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Is Genetic Engineering the Answer to Ending Global Hunger?

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Submitted By jalbert2021
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Is genetic engineering the answer to ending global hunger?
Jennifer E. Law
SCI 207
Haleh Keshtkar
February 27, 2012

The controversial statement that genetic engineered food may be the solution to hunger in the world is gaining more and more interest by the media in today’s society. On the one hand, supporters of biotechnology believe that genetic engineered food ensures and sustains food security around the world as the population increases, but on the other hand, there are many concerns involved with genetically modified food. In fact, a lot of food that we eat on a daily basis contains genetically modified ingredients and usually without our knowledge. Yet, is genetic engineered food safe? Moreover, do we really need genetic modified food? Many researchers do not consider biotechnology the solution to hunger but they believe that poverty is the cause of famine in numerous countries. As a result, biotechnology raises various questions among citizens and farmers since there is the assumption that genetic engineered food is the key to eliminating global starvation (Genetically, 2010). Before weighing the pros and cons of genetic engineered food, it is essential to understand what is genetic engineered food? “Genetic engineering is a laboratory technique used by scientists to change the DNA of living organisms” (What is genetically, 2010). Scientists have learned that there are ways of changing the structure of DNA in living organisms and build customized DNA. Genetic engineered food is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Traditionally, the enhancement of desired traits has been carried out through breeding, but conventional

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