Daily Times

Have you ever wondered what’s in our food? The restaurants we dine in, the vegetables and nutritious-for-all containers we buy from our local stores? Food can be genetically modified to either increase or decrease its size. Healthy farm chickens are treated with chemical injections to double their size for mass consumption. Non-seasonal vegetables and fruits are also modified. Additionally, whole wheat bread has food coloring meant to deceive consumers. Pakistanis have compromised on the quality of their food for decades, risking their health.

Nature and technology are immiscible, and if we continue to exploit nature for self-gain, the repercussions will be catastrophic

Do you think street vendors or store clerks eat what they sell? They don’t. A video circulating on social media debunked a street vendor who was spraying lychees with chemicals to make them look fresh and ripe. “Would you feed the same fruit to your family?” he was asked. “No, why would I?” he replied. Another young boy was caught on video, rinsing apples with contaminated water and putting them on display for consumers. The government needs to have rules and guidelines for food producers, keeping them in check. Nature and technology are immiscible, and if we continue to exploit nature for self-gain, the repercussions will be catastrophic.

Published in Daily Times, September 21^st 2018.