What Is A GMO?
Genetically modified organisms (GMO) are living things, including seeds, whose DNA has been engineered outside the natural process of cross pollination to inherit desirable traits. GMO seeds are not bred but made through genetic engineering—an advanced scientific method used by scientists to directly manipulate an organism’s genome. In order to modify a seed’s DNA scientists use modern biotechnological techniques such as CRISPR gene editing and gene splicing to edit the DNA and either insert or remove gene sequences for the plant to produce desired characteristics. Many of the GMO products being grown today use “Super Science Technologies” to artificially introduce non plant based genetics into plants. This crossing of two different organisms, that nature would otherwise NOT allow, has many others concerned.
What is not a GMO? The genomes of organisms that change naturally over time. When organisms mate, offspring get bits of DNA from both parents.
Mutations?...NOPE! Mutations arise as a result of mistakes when DNA is copied. Perhaps the reason we have spicy peppers is because of mutation that later became adaption.
Environmental factors? Never! UV radiation can create changes in DNA. These changes to the DNA are not ‘genetic modifications’ as they happen naturally.
Selective breeding? Wrong! Selective breeding is basically hoping to be lucky and hit the lottery of beneficial genes by managing the sex of living organisms.
What GMO Crops Are Grown And Sold In The United States?
Few seeds are genetically modified. Modern genetically modified seeds can also be the result of traditional plant breeding that adds desired traits to plants—the combination of advanced methods and foundational plant science. Fruits like today's seedless watermelon and bananas, which are significantly different than their predecessor, are the result of traditional plant breeding techniques. However, some of the food and food products you buy are made with ingredients that come from GMO crops. Many GMO crops are used to make ingredients that Americans eat such as cornstarch, corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, or granulated sugar.
Soon you may start seeing the “bioengineered” label on some of the foods we eat because of the new National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard.
There are a few GMO varieties that do exist, potatoes, summer squash, apples, papayas, etc... Here is list of food crops for which you can find GMO varieties: Corn, soybeans, cotton (for oil), canola (also a source of oil), squash, etc... You can also include sugar beets, which aren't eaten directly, but refined into sugar. GMO versions of tomatoes, potatoes, and rice have been created and approved by government regulators, but they aren't commercially available. To make it easier for consumers to know if the foods they eat contain GMO ingredients, the USDA maintains a list of bioengineered foods available throughout the world.
The History Of Designer Food
Organic agriculture, so far, prohibits the "use" of genetic modification. Even though all of human history has done nothing but modify genes of other organisms, especially the food. Monster Peppers, IS NOT to be mistaken as a GMO. The term GMO is still a term that is feared, leading to confusion about what GMO seeds really are. When you take extract genes from one species and then fuse it into the genome of a different species, this is call Transgenesis. When we mention GMOs, we are referring to genetically engineered or transgenic organisms. Genetic engineering eliminates the random number generator chance of getting the traits you want to find in the organism of your choosing. GMO is the end result of combining the genes of living organisms, that would not happen naturally in life, through artificial methods. Humans have been tinkering with food in laboratories settings for over decade.
Scientists in 1920, caused mutations in plants creating more genetic diversity for a chance of producing desirable traits by exposing them to x-rays, gamma rays, and various chemicals. In the 1970's, methods of mutation breeding were unregulated and mostly ignored. These are examples of brute force methods, were you just mess around with genes and plant the seeds, and make guesses about what will happens. If any desirable traits were found, then these were bred into various strains of crops. In 1983 scientists came up with a new revolutionary tactic where they took a gene from an antibiotic resistant bacterium and spliced it into the DNA of tobacco plants. Single gene transfer was proven possible and the new practice of transgenics was born.
How do you get the genes of a bacterium into the nucleus of a plant cell? Even though bacteria and plants are not even on the same branch on the tree of life, how can such a feat be done? Well, by using a biolistic gene gun to blast DNA into plant cells. A very American way to science. “Biolistic” is a combination of the words “biology” and “ballistics.” The gene gun would blast cells with microprojectiles covered in DNA. These microprojectiles are tiny particles of gold that are coated with the desired donor gene, called a transgene. Cells from the plant, that will receive the new genes, are put into a vacuum chamber. The next step: start blasting away! The gene covered gold particles are shot at the cells using high pressure gas. Once inside the nucleus of a plant cell, the gold dissolves, and hopefully the DNA is taken up by the chromosomes in the nucleus. Once the transgenes have been incorporated successfully into the plant's DNA, it can then be bred into offspring plants.
