Genetic Engineering : Genetically Modified Organisms

Genetic modified organisms, or GMOs, are living organisms that, through the genetic engineering process, have been altered to withstand certain chemicals and increase the nutritional value of the product. In fact, the majority of the foods found at the grocery store are genetically altered. Genetic modification is becoming increasingly popular on farms throughout the United States and moving into other parts of the world due to their increasing yield capabilities and pest and weed control. However, this has been, and continues to be, an extremely controversial topic of discussion in the world of agriculture and biotechnology, as well as health food critics, because of potential environmental and health risks.

Over the years there has been a rapid increase of foods that are genetically modified being sold to us throughout the U.S. Genetically modified foods contain organisms that have had DNA from a non-related species transferred into their genes via biotechnology to permeate them with specific traits. And doing so these foods should not be sold. Crops that are genetically modified such as corn, soybeans, and tomatoes are toxic for the environment. Also, the health consequences of eating genetically modified organisms are largely unknown. And, genetic engineering creates dangerous side effects.

Many will argue that Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs) are not safe for human consumption, however they are almost inevitable for our everyday food consumption. Some argue that the recent increase in gluten intolerance is caused by GMO foods (Argument against). Other state that the risk to humans by GMO’s is relatively small (The GMO”). The bottom line is what people put into their bodies is a personal choice and a person should be able to easily tell if a product has been genetically modified or not.

Genetically modified crops are an incredibly important issue that everyone should be aware of since it is something we are exposed to at a daily basis. Genetically modified crops also known as GM crops or Biotech crops has been one of the most heated debates of issues within our society. The debate about the safety, concerns and disadvantages of GM crops have raged since the mid 1990 's but this is due to the lack of knowledge of the general public. Many people are unaware of what the GM crops actually are and what they offer. Genetically modified crops are plants that are used in the agriculture and have been modified to initiate a new trait to plants that does not happen naturally in the species. These plants are modified using genetic engineering techniques to enhance desired traits. GM crops are made when genes of commercial interest are transferred from one organism to another.() There are many methods used for the production of GM crops but the two primary used for plant insertion are gene guns and agrobacterium tumefaciens. There are also three types of modifications which are transgenic, cisgenic, and subgenic plants. However, there are a number of issues that surround this controversial topic such as environmental, health, and economic concerns. Even though there are some worrying facts about GM crops people don 't realize the advantages or the ways it has helped humans as well as animals. There are many reasons why GM crops are proven

Genetically modified organisms appear to be abnormal, but due to scientific research and plain evidence, GMOs are quite agreeable and safe. To first oppose or accept a new concept, one must first reach out and study what he or she doesn’t know. Genetically modified organisms are created by conveying genetic information from one organism to another to get the desired trait.

GMOs (or “genetically modified organisms”) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, or GE. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods.

The world we live in today is in no doubt constantly changing all thanks to the technological and scientific advancements. These advancements are what have led to the birth of molecular genetics which is the genesis of improvements in the field of agriculture. Food is a very crucial part of human survival, and while it may be abundant in many developed countries, the same cannot be said about the developing countries. A 2015 report by FAO on the state of food insecurity sates that there are about 795 million people sleeping hungry because of shortage of food with the vast majority coming from developing countries (2015, FAO). The rise of genetically modified food in the recent years however has helped to provide a solution to some of these food shortage problems. Generally genetically modified foods otherwise known as GMO foods are foods that result from crops whose genetic makeup have been modified or altered. This happens through a process that’s referred to as recombinant DNA that serves to give plants traits that are desirable with the use of molecular techniques. Some of the most bioengineered foods include tomatoes, corn, cotton, rice, papaya, wheat among others. While it has had many benefits and successes, GM foods still have risks and the question of safety always arises when it comes to discussions.

