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GMO in food affecting Biology

GMO in food affecting Biology. Nicole Rockhold. GMO. Original DNA structure has been changed Goal of genetically modified plants Aim to make plants resistant to the herbicides used in the fields By doing this it allowed the weeds to be killed without affecting the actual crops. BIG Concerns.

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GMO in food affecting Biology

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  1. GMO in food affecting Biology Nicole Rockhold

  2. GMO • Original DNA structure has been changed • Goal of genetically modified plants • Aim to make plants resistant to the herbicides used in the fields • By doing this it allowed the weeds to be killed without affecting the actual crops

  3. BIG Concerns • Basic lack of published human studies • Almost zero published research concerning the effects of long-term or short-term effects on humans • There is research to say that GMO foods negatively affect the immune system and inflammation in animal studies • It has been demonstrated that a person who was not allergic to the wild soy plant was allergic to the GMO soy • What happens to the crops? • What happens to the animals and the humans who eat them? • Are these plants a problem now? • Are they a problem in the future? • Can the bacteria and viruses used to alter the DNA in these plants also affect the bacteria in our gut?

  4. BIG Concerns • Loss of natural seeds that have been used for centuries • GMO crops replanted every year • In many areas, seeds are reused every year an taken from the hardies, healthiest plants that have acclimated to the climate • If seeds are lost and replaced with GMO seeds, may lose several forms of wild plants • May lose potential plants, nutrients, medication sources and feed for the rest of the food chain • Farmers may be forced to buy GMO seeds instead of reusing seeds for free

  5. Myth vs. Truth • THE GENETIC ENGINEERING TECHNIQUE • MYTH: • Genetic engineering is just an extension of natural breeding • TRUTH: • Genetic engineering is different from natural breeding and poses special risks • Genetic engineering completely different from natural breeding and entails different risks • Imprecise and highly mutagenic • Leads to unpredictable changes in the DNA, proteins, and biochemical composition • Can lead to unexpected toxic or allergenic effects and nutritional disturbances

  6. Myth vs. Truth • HEALTH HAZARDS OF GM FOODS • MYTH: • GM foods are safe to eat • TRUTH: • Studies show that GM foods can be toxic or allergenic • Studies have found harmful effects on health of lab and livestock animals fed GMOs • The GM gene product may be toxic or allergenic • GM transformation process may produce mutagenic effects, gene regulatory effects, or effects at other levels of biological structure and function • Changes in farming practices linked to the use of a GMO may result in toxic residues

  7. Myth vs. Truth • MYTH: • GM crops decrease pesticide use • TRUTH: • GM crops increase pesticide use • GM crops have been responsible for an increase in 383 million pounds of herbicide use in the US over the first 13 years of commercial use • Primary cause of increase is the emergence of herbicide-resistant weeds

  8. Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize • 100 male and 100 female rats were randomly assigned on a weight basis • 10 equivelant groups • For each sex, one control group had access to plain water and standard diet from the closest isogenic non-transgenic maize control • Six groups were fed with 11, 22, and 33% of GM NK603 maize either treated or not with R • Final three groups fed with control diet and had access to water supplemented with respectively • 1.1x10-8% of R (the contaminating level of some regular tap waters) • 0.09% of R (level in most GM feed) • 0.5% of R (half of the minimal agricultural working dilution) • This was changed weekly

  9. Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize • 2 year detailed rat feeding study • 10 rats per group (200 rats measured) • Up to 11 blood and urine samples from control and experimental rat groups • Tested 3 doses (rather than two in the usual 90 day long protocols) • Roundup-tolerant NK603 GM maize alone • The GM maize treated with Roundup • Roundup alone at very low environmentally relevant doses

  10. RESULTS • Mortality • Control male animals survived 624 days on avg. • Control females lived for 701 days during experiment • Before average date: • 50% males and 70% females died in some groups on diets containing the GM maize • First two male rats that died in both GM treated groups euthanized due to kidney Wilm’s tumors • Over 25% of body weight • First female death resulted from a mammary fibroadenoma • Females more sensitive to the presence of R in drinking water

  11. RESULTS • Similar degrees of pathological symptoms were noticed in this study to occur from the lowest to the highest doses suggesting a threshold effect • Corresponds to levels likely to arise from consumption or environmental exposure • Can be found in some contaminated drinking tap waters • Fall within authorized limits • The first large detectable tumors occurred at 4 and 7 months into the study in males and females respectively

  12. RESULTS • Lower levels of complete herbicide formations (Roundup), at concentrations well below officially set safety limits, induced severe hormone-dependent mammary, hepatic an kidney disturbances • Pathological effects of these GMO and R treatments in both sexes, with different amplitudes • It is proposed that agricultural edible GMOs and formulated pesticides must be evaluated very carefully by long term studies to measure potential toxic effects

  13. How to Avoid GMO Foods • Purchase organic foods labeled “non-GMO” • Focus the diet on fruits and vegetables • Buy free-range meats and wild-caught fish • Educate yourself • Food manufacturers are not required to say if a food contains GMO

  14. Sources- all PDFs • http://earthopensource.org/index.php/news/60-why-genetically-engineered-food-is-dangerous-new-report-by-genetic-engineers • http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57517377-10391704/study-says-genetically-modified-corn-causes-tumors-but-other-scientists-skeptical-about-research/ • http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CEAQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Farch.ttu.edu%2Fw%2Fimages%2Fd%2Fd8%2FGenetically_Modified_Foods.pdf&ei=LsonUdGmL8aw2QWQsoCgDA&usg=AFQjCNF_em2uP9Hpt_nFZ89lN-I1K2ud8A&bvm=bv.42768644,d.b2I • http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408390701855993 • http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691512005637

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