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By Brad Pringle

By Brad Pringle. GMO’s are organisms that have had their genetic code altered. This is done to enhance a desired trait or remove an undesirable one. It can be done in most organisms including bacteria, plants, and animals.

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By Brad Pringle

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  1. By Brad Pringle

  2. GMO’s are organisms that have had their genetic code altered. • This is done to enhance a desired trait or remove an undesirable one. • It can be done in most organisms including bacteria, plants, and animals. http://www.polyp.org.uk/cartoons/environment/polyp_cartoon_GMO_Pusher.jpg

  3. The desired gene is isolated and cut with a restriction enzyme. • If it is an undesirable gene it is removed. If it is a desirable gene it is replicated through bacterial plasmids or PCR. • There are 2 ways the gene can be inserted • A vector • Inserted into the embryo

  4. Humans have been naturally genetically modifying plants and animals since agriculture began with selective breeding to produce the best offspring. • First commercially available GM food was the FLAVR SAVR tomato in 1994. • In 2006, 252 million acres of GM food were planted in 22 countries. • Virtually everything we eat now has been genetically modified or has genetically modified ingredients in it. http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec006group5/gm_food

  5. Plants have increased resistance against herbicide and pesticides. • Increased nutritional content. • Increased amounts of food. • GM foods have the ability to grow in unfertile areas. • Reduce the area needed to grow food. • Water conservation. • Create new vaccines. • Produce a new type of plastic that is more environmentally friendly. • Ripen faster and stay ripe longer. • Better taste. http://www.goldenrice.org/ http://calorielab.com/news/categories/weight-control-in-the-military/

  6. Increase yield. • Increased resistance to disease and better overall health. • Better feed efficiency. • Used to find treatments for diseases • Modify animals to produce substances needed for treatments. • Fish that mature quicker. • Cows that are immune to “Mad Cow” disease. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/sci_nat_cloning_hall_of_fame/html/3.stm http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire.php?story_id=14589

  7. GM foods will cause unknown allergies and cause antibiotic resistance. • Genes will be transferred from one GM species to another or to wild species causing undesired characteristics. • Ethical issues of tampering genes and determining the course of nature. • Labeling of GM products is not mandatory. • Advances made with genetic modification could only be directed towards developed countries. • Monopoly over the world’s food production by a few corporations. http://www.sweetwheat.com/showpage.php?cat=non-gmo

  8. Early testing methods included chemical analysis of micro and macro nutrients. • Evaluation on the FLAVR SAVR tomato concluded that there was no significant changes to the proteins vitamins or minerals so it was safe to sell. • Today all GM food products undergo thorough pre-market safety evaluation before it can be sold in Canada. • Manufacturer must submit a detailed report to Health Canada on how the food was developed. • Health Canada analyses: • How the food compares to a non-modified counterpart. • The potential for new toxins developing in the food. • The potential for allergic reactions. • The biological and chemical safety of the food.

  9. The popularity of GMOs will continue to rise as more people accept the technology; however, there will always be those that oppose the idea. • As safety regulations improve and the technology advances there will be fewer risks to GM foods. • GMOs could be the answer to the food shortages throughout the world. • Genetic modification to foods and animals could translate into further research into the modification of humans. • As long as there are no major set backs, GM food is the food of the future.

  10. Adamchak, R. W., & Pronald, P. C. (2008). Tomorrow's Table. New York: Oxford University Press. Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. (2008, November 5). Retrieved April 14, 2009, from http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml Pusztai, A. (2001, June). Genetically Modified Foods: Are They a Risk to Human/Animal Health?Retrieved May 4, 2009, from http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html The Safety of Genetically Modified Foods. (2009, January 6). Retrieved April 21, 2009, from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/gm-tg-eng.php Thomson, J. A. (2006). Seeds For The Future. New York: Cornell University Press.

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