Future Food or Frankenfood

Future Food or Frankenfood

Bio-technology and Genetically Modified Organisms

Introduction

• Food today is not what it was when we were growing up.

• Prior to 1990 crops were grown using traditional methods.

• After that time, science dramatically changed the way food was produced (Schlenker & Roth, 2011).

Key Terms

• Bio-technology is the field of science concerned with modifying the DNA of plants by adding or removing genes.

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are plants or bacteria which have been changed in this manner to produced certain desired traits (Schlenker & Roth, 2011).

Benefits

Resistance to Disease and Insects

Because plants that are produced using biotechnology have a built in resistance to disease and insects, fewer pesticides need to be used which is better for the environment (Biotechnology Industry Organization, 2012)

Increased Tolerance to Weather Conditions

Plants genetically modified to survive in extreme weather conditions are less likely to be destroyed by late frost (Schlenker & Roth, 2011).

Increased Nutritional Value

Genetic modification has increased the monounsaturated fatty acid content of soybean oil and scientists are working toward increasing

the lycopene content of tomatoes and increasing the protein and micronutrients of

grain.(Schlenker & Roth, 2011).

Risks

Concern about the risk of allergic reactions

There is a growing body of evidence of allergies which have been caused by GMO soy and corn and even though the recommends screening

many of the GMO crops in our food supply fail those tests (Institute for Responsible

Technology, 2009).

Concern about potential toxicity

Biotechnology crops have been linked to disease, sterility and death (Institute for

Responsible Technology, 2009).

Environmental concerns

• The GM crops may themselves become weeds.• They may move GM crops may serve as

conduits and move to wild plants creating weeds.

• They could produce toxic substances which can spread to plants and animals.

• They could effect the ecosystem (Mellon & Rissler, 2003)

Conclusion

Here in the United States GMO’s are considered safe based on experience not on scientific testing. In order to know for sure whether they are safe or not, scientific research and testing must be conducted to find out how the new proteins which are formed affect human health and how the transfer of the new gene effects plant metabolism (GMO Compass, 2006).

References

Schlenker, E. D., & Roth, S. L. (2011). Williams' essentials of nutrition and diet therapy. (Tenth ed.). St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2011, November 29).Environmental contaminants program. Retrieved from http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Issues/Pesticides.cfm

Institute for Responsible Technology. (2009). Health risks - gmo's. Retrieved from “http://www.responsibletechnology.org/health-risksBiotechnology Industry Organization. (2012, June 1).Global economic and environmental benefits

of ge crops continues to rise. Retrieved from http://www.bio.org/articles/global-economic-and-environmental-benefits-ge-crops-continues-riseMellon, M., & Rissler, J. (2003, June 12). Ucsusa. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/science_and_impacts/impacts genetic_engineering/environmental-effects-of.htmlGMO Compass. (2006, February 15). Evaluating safety: A major undertaking. Retrieved from http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/safety/human_health/41.evaluation_safety_gm_food_major_undertaking.htmlMicrosoft office. (2011). Images. Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/?CTT=97