Genetic modification of crops produces better results compared to selective breeding or mutation. Genetic modification in this context refers to the crops whose DNA has been modified; these are more commonly referred to as GMOs. A GMO is created by inserting a gene (which contains a desirable trait) into the nucleus of the cell (cell which will turn into seed then into plant, obviously not some random cell in a leaf)v on a plant)so that you can have an organism with the desirable trait. These modifications to the organism can range in effect from, making a fruit more nutritious to making the plant more resistant to pests and making the plant more efficient at producing the fruit. By genetically engineering these traits in this way an organism with superior traits can be created faster and more efficiently than the traditional processes of selective breeding and mutation.
Organisms can be engineered to be more efficient than non-GMO plants. They can be more efficient by being resistant to insects, more nutritious and more tolerant to herbicide. The GMO crops aren’t necessarily eaten by humans however, they are sometimes fed to livestock which people eventually eat. This is a simple way which gets around any discomfort people may have about risks to do with eating GMO crops, (whether real or imagined) if the crop was somehow dangerous for consumption even after the extensive testing done on the GMO crops then any negative effects on the livestock would be discovered and it would be back to the drawing board for that GMO.
There are many medical questions related to GMOs, both from worried consumers and people in the medical profession. Consumers are worried about GMO foods causing allergies while the medical community is interested in how GMO’s could be manufactured as an alternative to the traditional vaccine by needle, although these two things don’t appear to have anything in common but how they would work is quite similar. An allergic reaction is caused when the immune system reacts to a safe protein, immunization works when the body is exposed to a foreign protein and an antibody is produced to protect the body, this is done either from getting sick with the disease or by getting a scaled down version in the form of a vaccine. When a scientist is creating a GMO they need to be careful not to add a protein which would cause an allergic reaction, this is entirely possible showing that the fear of allergic reaction to GMOs isn’t entirely off the mark, however there is extensive testing to GMOs before they get on to the market to be sure that they do not contain proteins which may cause allergic reactions. The GMO is tested by checking to see if the new protein are similar to proteins which are known to cause allergic reactions. The protein is tested to see if it is easily digestible, this is tested by subjecting the protein to heat, acid and stomach enzymes .The last test is to see if human antibodies react to the introduced protein, obviously if the antibodies attack the protein then it is scrapped. Genetically modified crops are extensively tested to minimise danger and you are more likely to be allergic to a traditional food than the introduced proteins in GMOs.
Although genetically modified crops do have some unavoidable risks so do regular crops. Although scientists can accidently make plants unsafe to eat, it is also possible for a plant to natural mutate so that the DNA changes and is no longer safe to eat. The differences are that changes in GMOs happen a lot faster and scientists extensively test the crop produced and would notice any problems. If a natural crop had a problem develop then it would not be noticed until human consumption.
Genetically modified crops are better that selective breeding and mutation. These crops are more resistant to herbicide, more nutritious, more resistant to insects and may hold the potential for new versions of vaccines and ways of avoiding allergies. These benefits of GMO crops far outweigh the risks and showing that they are superior to natural crops and should be used instead of natural crops. Genetically modified crops are far better than traditional crops which have been created due to random mutation and crops created by selective breeding.
