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GMOs and its effects on the human body

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GMOs and its effects on the human body

The ingredients used in making some foods, such as granulated sugar and corn oil, come

from crops that are genetically modified. The genes of the genetically modified crops are not

naturally occurring. Therefore they might have a health effect on humans different from that of

the crops that are not genetically modified. To investigate this, four sources shall be used. first is

by Bawa and Anilakumar (2012). It covers the safety, environmental and health dangers

involved with such foods. The second is by Key et al. (2008) which looks at the effects of these

plants on the human body. The third is by Yang and Chen (2015) and it handles the governing of

GMOs and their effects as well. The last source is based on the scientific testing method of DNA

alterations. These sources are credible and they contain relevant information as far as the topic is

concerned. GMOs affect the human body, especially the health, and can cause cancer,

anaphylaxis and immune system suppression.

The DNA in genetically modified foods is not natural. In most cases, the gene containing

the DNA of interest is transferred into bacteria or bacterial cells, then the DNA into the plant. A

good number of food is grown through this way such as mangoes and other fruits. These

alterations in the genetic make up of the plants helps to confir some protective mecahnisms to

them against drought as well as accelerating the rate of growth. However, they predispose both

humans and animals to the risks of getting diseases such as cancer which are detrimental to the

health of the body. The manipulations of the DNA make the qualiy of the food to be daunting

making them to cause health problems. Legally, "in the US, GMO foods require marking to

disclose their GMO status in what is termed as the food labelling law" (Bovay & Alston, 2018).

These effects have been identified through various laboratory tests that are carried out to
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determine the safety of these foods. A PCR test, popularly known as the polymerase chain

reaction, is used in determining the quantity of foreign DNA present in a plant by copying the

plant's DNA many times ( Cottenet et al..,(2019)). A genetically modified food can only be

accredited for sale after it has been tested and its effects on the human are found to be minimal or

to be of no effects.

Conclusively, the effects of genetically modified foods on the human body cannot be

underscored. Despite the advantages of these genetic manipulations in conferring drought

resistance in these plants, they cause carcinogenic effects on the body, trigger allergic reactions

as well as suppress the immunity of the body. An immune-compromised individual is susceptible

to a wide variety of diseases. Thereby these foods also have indirect detrimental effects on the

body. Several scientific methods are used to determine the level of genetic manipulation in a

plant to determine the safety of the products by the public members. More research should be

done to shed more light on this topic for health safety.

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References
Bawa, A., & Anilakumar, K. (2012). Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns—a

review. Journal Of Food Science and Technology, 50(6), 1035-1046.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0899-1

Key, S., Ma, J., & Drake, P. (2008). Genetically modified plants and human health. Journal of the Royal

Society of Medicine, 101(6), 290-298. https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.2008.070372

Yang, Y., & Chen, B. (2015). Governing GMOs in the USA: science, law and public health. Journal of

the Science of Food and Agriculture, 96(6), 1851-1855. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.7523

Shtulman, A., Share, I., Silber-Marker, R., & Landrumb, A. R. (2020, June 10). OMG GMO! Parent-

child conversations about genetically modified foods. ScienceDirect.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885201420300496

Cottenet, G., Blancpain, C., Sonnard, V., & Chuah, P. F. (2019). Two FAST multiplex real-time PCR reactions to

assess the presence of genetically modified organisms in food. Food Chemistry, 274, 760-765.
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