RP Update

1. The purpose of my paper is to evaluate the use and consumption of GM foods, and to assess if consuming these products is problematic or fine.

2."Genetically Modified Food Should Be Banned", by Andy Rees has proven to be a very useful source for me to use when I back my arguments up. He provides specific examples supporting his thesis (he is anti-GMOs) to many different facets of GMOs--their regulation, tests done, and their dissemination.

3. As of right now, I feel that I am still leaning towards an anti-GM view, because of the research and tests that have come up, the environmental effects caused, the uncertainty regarding the safety, my personal family views, and the divisions of thoughts by different nations.

4. The FDA's testing methods are not accepted by everyone as thorough enough. Testing right now can be done by the standard of substantial equivalence--a practice where the GMO is compared to the closest product to it (say, GM corn to corn). They are compared based on taste, smell, look, toxins, nutrients, or allergens, which isn't enough because these foods are changed at a cellular level. Testing parameters such as amino acids, cyclopropenoids,  fatty acids,  and acidsglycoalkaloids should be tested regularly to ensure an all-round evaluation that is thorough. 

5. The fact that GM seeds can travel around 25 km naturally or on the wind was so surprising  because of the sheer distance involved and the fact that  the chemical companies proposed safe buffer zones between GM and non-GM crops of 5 ft to be safe.