DNA dominates biological natures, firstly, people need to find out the target characteristic, which is the target the species is born with, and then figure out which part of DNA controls it. At last, cut down this part of the DNA and add to the one that need to be changed. In this way, the species will gain the specific functions that the people expect. The main operation processes can be easily concluded as cut and paste, but the details are quite complex. Since applying transgenic technology to plants and animals will increase supply volume dramatically, and some of these foods indeed contain much more protein, people have full confidence in solving starvation all over the world in this way. Some even expect that there must be a promising market specialized in GM food. Although mostly the results of study indicate GM food can bring about damage on animals, there is no record pointed out this new food would cause a negative effect on human beings; also because no definite evidence shows GM food is bad for health, some customers think that GM foods are just like the normal foods. The only difference between them is GM food is made by humans but the ordinary food is born by nature. Theoretically speaking, stomach acid will digest all the portions of genes that may or may not be desirable. What’s more, the toxins hidden in plants that protect against pests only kill specific kinds of insects, and people who eat those kinds of plants may never get poisoned. Therefore, some people believe that when they eat GM foods, although the genes are different, there will be no damage to their body after full deliberation of research staff. “There is no question when I go to a Chinese restaurant, I’m probably eating a lot of soy that has been genetically modified,” (McGarity qtd. In Hosansky). There is a fact that we need to accept: there is a great variety of bean oil that has been sold on the market, and among them are kinds of genetically engineered soybean oil. We have to admit, the majority of people have eaten them. Luckily, no official news has told that people who eat this kind of bean oil fall ill. For us, it is surely a positive trend. At least it can prove that people eat GM soybean oil would not become sick in the short term. Scientists can certainly start their research from here looking at this genetically engineered soybean oil as a breakthrough point. Some researchers claim that genetically modified foods have been eaten by millions of people worldwide for over 15 years with no reports of ill effects. What does it mean? A bright future! Because the safety problem of GM food is still up in the air, governments of different countries provide different restriction levels of GM food. In Venezuela, it is totally banned, but in some European Union countries only a few kinds of such foods are not allowed to be grown or imported. More than that, the United States is the number one grower of GM crops. Statistics shows in 2010, 93% of the soybeans and 78% of cotton came from GM crops. In America, the goods do not need a label to show if they are made by GM crops, but in some countries such as Japan and France, these statements are indispensable. In my point of view, as the genetically modified crops and animals can bring benefits to human beings solving complex food supply problems, and nobody dares to conclude that it is injurious to human bodies; we should hold a generous attitude toward this new thing. After all, every newly developed thing or technology cannot escape from public arguments. People are ignorant of it, curious about it, approach it, and research it. The final purpose is designing for human use. Therefore, for GM food, my attitude is affirmative. I really do not exclude myself from eating it, but at this beginning period, I do not eat a lot. Scientists need more experiments to draw a conclusion as soon as possible to calm public opinion. Lastly, “since labeling of GM food is a complex issue and a consensus has yet to be reached at the international level. Where practiced, labeling of GM food is done to give consumers choice, and not for food safety reasons.” We should come to the point to put a label as son as possible to distinguish the foods that are genetically modified or not so that customers have freedom of choice. Work Cited “Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S.” ers.usda.gov:USDA. n.d. Web.28 Dec.2009. Phillips, Susan C. "Genetically Engineered Foods." CQ Researcher 5 Aug. 1994: 673-96. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Koch, Kathy. "Food Safety Battle: Organic Vs. Biotech." CQ Researcher 4 Sept. 1998: 761-84. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Hosansky, David. "Biotech Foods." CQ Researcher 30 Mar. 2001: 249-72. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Lurquin,Paul F. High Tech Harvest:Understanding Genetically Modified Food Plants. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 2002.Print. Masci, David. "Nanotechnology." CQ Researcher 11 June 2004: 517-40. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. Yong, Goh. “All food here, including GM food, safe to eat: AVA” The Straits times [Singapore] March 24 2008. Lexis Nexis. Web.8.march.2010.