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Friday 18 October 2013

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Non GMO

By Megan Landry


GMO is the abbreviation for genetically modified organism. On the other hand, non GMO are those that have not undergone any modification and are thus said to be natural or organic. The process of genetic modification involves removing one or more genes, mostly from the DNA of bacterium or viruses. The genes that are removed from such organisms get recombined into DNA of other organisms so as to alter them.

Through such addition of new genes, the engineers look to have them exhibit traits associated with such genes. There has been debate on the safety of GMO, which is why many countries have always called for sale of organic foods rather than those that are modified. In the case that GMOs are on sale, they have to be labeled so that buyers are aware of what they are buying.

Perhaps the biggest concern for people that use organic foods is their costs. On a comparative basis, they are more expensive, something that may be linked to the fact that their production costs are also high. They also tend to take much longer in the farm as compared to those that are genetically modified. Further, they have no preservatives and tend to spoil faster.

There are several benefits that are associated with organic foods. Perhaps more importantly is the fact that they do not have as many chemicals. The practices of farming used are natural and thus, safe. With non natural methods, there is the use of sewage sludge and several other pesticides. Hormones are also used for stimulation of production of more milk and eggs.

Due to the use of pesticides, there are residues that are left on the products like eggs and vegetables. These in the long run could have adverse effects on consumers. The hormones and antibiotics used tend to leak on produce as well, posing even further risks. With organic farming on the other hand, there is not much use of chemicals. They are much safer.

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.

Most companies are getting to production of non GMOs. This has come to the disadvantage of small producers. The process of getting certification to produce organic foods is not only long but also complicated. Small farmers cannot easily afford costs involved. Thus with time and the requirement that business people label their foods, there are those that are bound to lose.

It has not been determined whether non GMO is more nutritious than GMO. In fact, the two classes of foods are more or less the same in terms of nutritional value. There is still more research on the subject.




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