Food Fright

Experiments underway in several labs aim to create beneficial types of genetically modified(GM)foods,includingstarchier potatoes and caffeine-free coffee beans.Genetic

engineers are eventrying to transfer genes from a cold-water fish to make a frost-resistanttomato.A low-sugar GM strawberry now in the works might one day allow people

with health problemssuch as diabetes to enjoy the little delicious red fruits again.GM beans andgrains supercharged with protein might help people at risk of developing

kwashiorkor.Kwashiorkor,a disease caused by severe lack of protein,is common in parts of theworld where there are severe food shortages.

Commenting on GMfoods,Jonathon Jones,a British researcher,said,"The future benefits willbe enormous,and the best is yet to come."

To some people,GMfoods are no different from unmodified foods."A tomato is a tomato,"said Brian Sansoni,an American food manufacturer.

Critics of GM foodschallenge Sansoni's opinion.They worry about the harm that GM crops might do topeople,other animals,and plants.

In a recent labstudy conducted at Cornell University,scientists tested pollen made by Btcorn,which makes up one-fourth of the U .S.corn crop.The scientist sprinkledthe

pollen ontomilkweed,a plant that makes a milky juice and is the only known food source ofthe monarch but-terfly caterpillar. Within four days of munching on themilkweed

leaves,almost halfof a test group of caterpillars had died."Monarchs are considered to be aflagship species for conservation,"said Cornell researcher LindaRaynor."This is a

warning bell."

Some insects thatare not killed by GM foods might find themselves made stronger. How so? Theinsecticides used to protect most of today's crops are sprayed on the crops

when needed anddecay quickly in the environment.But GM plants produce a continuous level ofinsecticide.Insect species feeding on those crops may develop resistance to

the plants and coulddo so in a hurry, say the critics.Insects may also develop a resistance to theinsecticide Bt.

At the forum on GMfood held last year in Canada,GMcrops that have been made resistant to the herbicide might crossbreed with wildplants,creating"superweeds"that could

take over wholefields.

So where do youstand?Should GM foods be banned in the United States,as they are in parts of Europe?Ordo their benefits outweigh any of the risks they might carry?Why is the case ofthe pollen-sprayed milkweed cited in Paragraph 6?

A.It is cited toshow GM foods can kill insects effectively.

B. It is cited toshow GM foods contain more protein.

C. It is cited toshow GM foods also have a dark side.

D. It is cited toshow GM foods may harm crops.