Genetically Modified Organisms ( Gmo )

In a recent article found on Facebook, David Gutierrez described how Thierry Vrain, a former Genetically Modified Organism scientist recently changed his mind on how he personally feels about genetically modified organisms. Previous to this article Vrain was for GMOs and was taking on many experiments on GMOs. However now, he says that he rejects a previous statement of his that said “biotechnology companies engineered crops, have no impact on the environment and of course that they are safe to eat” (Gutierrez, 2016). More interesting about this newspaper article, is that Vrain also now claims that GMOs cause damage to bodily organs in the human, such as the kidneys, liver and spleen. (Gutierrez, 2016). I chose this article because I wanted to see what the real science behind GMOs is, since most crops are being engineered by GMOs. I also wanted to examine why after so long Vrain changed his mind on what he thinks of Genetically Modified Organisms.

Baked chips aren't the only ones that have fooled everyone. Seeing kids having goldfish crackers as a snack is not a surprise. Many of us suspect that goldfish are healthy because we see many kids always eating them. But don’t let their cute little fish shape trick you. In 2013, “Pepperidge Farm, the maker of goldfish crackers” was sued for labeling a lie on the boxes of goldfish saying that they were “natural” when in reality they were not. They assumingly thought that people still believed that vegetable oil was still healthy. When in reality, it is the “most inflammatory ingredient out there, full of chemicals, pesticides and rancid oils.” The worst part of all is that goldfish are GMO’s-genetically modified organisms. GMOs are toxic and allergic as well, and on top of that, GMOs were banned from being used in 30 countries and more. Goldfish also contain MSG. “MSG is an excitotoxin that damages your brain cells by means of over stimulation. It is used to enhance flavors in some processed foods and spices. Not only can this MSG damage your brain cells, but it can also lead to “learning disabilities and neurological conditions.”

A concern that is growing is what we are eating and how it is affecting us. A lot of food is processed today, causing concerns about GMOs. GMOs stands for genetically modified organisms; this means a living organism’s genetic material has been artificially changed in a laboratory. GMOs are combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur naturally or even through “traditional crossbreeding” methods. Many people have questions and concerns about GMOs, and more and more people are starting not to like them. GMOs have taken over most of the US and Canada, many consumers are concerned with their safety of what they are putting in their bodies, and many are under the influence that GMOs are harmful because so many other countries have banned them or require labeling. Genetically Modified Organisms are often confused with hybridization and cross breeding. The differences are GMOs are forced together and include things that are not in nature, while the other two involve two related species being put together. GMOs are more controlled, direct, and specific. Genes are identified, isolated, copied, and introduced into other organisms. The biggest difference between breeding and GMOs would be genetic modification allows genes to transfer between species. GMOs are manipulating DNA, which many believe are harming our bodies; however, humans have been exploiting the creation of new biological variations for centuries, creating many combinations that would never

This lab was performed to explore and discover GMOs in food that were given to test. Our group used oats, a GMO positive food, and a test food. Our goal was to find out whether the test food was GMO positive or negative and to record data accordingly. I hypothesized that the test food will be GMO positive. To see if my hypothesis had been correct we performed the process of PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), to find the presence of GMO positive or negative DNA in the foods. We first extracted the DNA from the foods, and then added primers to the DNA as well. I then inserted the DNA onto a gel using a micropipette. Using gel electrophoresis and a UV transilluminator we were able to view the staggering results.

Moreover, it is not a mystery that the human population continues to increase. The world population was estimated in 2050 to be 9.3 billion, 400 million more than previously estimated. It would seem that GMOs would be seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for 3rd world counties, and the health risks of pesticides, and for the years to come. Nonetheless, many people see GMOs as a major danger to the nation. Genetic engineering and biotechnology is creating new methods to help scientists with the issue of feeding the world. Some people argue that GM technology will replace traditional breeding and this is not the case. The importance of solving the problem of food production for a growing population like ours needs to be without harming the environment and will require traditional breeding and organic farming, plus GM crop technology, used to solve the problem at hand. Our human civilization will have the greatest challenge to ensure sufficient food production in the next few years unless all the methods are used accurately and as necessary. (Herrera-Estrella and Alvarez-Morlaes, 256-257).

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is an ongoing controversial issue. GMOs are plant or animal DNA that has been altered to something one would not generally find in nature. The big controversy with genetically modified foods is the unknown. GMOs made their way on the market in 1994, since then there have been speculations with its long-term health effects on humans, and the environment. There has been a split between the consumers, corporations, scientist, and the government because consumers believe they are being lied to. According to the article, “Scientific Controversies as Proxy Politics” by Daniel J. Hicks he states, “88% of scientists said that genetically modified foods are safe to eat, but only 37% of the public agreed” (67).

