Controversy about GMOsDo you know anything about Genetically Modified Organisms? Probably the same as many people: that there are some vegetables that in their DNA include genes from other organisms. But that’s not the only thing a GMO could be: any organism obtained in a lab that has changes included by a person in its genetic information, what means that a scientist can make that something that the organism has increases its production, for example.
It is true that many people fear GMOs, it is said that they could produce more allergic reactions, they could damage other plants and animals, and so on.
The fact is that Scientists are not really sure about the effects that they could have on human-beings in the long term – but we also ignore what the effects of using wi-fi and mobile phones could be in the future. What we know about GMOs is that they have more walls in their way: they have to be tested once and again during years before they can be destined to consumers, they are the most tested food – if they are to become animal or human food. And that’s why the GMOs we can eat right now are less harmful than any other food on sale.
However, in Europe OMG food is really banned, only a few transgenic vegetables are allowed – in 2010 it was approved to plant 4 new transgenic vegetables after 12 years without any new ones beeing allowed.
Because of that kind of fear we have here in the UE, it was forbidden to import any GMO from United States, or Canada, for example, and that annoyed the US: as the UE said that GMO were potentially harmful for our health, the US claimed that there was no proof of such statement.
Anyway, GMOs are being investigated in many countries and each year more transgenic vegetables are planted. It is probably that, in order not to be left behind, the UE will be more open to this kind of food in the future, that’s the progress flow…