GMO Labeling Essay -- Genetically Modified Consumer Food Essays

GMO labeling Ever since their entrance onto the consumer market in the last two decades of the twentieth century, genetically modified organisms (often referred to as GMOs) have been getting mixed reviews from the public. Genetically modified consumer products (primarily food) have pushed the barriers of some people's comfort levels. Born out of either a lack of knowledge or a sincere concern for public health or the environment, a consumer rights movement has been planted around the world pushing for labeling of genetically modified food products. This movement has matured in many places to a degree where interest groups have successfully lobbied governments into adopting criteria for labeling transgenic food products. In other parts of the world strong agriculture interests have clashed with the aforementioned movements. A simple label on a can of beans would seem to easily solve this problem; however, governments have found that GMO product labeling is more complex than that. Considerations such as costs, international markets and cultures must also be taken into consideration, not to mention the public's perception and their level of trust in this relatively new product. Research in both medical microbiology and agriculture laid the groundwork for what is modern biotechnology. This is newer science, seen by many to have officially begun with the discovery of recombinant DNA technology by Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer in 1970 (biotech.ca 1). Recombinant DNA technology, aided by the use of restriction enzymes, allow humans to cut one part of a genome of one species that codes for a desirable trait and insert it into a different species in the hope of producing the same effect (biote... ... label to fix. Works Cited - ¡Ãƒ Detailed Description of new GMO labeling in the E.U. ¡ÃƒÅ" Organic Consumers Association. 2001. 10/5/04. http://www.organicconsumers.org/gefood/gmolabing080101.cfm -Diani, Hera.  ¡Ãƒ Inodnesians Demand GMO labeling. ¡ÃƒÅ" The Jakarta Post. November 4th 2001. 10/2/04. http://organicconsumers.org/gefood/indonesia110801.cfm - ¡Ãƒ Economic Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops on the Agri-food sector. ¡ÃƒÅ" European Commission Directorate General for Agriculture. 2003. The European Commission. 10/4/04. - ¡Ãƒ History of Biotechnology. ¡ÃƒÅ" Biotechnology in Canada. 2004. 10/5/04 http://www.biotech.ca/EN/history.html. -Le Meur, Herve.  ¡Ãƒ Re: Have Ground Rules been set for GMO definition? ¡ÃƒÅ" lemeur@diligo.fr. November 26th 2000. - ¡Ãƒ Sticky Labels. ¡ÃƒÅ" The Economist. April 29th 1999. 10/5/04 www.economist.com.