GMOS stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. It is an organism that has been modified to have a desirable trait. Some of these traits may include withstanding herbicides and pesticides, withstand diseases,enhance nutrition, survive in a drought, and withstand bruises. A GMO is created when you insert a gene of a desirable trait and put into the DNA of a plant that you want to modify. You put the seed of the new GMO and plant it into the ground, and the plant grows, producing offspring with the same plant.

“Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on GMOs” (Smith). For more than 20 years GMOs have been produced and placed on store shelves; there are many recognized and uncertain hazards that may affect the health of humans and the environment (Ehrenberg). Genetically modified organisms (GMOs), although they provide many benefits to the economy and food supply, are associated with numerous environmental implications; there is a noticeable increase of food allergies, mental and physical illnesses, and disorders in recent years since the introduction of GMOs. Multiple solutions have been proposed by the public, health professionals and agencies, as well as nonprofit groups, suggesting the labeling of these genetically modified organisms, or increasing the government oversight on GMOs.

Over the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in food products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are substances which have had their genetic material altered through unnatural processes. Since the advent of the first GMO in 1973, the modification of plants and animals through the introduction of a new trait or the alteration of a gene has significantly increased (Aleksejeva 5). With increasing genetic modifications of plants and animals for food products, and the widespread presence of GM foods in the market, consumers are beginning to ask more questions about the health effects of these foods.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) won’t harm anyone, hopefully, this is the common thought of many people, and they believe these human manipulations of an organisms DNA won’t affect anyone gravely because there is no physical evidence. But like most controversy scapegoats are necessary because most people do not like difficult investigations that call for heavy research or reading. Give the angry crowds the name and address they will react. Although the food supply has rules, regulations and safety procedures on how to treat the food, clean it and remove harmful food-borne illness; mishaps in the procedures can lead to food-borne illnesses that can not only damage our health, but can also be fatal. So why are consumers being misled by products and instinctively misguided? The very process of creating a GM plant can result in guaranteed damages; they will produce new toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and nutritional deficiencies. As a result, the toxins can now enter into foods and vegetables we eat.

Genetically Modified Organisms also known as GMO’s are commonplace items today on the shelves of the local grocery store, or even the racks of the local department store. Technology today has allowed companies to modify the genetics of everything from corn and soybeans, to cotton and salmon. It hasn’t been known until now how many products really contain these genetically modified organisms. This paper will discuss the origins of GMO’s, the companies that produce these GMO’s, how GMO’s are created, the risks and benefits associated with GMO’s, and finally the ethical standpoint of GMO’s.

As of 2000, 37 percent of the Earth’s total land area was devoted to agriculture (Unit 7). As people, we consume more than 11 million pounds of food every minute or about 5.8 trillion pounds every year (Thomson, 2014). Agriculture and food production influence countless aspects of our lives, including the global economy. So, it is imperative that the farming methods we choose to implement are the best possible. Some people believe that organic practices provide the best quality food. Others consider genetic modification to be the most beneficial by allowing farmers to produce more crops with the same amount or even less space. The fact is, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are in almost everything we consume. They benefit our society by providing more food, while using less energy and less space to do so.

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is one of the most important issues around the world. Genetic engineering is a process where scientists take genes from one species and force it into the DNA of other species. GMO has long been in practice to breed select individuals of a species to produce offspring of the desirable behaviors. It is used in conventional livestock production, crop farming and even pet breeding. It involves combining elements of DNA from different sources to create a new DNA molecule that has a different combination of genes than original, which occurs naturally. There are some scientific methods for producing GMOs, such as recombinant DNA technology and reproductive cloning. Recombinant DNA technology involves the

Genetically modified organisms have been an huge issue for the world for a lot of people. Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are organisms like plants and animals that have their genes altered so they can be more nutritious and prevent diseases. Humans have selected plants for desirable characteristics since the dawn of agriculture. At first, the only way to improve crop plants was to collect seeds from the best performing individuals for planting the next year. Once plant reproduction was better understood, people selectively bred plants to create offspring that were hardier, larger, more flavorful, or more disease resistant than their predecessors. In the early twenty-first century, in the age of genetically modified organisms, the

A starving family in Zambia is in dire need of help. They travel to their countries’ capital in search of relief. The capital has plenty of food donations coming in from countries all over the world trying to help the African country in its’ time of need. The most recent food donation came from a fundraiser in America to help feed the hunger-ridden country but, there is something different about this food. The cornmeal inside of the shipment is made from Bt corn; a genetically modified organism (GMO) created for increased pest resistance. The starving Africans do not care if the food is genetically modified or not, they are only trying to feed their malnourished families. However, with heavy European influence on their government, the Zambian president at the time, Levy Mwanawasa, deemed the GM food donation “‘poison’” (Better Dead than GM-fed) and refused to distribute any of the GM donations. Instead of finding the help the so desperately needed, the starving family gets to watch the pile of food rot away in front of them.