So far....
Health concerns:
- allergenicity
- eating foreign DNA
- unknown effects on health
- changed nutrient levels
- horizontal transfer & antibiotic resistance
Economic concerns
- GM food would result in unequal distribution of wealth as the rich who could afford GM crops would earn more and the poor would become poorer as a result
Concerns on the damage to the environment:
- Unintended harm to other organisms (plants, insects, birds and soil organisms)
- Leakage of GM proteins into soil
- Crop-to-weed gene flow
- Antibiotic resistance reduced effectiveness of pesticides
- Crop-to-crop gene transfer
- Resistance
- RecombinationLoss of biodiversity
There is some evidence for positive impacts of the planting of GM crops on reduced greenhouse gas emissions and pesticide loads in the environment. However, there has been controversy over the impact of GM crops and conventional crops on farmland biodiversity.
The benefits:
1) Better resistance for pests, disease & weather thus increased yields = enhanced food security
2) Shortened maturation time allows more crops to be grown annually = better income
3) Reduced need for chemical pesticides
4) Reduced nutrient deficiencies in under-developed countries
Other Considerations>
Social & moral concerns:
- Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species
- Important distinctions between species blurred
- Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa
- New advances may be skewed to interests of rich countries
Product Labeling is important for consumers to make informed choices
Consumers are concerned with the integrity of genetic modification. Alterations in genes refer to an item that is unnatural hence consumers are apprehensive towards this biotechnology. People especially with pious religion values and beliefs therefore find GE unacceptable.
Many people feel that gene transplantation processes to the germ plasm of crops violates the natural order. Religion devotees fear that genes for the GM food might be isolated or derived from abstained animals.
