WHY GMO IS BAD FOR US?

JOY M. BASA Suicidal attempt… In an effort to upgrade and enhance human life, bright minds had come out with an invention that addressed the needs of human to have a very comfortable life. However, in today’s era, most of the prime commodities or products sold from groceries and supermarkets from around the world contain Genetically Modified Organism. Although, this most important issues have had attracted concerns and became debatable, still there were no concrete move which will regulate and even defy the propagation of such innovation. As such GMO became a complicated topic for there were two sides of it being presented. The first for its adverse effects on health and the other for the advocates who se thinking focused on the easy and more production of food to meet the enormous demands in the world market.

More so, some embraced the advantages brought by the modern inventions particularly in Science and Technology because they believe that these innovations promote longevity and facilitate life’s demands easily even without considering the mere adverse effects of these to human race. Perhaps, they only see the benefits that these products may bring but in reality these products pose hazard to human health. Worst of it, this may contribute to the total annihilation of human race.

Allow me to expound what these scientists have thought about GMO or Genetically Modified Food, this food according to Rich and Worthily(2016) at some point during the production process, molecules and proteins are chemically altered to give the food more nutrients, better appearance, or a longer shelf life. Genetically modified grain is often fed to livestock used for meat and dairy products. Much of the products sold in United States are also grown from genetically modified seeds (P.14). Back in the days, to attain the ideal characteristics of plants and to withstand certain fungi and bacteria, farmers utilizes growth and selective breeding (Rich and Warhol) 2016p.14.

As a result farmers produced more crops by using those techniques. As Dr. Ignacio Chapela, a microbial Ecologist at the University of California Berkeley states “As we move forward with this genetic manipulation, we’ll start seeing pieces of DNA reacting with each other in ways that are totally unpredictable”. This is probably the largest biological experiment that humanity has ever entered into “Thus, genetic modification also allows individual genes to be specifically switched off, through antisence approach which have been utilized in the production of tomato paste to reduce the amount of energy required to thicken the paste. If by and large such processes will be used more often in all condiments and other commodities, then I would say that we are now putting the risk on every shelf of any groceries for human access and consumption. It is in this light that I would like to discuss further and try to convince everyone on the bad effects of GMO.

First and foremost, my initial proof is an evidence from ( Remake 2006 p.4-9) when GM soy was fed to a female rat , most of their babies died within three weeks compare to 10% death rate among the control group fed on natural soy. This also showed that GM fed babies were smaller and had problems on getting pregnant. David Schubert of the Salk Institute warns that children are most likely be adversely affected by toxins and other dietary problems related to GM foods, He says that without further studies the children become “experimental animals” What a waste if the population will not be aware and kept themselves abreast with this GMO issues! All the while, humanity just goes with the flow of accepting and patronizing those products without realizing the threat that it may impose.

In addition to this, Multiple studies have shown that Pesticides Associated to Genetically modified foods (PAGMF) both found on maternal, fetal and non-pregnant women’s blood (Reproductive Toxicology , 2011) have been associated with Parkinson’s Alzheimer and Cancer(Topical Lett,2003). Likewise, has significant inauspicious effect on reproductive system and it’s directly involved with retardation.

Moreover, studies confirm that even the less toxic natural bacterial spray is harmful. When dispersed by plane to kill gypsy moths in Pacific Northwest, about 500 people reported allergy or flu-like symptoms. Some had to go to the emergency room (Washington State Dept.of Health, 1993)

Although there were claims that GMO products are safe for human consumption, I should say that the answer is still blowing in the wind because there were many documented claims that animals fed on GMO are dying in large numbers. In India, animals graze on cotton plants after harvest. But when shepherds let sheep graze on BT cotton plants, thousand died. Post mortems showed severe irritation and black patches in both intestines and liver as well as enlarged bile ducts.) Preliminary evidence strongly suggests that the sheep mortality was due to toxin from Bt-toxin (Andhra Pradesh, 2006). In small follow-up feeding study by the Deccan Development Society, all sheep fed BT cotton plants died within30 days; those grazed on natural cotton plants remained healthy.

Evidence was in Germany where Bt176 was fed to grow cows from 1997 until 2002. The conductor states “When partial paralysis accompanied by great fatigue, and problems in the kidneys and mucosal membranes arose in the animals. Followed by death in 10 percent of cases, microbial causes were sought.” (Gottfried Locker, Gilles-Eric Seralini, 1997)

Moreover, the gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of bacteria living our intestines and continues to function (Nether wood et.al 2004). This means long after we stop eating GMO’s. We may still have the potentially harmful GM proteins produced continuously inside of us. It simply means that eating corn ship produced from BT corn

Considering these evidences, I steadfastly claimed that GMO is not safe for human consumption .If we are still placing great value on the preservation of human race I hope my appeal will not fall on deaf ears but instead it will reverberate to all the walls and corridors of the entire laboratories of GMO’s products since no one can really replace the hands of the Great Creator of everything that we enjoy and had found when we’re given that precious life on earth. We were appointed stewards of this haven that God has created for us, we should not allow those gods to rule our once caring, nurturing and providing planet but instead we must work hand in hand to totally eradicate this dreadful mechanism which lure the entire human race on its promise of immortality, rather we still need to anchor our faith that there is still the Greatest author and creator of this abode who unselfishly provide everything for us to live. After all He is the only one who knows the day when we will all enjoy the kind of life that he had promised free from pain and sufferings. As stated in James 5:7-11 Be patient until the Lord comes. See how patient farmers are as they wait for their land to produce precious crops. They wait patiently for the autumn and spring rains. You also must be patient. Keep your hopes high for the day of the Lord’s coming is near. Would it be nice that we will draw our inspiration from the great author of this creation instead of expediting and accelerating the production of foods to nourish our bodies, why not look forward to have an infallible life after with his grace?

— oOo— I at Mabalacat Community High School The author is Head Teacher