Genetic Engineering

8 Pages 2072 Words

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Furthermore, man is benefited by genetic engineering in the field of Agriculture. As the world’s population continues to expand, so will the need for adequate nutritious foods. The first genetically engineered field crop to be marketed in the USA was the Flavr Savr tomato, which was endowed with genes to delay ripening (Susan Wright). The FDA approved this tomato for sale in 1994. The tomato failed commercially, however, in part because of its high retail price. Later that year, a virus-resistant squash became the second genetically engineered crop to gain approval in the United States (USDA). Since then many biotech companies have designed crops that produce their own pesticides, don’t bruise easily, and stay fresh longer. Others are attempting to create crops that can sustain major temperature changes. Monsato (a biotechnology innovator) is currently designing a rice grain that is naturally enriched with vitamin A. Most of the world’s population that is suffering from malnutrition consumes a diet with rice as its main staple and suffers from vitamin A deficiencies. All of these changes are meant to help enhance the world’s food source (Rick Weiss 3).
However, many advocacy groups are against genetically engineered foods. They feel that these foods pose certain health risks and can even have negative effects on nature’s ecological balance (Philip Brasher). One of these groups (Environment Defense) sites a recent scare with the biotech product Starlink corn. This corn was used to make taco shells manufactured by Kraft Inc. for use by Taco Bell. Twenty-four people became extrem...