A much more natural or effective way to create a transgenic organism involves using a bacterium call Agrobacterium. A plant parasite who happens to be a natural genetic engineer. It has a piece of DNA called a plasmid that can move outside of the bacterium and implant itself into a plant cell. In nature, the Agrobacterium uses its skills to re-code plants cells to grow food for it. In the lab, human engineers can use the plasmid as a kind of carrier for transgenes, using it to infuse plant cells with new genetic material. However no matter the means or methods to getting new crops, you have to introduce this new genetic material into existing, traditional strains of crops. Backcross breeding is the final step which involves repeatedly crossing the new transgenic plant with breeding stock, until you have a new crop with that gene.
Has Farming Ever Been Natural?
There is nothing natural about farming; farms require land, which requires the complete destruction of the existing natural ecosystems and is replaced by an agricultural ecosystem. These human-made ecosystems are not what nature intended, and as a result, humans are supplying fertilizers, using weed control to combat other plants, disease control, and insect control measures to keep that artificial ecosystem going. By the way, what about the plants? The crops that humanity has been growing long before you even existed, are they natural? Wild plants make very poor crops for farming because as soon as they are domesticated they fundamentally change. Natural selection tends to favor plants that can compete with other plants for sunlight, water, and nutrients in their ecosystems. However, all of these adaptive characteristics are in direct conflict with the goals of agriculture. When you are growing food, you want plants to invest as many of their resources as possible into growing plump and tasty for consumption. A wild plants natural course of evolution is not trying to make itself more delicious or edible for human consumption. There is a distinct difference between what natural selection has produced and what years of human influence has created by altering the genetic evolution of wild plants.
You would think Genetic Modified animals and food was only recent modern day invention, but you would be wrong. For thousands of years humans have used conventional breeding approaches to convert plants that compete well in the wild, into plants that perform well in agriculture. Humans have been genetically modifying plants and animals for thousands of years from crops that had very good yields to wolves that are more loyal towards humans (that’s how we got dogs by the way). Humanity bred both animals and plants that show traits which were beneficial for humanity. While early humans had no concept of genetics, they were still able to influence the DNA of other organisms by a process called “selective breeding” or “artificial selection.” The selection for features such as: faster growth, higher yields, pest and disease resistance, larger fruit or sweeter fruits has dramatically changed domesticated plant species compared to their wild relatives. After thousands of years of human influence, almost every single plant and animal is completely different from its pre-domesticated ancestors. Bananas, pineapples, carrots, corn, watermelons, and chili peppers are just very small examples of how food has been tampered with over the course of many generations through domesticating these wild plants.
ARE
GMOS
HELPFUL?
OR
ARE
GMOS
HURTFUL?
What Do You Think?
The technology behind GMOs can become an ally and not an enemy towards a progressive future. This can make farming more sustainable and possibly even reverse climate change. However, this technology still needs to be used responsibly so that we can continue to protect and minimize human impact on nature and our global environment. We have to find alternative to pesticides that does not harm the health of people and that of other living creatures on this planet. Finding the next best solution were humanity can find harmony with nature while overhauling the established industry is already a challenging task.
The discussions going on about these growing practices is important. It is vital for the planet that we change to a more sustainable model or have something to replace our current one. There is so much more we could possibly do with GMOs, if given the opportunity. What about making fruit with higher antioxidant levels that aid in fighting diseases? It is possible to grow crops that can produce necessary nutrients or insert different nutrients that don’t currently exist in certain fruits or vegetables. How about silencing or deleting the genes that produce gluten, which can be so problematic for those who have a gluten intolerance? By using gene editing to remove gliadins from gluten, science can create tasty bread where those with Celiac Disease can enjoy and have fewer immune reactions. GLUTEN FREE BBBBBBBBBBBBBBRREAD!
Scientist can create GMO “super plants” designed to be more efficient carbon collectors to mitigate or reverse climate change. Imagine engineering plants with resilient traits to adapt to weather changes and over come all kinds of soil conditions. GMOs can also help the planet by reducing agriculture impact on the environment by passively helping to protect it.
Nitrogen is a common fertilizer in farming, but when used in excessive amounts and for extensive periods of time, can pollute ground water and speed up climate change. Scientists can design GMO crops that can grow with little to no fertilizers or perhaps draw nitrogen out the air at higher levels. If plants can collect all forms of nitrogen, at efficient rates, then it can help resolve some of these problems. One of them being the overuse of fertilizers in the developed worlds versus the shortage of it in developing countries.
