Genetically Modified Foods
Genetic modification involves a process of deletion or insertion of genes in food substances (Flachowsky, p.40). This method requires several essential factors like the promoters and means, in which the gene can be stopped. For quite some time, there has existed an economic war that broke out to own equity in firms that have means to regulate not only GMOs but the vast extents of human food deliveries. This has remained the behind-the-scenes factor for some of the major and rapid agrichemical firms’ mergers in history (Environmental Protection Agency).
Therefore, if you have recently taken a soya sauce from Chinese restaurants, munched popcorns in any movie theatre, or spoiled in an occasional chocolate bar, you have undoubtedly ingested this new type of food I am talking about. At that moment, you may have known exactly how much fat, salt and carbohydrates there were in these respective foods because regulations directed their labeling for dietary reasons. But you never knew whether the bulk of these foodstuffs, and if literally every cell had been genetically changed.
Calculate the cost of essay
Legal approach
In 1980s, the United States agricultural industry began a dramatic study of advanced molecular biological research. It was unclear whether the study was to involve a wide variety of products. The administration of President Reagan decided to draft new regulation frameworks based on the old statutes. However, the frameworks brought in some doubting challenges. The existing statutes were old and more unfit for modern technology, and it required much effort to twist them into the required shape. The statutes that were hence introduced dealt with drugs, food, plant pests, new chemicals and pesticides (House of Commons Science and Technology Committee). New rules have continuously been made, but overall, they have created a contorted and often weak system of administration.
For example, the Food Drugs Administration (FDA) is mandated to oversee the genetical modification of GMOs under a voluntary consulting program. Still, it is the companies that decide on whether or not to consult on the safety matters or if there is any data to submit. However, the engineering foods are not subjected to the rigorous process of safety as required by law. Finally, the consultation ends, but not with the FDA’s approval, but with a statement from the company that they have discovered a safe engineering crop, and the agency cannot ask further questions about it. On the other hand, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated to ensure that the strongest regulations are maintained. However, its authority is only on a selected subset of Biotech crops, especially the ones that can be categorized as pesticides.