Biotech foods :: essays research papers

In Michael Pollans essay, Playing God in the garden, we are introduced to the New Leaf Superior, a divisortically engineered potato. This is not the first of its kind, for it is all one of the many fares that are products of an emergent development here in the United States. Monsanto and other giant transnational companies are carrying break a dangerous global experiment by introducing large numbers game of genetically engineered food for thoughts into our diet. Genetic manipulations can result in unanticipated noisome effects, and because genetically engineered foods are not sufficiently time-tested, this experiment not only jeopardizes the health of individuals, yet also affects the natural flow of nature. Pollan writes, genetic design overthrows the old rules governing the relationship of nature and culture in plants. He argues in his essay that the old rules, or natural (organic) ways of acres are no longer being valued, but rather overthrown and replaced by this ne w technology. We get the impression that Pollan does not trust this genetically engineered food because it is completely unnatural. There are numerous benefits to genetic cultivation as well as many farmers who agree with and practice this way of life. biotech food produces its own insecticide, and its final product is better looking than that of organically grown food. Due to genetically special foods uncomparable and unknown nature, however, there is potential for adverse health boldness effects. On page 467, Pollan writesWhen I called the E.P.A. and asked if the agency had tested my Bt potatoes for nearty as a human food, the answer was . . . not exactly. It seems the E.P.A. works from the assumption that if the original potato is safe and the Bt protein added to it is safe, then the whole New Leaf package is safe . . . the original potato is safe, so that left the Bt toxin, which was fed to mice, and they did fine, had no side affects.Pollan here implies that it is unknown whether or not these foods are safe. The fact that these products were tested on mice does not mean that they are safe for people. Maybe genetically engineered food does not harm people in any way, but no one knows for sure. It is impossible to predict the impact of genetically engineered food it is a matter of waiting for and observing future consequences.Genetically modified food farmers, such as Dan Forsythe and Steve Young, all agree that this new gene technology will supply plentiful amounts of food, but they themselves would not feed in these foods.