Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Research - Essay Example In 2000, for the first time a food product was recalled because of its genetically modified ingredients by Taco Bell brand. The recall occurred not because of some imminent danger to human life, but because it has not been approved by government bureaucrats at the USDA. The media attention surrounding the recall castigated Taco Bell for endangering lives, and seized the opportunity to condemn all genetically modified foods. They did this despite the fact that many genetically modified foods are already approved by government agencies entrusted with â€Å"protecting† the American people from food producing corporations (Fulmer). Nevertheless, there is little to be â€Å"protected† from in this case: genetically modified foods offer a wealth of benefits, in spite of their damaged reputation. Arguments that we frequently hear against the use and consumption of genetically modified foods are based on commitments to overly sentimental appeals to nature and related fallacies. The term â€Å"genetically modified food† or â€Å"genetically modified organism† often vaguely refers to a bioengineered crop plant grown and harvested for consumption by humans or animals. Products that might be classified as GMOs are developed in laboratories to augment desired traits as they are expressed in the plant’s phenotypes (Whitman). Traits that farmers and scientists will likely select for include a higher nutritional content, a stronger resistance to herbicides, a stronger resistance to harsh environmental conditions, and a longer shelf life. These traits allow (1) the farmer to produce a better yield and therefore bring more of his product to the marketplace, and (2) provide a better quality product that (a) tastes better and (b) is healthier. Genetic engineering allows the scientist to select a desired trait very rapidly, and transplant an advantageous gene from one plant to another. This conception of the genetically