Poultry and red meat may come from animals raised on genetically modified feed, but as of yet you won't find GMO animals for sale at your local butcher shop (Harrar 5). There are many traits that GMOs aim to achieve, such as resistance to herbicides and pesticides, increased nutritional content and improve tolerance to the effects of adverse weather conditions. Which we all know is something only a dream plant would contain. Hence what these plants are modified for. In the past, most just had specific breeding techniques to achieve these traits, but for most, out ruled because of the inaccuracy and time it cost. Now using genetic engineering, plants can now be modified very quickly and effective (Pongratz 2). However, Genetically Modified Organisms are seen to cause more harm than good, that they could potentially harm our bodies and environment in the process. "The process is not as rigorous or independent as it should be. The FDA often does not get all the data to perform a fully informed safety review," noted Gregory Jaffe, director of the CSPI Biotechnology Project, in a 2012 report. There are many issues that have sparked by using Genetically Modified Organisms. In creating an organism, the matter of fact of it being a negative to health arises in consuming something that is not naturally occurring (Harrar

GMOs are safe and beneficial for human consumption. GMOs have been rigorously studied to ensure their safety. In a summary of hundreds of reports compiled by Angelika Hilbeck, she concludes that “on the basis of their studies, that a number of varieties of GM products (mainly maize and soybeans) are as safe and

A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been altered using recombinant DNA methods (also called gene splicing), gene modification or transgenic technology. You may have heard of food being called bioengineered and/or “Frankenfood”. Genetic modification affects many of the products we consume on a daily basis. The most common products are corn, soybeans, tomatoes, potatoes, salmon, tobacco and cotton. The knowledge and research of GMOs with importance of labeling genetically modified (GMO) foods is pure common sense, and consumers should be informed just like we have the calorie and nutritional information.

Generally Modified Organism better known as GMOs are becoming a popular topic of argument around the world. The question on everyone’s mind is whether GMOs are safe to consume and what effects they may possibly have. GMOS while becoming a topic today have been around for years now. Scientists have been genetically altering crops for years now and this idea has been around for some time. Nonetheless, GMOs are becoming the new wave of discussion among many. GMOs are needed today to help the food shortage but first studies need to be done to show are GMOs safe, the impact they have on the environment, and to show what are the pros and cons are.

Transgenic species are produce by genetic engineering. Genetic engineering involves the process of taking samples of one species genes/DNA and transferring it into a new host cell, this cell containing the DNA will then grow into the new cell creating a transgenic species. DNA samples can also be inserted into the new species by acting as a virus or by using a micro-pipette injection. Transgenic species are mainly used in fruit and vegetables to prevent pests eating the food supply. Genetic engineering is also used for commercial purposes. One example of successful transgenic species is a strawberry plant with a salmon gene inserted into it, the salmon gene helps the strawberries grow in a colder environment. These crops are also known as GMO’s (genetically modified organisms).

GMOs, or otherwise known as Genetically Modified Organisms, can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material, DNA, has been altered in a non-natural way. Genetically modified organisms have shown many advantages. They are safe to eat and environmentally sustainable. They are also safe, nutritious, and can help us adapt to our global problems. GMOs are also an approach to development that takes the finite resources of the Earth into consideration. The many, many pros of GMO’s heavily outweigh the cons of it.

A Genetically Modified Organism or GMO is an organism whose genome has been altered by the process of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found within. These genetically modified organisms are a relatively new phenomenon in the United States, introduced in 1994. However, beginning in 2014 these chemicals could be found in 90% of corn, cotton, and soybeans produced in the United States. The looks and taste of genetically modified organisms may seem inviting but are the health risks really worth it? In my opinion, I believe that while genetically modified organisms do have positive feel and comfort they pose a large health risk to all who choose to consume them.

Biotechnology offers a variety of potential benefits and risks. It enhanced the food production by making plants less vulnerable to drought, frost, insects, and viruses and by enabling plants to compete more effectively against weeds for soil nutrients. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are defined as organisms (except for human beings) in which the genetic material has been altered in a way which doesn 't occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. GMO 's have widespread applications as they are used in biological and medical research, production of pharmaceutical drugs, experimental medicine, and agriculture. The use of gene technology in food production has become interesting due to increased needs of food as well as its improved quality with the application of gene technology to plants and animals, goals can be achieved more quickly than by traditional selection. Consequently, ethical dilemmas are opened concerning the eventual negative effects of production of genetically modified food. It seems that supplementation of nutraceuticals and wild foods as well as wild lifestyle may be protective, whereas western diet and lifestyle may enhance the expression of genes related to chronic diseases. In a few cases, it has also improved the quality and nutrition of foods by altering their composition. However, the use of biotechnology has also raised concerns about its potential risks to the environment and humans health. For example, some