The range and quality of food that we can buy has changed because of technological and scientific advances. Some people regard this change as an improvement, while others believe that it is harmful. Discuss both views and give your own opinion

Opinions are divided on whether advances in science have led to an improvement or a deterioration in the range and quality of the food we eat. I believe that, although we now have a greater range of food available, the quality is often lower and it may even be dangerous. Looking first at availability, there is a much greater variety of food now, thanks to improvements in refrigeration and transportation. In the past, because it was not possible to keep food fresh for more than a few days, people could only consume products made locally, or within easy reach of their local area. In contrast, nowadays, it is possible to freeze produce like meat, or to keep fruit and vegetables fresh for several days by storing them at a low enough temperature. This, along with more efficient transport systems enables the provision of fresh produce to almost anywhere in the world, which means that people living in northern latitudes have access to tropical fruit all year round. However, not all technological advances are beneficial, and there are dangers for consumers of genetically modified and of highly processed food. With regard to the former, this relatively new technology has never been proven safe in long term studies. As a result of its introduction, there has been an increase in the number of people suffering from certain chronic diseases, and many doctors now recommend that their patients avoid food made from GM products altogether. As far as processed food is concerned, the industrial production of these products tends to destroy the vitamins and other nutrients, and at the same time, unhealthy ingredients are added, like vegetable oil and MSG, which may be extremely detrimental to people’s health. In conclusion, while it is true that there is a much larger selection of food available now, the quality has deteriorated which makes some food harmful because of the use of processed and GM products