GM food- its advantages and disadvantages

What is GM food?

Genetically Modified (GM) foods are produced from genetically modified organisms (GMO) which have had their genome altered through genetic engineering techniques. The genes of plants can be modified to make them more resistant to unfavourable growing conditions and also to produce higher yields with the use of lesser fertilizers and water. Involving genetically modified organisms (GMO) which are potential environmental hazards. Examples of this GM food are; soybean, corn, canola and cotton seed oil.


Advantages:
1. Modified to make them more resistant to unfavourable conditions
2. Produce higher yields
3. Use less fertilizers
4. Use lesser water
5. Pest resistance
6. Herbicide tolerance
7. Increasing food supplies in co-relation with an increasing world population.




Disadvantages:
1. Harmful to environment
2. Harmful to humans
3. Give rise to 'super weeds'
4. 'Super weeds' dominate the fields and affect main crops
5. Genes from the genetically modified food could be transferred to the pests which can make them become resistant to the pesticides and the pesticides become useless.