What are the Benefits and Controversies surrounding Genetically Modified Foods (GMO)?
The safety guidelines of genetically modified foods are decided by various criteria including the effects of the foods on health of an individual, toxicity of the food, allergic reaction on an individual due to the instability of the inserted gene and finally the nutritional gain of the food from the genetic modification.
GMO brings about genetic alterations in the food that is being consumed. These alterations may pose a positive or a negative change in the food. Therefore a vigorous monitoring on the safety of the GM foods is needed with a special reference to improvement in risk assessment methods that is being employed to check the quality of GMO foods. The debate about genetically modified foods revolves around the environmental safety, reduction in poverty, consumer preferences, and ethical social and environmental issues.
