Benefits And Shortcomings 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.

The major reason why people do not use the organic foods is the costs involved. They cost much more than GMO foods. The main reason why organic produce costs more is because there are a lot of expenses involved in their production. That aside, most of these foods are rarely treated with preservatives and are thus not expected to last longer after purchase.

There are numerous advantages of non genetically modified foods. Unlike the others, they have few chemicals if any. Those that are genetically modified are produced using sewage sludge plus a host of other chemicals. These, in addition to hormones used in animal stimulation for better productivity, pose a huge risk. Some amount of the chemicals remain on such produce.

Pesticides used are likely to leave residues on the products from such animals, something that may have a long term effect on consumers. Further, there may be leakage of hormones and antibiotics into produce, posing more risks. Farmers that use organic methods do not use chemical means for production, thus there is unlikely to be as much residue.

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.

The other debate that has raged for some time is whether or not non GMO are more nutritious. Contrary to popular belief that they are more nutritious, this is yet to be fully proven. As a matter of fact, it is even thought that the two groups of foods are equally nutritious.




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