What Are Genetic Engineering?

Due to the high demand for certain types of foods, technology has allowed us to change the way we grow our food. Through genetic engineering, scientists have been able to introduce genetically

No antibacterial compounds are available resistant to this disease but genetic engineering has developed the first trees to resist this devastating disease and increased the consumption level. Specific foods have been developed to correct malnutrition problems. To this end, plants have been modified to provide increased and more stable quantities of essential amino acids, vitamins, or desirable fatty acids. For example, golden rice has been genetically modified to increase beta-carotene content which may help to overcome the severe vitamin A deficiencies that cause blindness and iron. Plants can also be genetically modified to grow well in areas of low production potential. For example, two researchers in Mexico inserted a gene from a bacterium into papaya and tobacco to produce acid-tolerant crops. The crops thus secrete citric acid from their roots by combining with toxic metals which in turn making the soils accessible to protect the tropical forests which contain most of the world’s species of plants and animals. Genetic engineering also helps to decrease or eliminate the allergenic proteins that occur naturally. For example, it has been already used to reduce the levels of major allergen in rice and peanuts. Genetic engineering brings closer the prospect of commercial production in plants of edible vaccines and therapeutics for preventing and treating human diseases like cancer and diabetes. The genetically derived vaccines are potentially

“Vitamin A is necessary for eyesight and every year about 500,000 people, mainly children in India and Africa, go blind due to vitamin A deficiency. The golden rice has the potential to eliminate this human tragedy when it is introduced in a few years.” (Moore). And yet Greenpeace is fighting against it. And lastly, Dr. Moore recaps Professor Philip Stott of the University of London regarding genetic modification advantages for human health such as less hearth and cancer health problems, less saturated fats and cholesterol.

Agricultural improvement: The genetic format of rice is changed so that it produces beta carotene within its kernel. It’s called golden rice because it turns yellow.

2. Using a strategy called biofortification; scientists are able to genetically alter crops to fortify themselves with key vitamins and minerals versus having to fortify them during the food processing phase. The long term success of biofortification could effectively eliminate nutrient deficiency diseases around the world. (1)

What if you could change your baby's eye color, height, or hair color? Genetic engineering is becoming the new trend across America. In this blog You will learn how genetic engineering was used in history, how it is used today, and how it affects everyday lives. Techniques of genetic engineering can be applied to almost anything in the aspect of human well beings. This includes food production, disposal of waste, medicines, and possibly treatments of disease.

The project, largely funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, USAID, and Monsanto, is now in its second phase- the advanced experimental stage. Senior research scientist Nigel Taylor discusses how the technology has already proved to work in the fields in Uganda and Kenya, exemplifying the great promise GMOs have on the future (Alternet). More research is being done at the University of Freiberg in Germany to create a strain of rice, nicknamed the golden rice, to hold a higher nutritional value for consumers. Rice is the responsible for around 25% of human energy globally per capita (Rice facts). This essential food is a large part of the world’s main source of nutrition, and Dr. Peter Beyer has created a strain of rice that could improve the lives of millions. The golden rice strain holds DNA from daffodils and a few viruses allowing it to possess the ability to produce beta-carotene (Grain of Hope). Beta-carotene is a protein that the human body breaks down into vitamin A, a vitamin that nearly a million children die every year from due to a lacking of it in their

Many products aimed at bio-fortification are in the production process within the agricultural industry. Developing countries that struggle with malnutrition are the main concern for this area of study. The FAO stated, “ For example, genes responsible for producing the precursor of vitamin A have been inserted into rice plants, which have higher levels of vitamin A in their grain. This is called Golden Rice. As rice feeds more than 50 percent of the world's population, it could help reduce vitamin A deficiency, which is a serious problem in the developing world.” (FAO, 2003). This nutritional advancement is only possible with the utilization of genetically modified

During the past years there has been a rise on the division between ethnical groups, religious groups, and social classes, all because they deem each other unfit for each other. This mere ideal has at times brought havoc to major cities and scared the lives of many, if genetic modification is allowed it will open a gateway that will allow the upper classes to actually make themselves physically superior to their

Human genetic engineering is currently a hot topic of discussion in the scientific world. What is human genetic engineering? According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, “Genetic engineering is the process of using recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology to alter the genetic makeup of an organism. Traditionally, humans have manipulated genomes indirectly by controlling breeding and selecting offspring with desired traits. Genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of one or more genes. Most often, a gene from another species is added to an organism 's genome to give it a desired phenotype.” In other words HGE, is the process of genetically improvising the genes of a human being and selecting desired traits and trying to eliminate certain diseases in utero. The goal is to develop physical characteristics known as the phenotype of the child to what the parents’ desire. This process is very expensive and still in the process of experimental research. This topic is very debatable, due to the fact that there may be a chance for the parent to enhance the child to whatever they may find desirable, and to eliminate diseases. The cons of HGE, includes taking away the autonomy of the child, their natural creation, enhancing the child, lead to eugenics, and lead to social inequality (Seck). Human genetic engineering is immoral and unethical due to the fact that it is taking away from the child’s individuality, it is unnatural, the adverse effects of trying to deplete

Many poor villages in Asia and Africa have been lacking vitamin A from their meals. Golden rice has been a great source of vitamin A for those who are lacking in it. Since it is like rice, they can use it as a normal staple food that would help them more than normal rice. Beta-carotene is used to genetically modify rice into golden rice filled with vitamin A, making it a deep yellow, or golden. This could help cure the temporary blindness some are getting from the lack of vitamin A. According to the article “In A Grain Of Golden Rice, A World Of Controversy Over GMO Foods” by Dan Charles, “Millions of people in Asia and Africa don’t get enough of [vitamin A], so this [golden] rice has become the symbol of an idea: that genetically engineered crops can be a tool to improve the lives of the poor.” This quote demonstrates that the abundance of vitamin A in golden rice has helped the people of the poor who may lack in a specific nutrient, or for this case, vitamin

A Genetically Modified Organism is any living that has had it’s genetics material altered through the use of genetic engineering. (Dictionary.com) This alteration usually involves taking one living thing’s genetic material, such as DNA, and inserting it into another organism. It is part of an ever growing field of science called genetic engineering. Most of the time that you hear about genetic engineering is in reference to the crops and vegetables that we find in our supermarkets. We hear a lot of conflicting sides about if we should eat GMOs and if they are healthy. Before we look at if GMOs are or are not healthy, it is important to understand

There is a growing faction of people in our society. A group that has developed a tremendous fear of the new and developing technology of genetic engineering. Throughout time, there have been a sizable amount of devices and industries that at one point people were fearful of. Genetic engineering is going to become one of these industries. Just a misunderstood technology.

In many undeveloped countries that do not have varied sources of food, malnutrition is major issue for them. A solution would be modified foods scientist engineered to include more vitamins and/or minerals meaning that the country would be able to use the rice to combat malnutrition. An example of this would be rice that scientist modified to give vitamin A; deficiency in this particular vitamin can lead to poor eyesight and sometimes even blindness. Even so, with the way plants breed with one another has been very

Many people today are often amazed by the amount of nutrition and health information required for humans. The constant stream of genetic modification of food can be confusing. Genetically modified (GM) foods are plants and animals that have had their genetic makeup artificially altered by scientists to make them grow faster, taste better, last longer and to provide more nutrients. Scientists make these alternations by transferring genes from one organism into another in order to change the condition or character of the receiving organism. This process is known as biotechnology or genetic engineering (GE), and it has revolutionized the way that agriculture is practiced in many parts of the world. Researchers are now able to use GE