Genetically Modified Foods

1. Genetically Modified Foods (also called Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs)

2. Background Biology (Grade 10 review) Plants are living things composed of cells The nucleus of the cell contains all of the genetic information (DNA) for the plant

3. The Basics (Grade 10 review) • Gene – a unit of heredity in a living organism; a chemical code for the organism’s characteristics • Genes reside on a stretch of DNA • When coiled up, this DNA is a chromosome • Contained in the cell’s nucleus

6. The Basics (continued) • Genes can express themselves in variety of ways: hair colour, height, seed coat thickness, resistance to disease or low temperature etc….) • Plant and animal growers have used this knowledge for 1000s of years to selectively breed for desirable characteristics • Examples: dog breeds, plants that are more drought resistant, flower or vegetable colour……..

8. Example: What colour are carrots? • They were not orange until about 500 years ago! • Ancient Egypt – purple carrots • Rome - purple and white carrots • Netherlands (1500s) – cultivated the orange variety common today

9. What if instead of cross-breeding…. • We could cut the gene out of the DNA of one species and insert it into a completely different species?

10. 1972 - first “recombinant DNA” created • 1976 - first company formed devoted to recombinant DNA technology (biotech) • Today – thousands of companies, many applications (pharmaceuticals, diagnosis of disease, food production)

11. There are some “environmentalists” that stretch the truth to make a point But….its not quite like this!

12. GloFish – the first GMO sold as a pet • - gene from jellyfish inserted into fish DNA

13. Agriculture – the basic process The “gene of interest” could be from a completely different species (e.g. bacteria) that resists disease, drought, pesticide …

14. Genetically Modified Foods • First on the market in early 1990s. • As of 2011, only GM plant products and no animals, though there have been experiments (2006 pig modified to produce omega3 fatty acids) • Examples: corn, soybean, canola, cotton seed oil, alfalfa ….. • First whole product was the FlavrSavr tomato – ripened without softening or rotting (produced by Monsanto)

15. Example: Golden Rice • Modified to contain beta-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A when eaten • Vitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness and exacerbate other illnesses (AIDS, measles) and death (124 million children worldwide are Vit-A deficient)

16. Other Applications of GMO Foods • Potato - modified to produce a toxin that kills beetles • Develop foods that contain vaccines - protection against diseases such as hepatitis, and malaria • Crops modified to resist one type of herbicide or pesticide • Coffee beans that grow without caffeine!

18. The Debate Claims / Benefits • higher crop yields • pest resistance • reduce fertilizer use • pesticide use reduced • disease resistance • reduce irrigation • safe for consumption • reduce world hunger • edible vaccines Concerns • long term health effects? • ecosystem effects? • “playing god” • unplanned gene transfer to other organisms • monoculture • patent on life forms (ie. control) and power held by a few companies • farmers not allowed to save their seeds • biodiversity reduction • allergy potential

19. Should you have the right to know whether the food you buy contains GMOs? • Mandatory labeling of GMOs? • Europe Union says “yes” • U.S. / Canada say “no” • What do you say? Why?

20. What about voluntary labeling for non-GMO products. Is this good enough for the public in Canada and the U.S.?

21. Washington DC, October 2011

23. Grocery Store Wars • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVrIyEu6h_E