Environmental Risk of Genetically Modified Food Essay

Environmental Risk of Genetically Modified Food - Essay Example GM foods have been hailed for being the sure approach to meeting the global demand for food especially within the developing world. Scientists affirm that it remains the only viable option for the attainment of the second green revolution to ensure adequate food supplies within the global domain. Critics however affirm that GM foods poses significant environmental risk to the natural society hence they note that the planet has the capacity to produce adequate food for everyone with the lack of food resulting from respective political systems’ inability to properly plan and distribute food, (Schneider & Schneider, 2002:4). Analyzing the economic, environmental and health concerns of the issue, activists argue that environmental impacts of the GM food types should be of more concern comparative to the other related issues. On health, studies indicate that the consumption of genetically modified foods may have unforeseen long-term adverse effects on not only human but the natural ecosystem as well, (Huebner, Studer, & Luethy, 1999: 1137). A 1998 research by the Rowett Research Institute affirmed that genetically modified potatoes contained Lancet, a substance that showed adverse effects on rats. Gene transfer and allergies are two key health risks that have been quoted as resulting from GM foods, (WHO. 2001:1). Based on several studies ingestion of GM foods may result into significant gene transfer from the respective GM foods to bacteria within their gut, (Hallman, Aquino, Cuite, Lang, 2006:12). There are also concerns that GM foods results into allergies which impose significant environmental risk to humans and other living organisms on the planet. The genetic modification of plants may results into unwanted crops or weeds that are genetically resistant to herbicides and other chemicals, an aspect that may result into a wild outgrow of destructive plants.