Humanity has barely scratch the surface of GMOs. Given the tools that modern science has provided, it is only matter of time before our imagination is the limit. It up to scientist working together with the public on to better communicate the specifics of GMOs. We as united people must find a way to better communicate and explain the science for everyone to understand. In order for the general public to make reasonable decisions, they need to be informed.
Bio diversity can be impacted if GMO traits are too successful. There is some concern that GMOs could overrun the world entirely. The most common objections to GMOs is gene flow, meaning Genetically Modified crops could mix with none GM crops and introduce new unwanted traits. There have been cases of GMOs spreading and growing where they weren't planted—traces of modified genes in foreign crops. Terminator seeds is one method to prevent this, but is a big anti-GMO reason by itself. The concept is that scientist can produce sterile plants, however that would force farmers to buy new seeds every year. The very idea of this causes public outcry, stopping the technology to being put to use.
There are different different kinds of crops in the world and they have to be related enough to each other in order to cross pollinate. The same reason why you can’t mix a banana with strawberry, unless it in a smoothie, or even cross a pepper with tomato, despite them being distant relatives. There are also other methods, like buffer zones, to keep crossing at minimum. However, since GMO can possibly cross with a non GMO, this brings up another good question. Is there difference between GM and Non-GM crops when it comes to how it affects our health?
Hasta la vista, baby. We wont be back.
GMOs are controversial areas of science used in many fields, but the discussion starts to heat up when it comes to food.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
(NASEM) found that genetically engineered crops appear to be generally safe to eat and safe for the environment. GM plants that are destined to be eaten are checked for dangers. Meanwhile, there is an ongoing battle by the divided populace debating over the subject: are GMOs safe to eat? Currently, GMO products are evaluated by multiple agencies to make sure they are safe. After thousands of studies and decades later, the science says GMO is no more risky than their non-GMO equivalent. In fact many prominent figures have changed their minds in support of GMOs.
Did you know some plants make their own pesticide? They just call it antioxidants. Organic plants work hard to produce them, thus have higher levels of them, unlike plants that are constantly being sprayed with pesticides. Studies have shown foods with less exposure to pesticides contain more antioxidants. The idea we’re trying to communicate is: using less commercial pesticides would benefit human health.
The benefits of GMOs for developing countries has started to change public opinion. However we can’t forget about crops that have been engineered to be “toxic”. BT crops are engineered plants with a gene borrowed from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis, allows plants to produce a protein that destroys the digestive system of certain insect pests. The plant now produces it own signature pesticide that when insects eat it, they die. This is a fast and cost effective pest control and a way to prevent pest damage to crops.
Did you know their are BT eggplants in Bangladesh? Before the introduction of GM crops, whole harvests were destroyed by pests. Farmers had to rely heavily on pesticides. Not only was this very expensive, but the farmers were getting sick from heavy exposure to those pesticides. The introduction of the GM eggplant in 2013 stopped this cycle. The same BT protein, which is an effective killer of insects, was engineered into them. This helped reduced the use of insecticide on eggplants and improved the health of farmers as their income increased dramatically over time. (Elementary!)
Monster Peppers understands how GMOs play a bigger impact towards biodiversity within specific communities. A follow up to our original question is: If crops have such pesticides within them, does that mean that we have been eating poison? The pesticide inside the BT crops is something you can’t just simply wash off. So why would humans ever consider eating them? It’s really just a matter of perspective. What is harmless to one species, might kill another. BT crops produce a protein that is tailored to the specific design of the digestive tract of certain insects; so it is harmless to humans.
Another use of GMO is designing plants that are engineered to be resistant to certain weed killers, helping farmers use weed killers without harming their crops. Weed killers are often used to stop other plants that would be competing for resources around a farmer’s crops. However, this may also lead to the rise of even more, stronger weeds that have evolved to tolerate pesticides. Glyphosate-resistant weeds have been reported around the world, 14 of which are in the United States. (The weeds strike back!)
This is the so called Dark Side of Genetically Modified Foods. For the pesticide industry, it’s just business. Most GMO crops are made just so that they co-exist with their pesticides. In the USA these days, most GMOs are fed to livestock or used in processed food as ingredients. 95% of sugar beats, 88% of corn, and 94% of soybeans grown in the USA contain traits like insect-resistant or herbicide-resistant that were engineered into them. Currently 90% of all cash crops in the US are herbicide-resistant to glyphosate. However, this has resulted in an increased usage of this pesticide in the agriculture industry for very long time. Farmers have good reason using this method to manage weeds and that is one of the most fundamental problems with the GMO debate.
One corporation know for using these pesticide practices in agriculture is Monsanto. Over the years they have shifted public view on GMOs from positive to negative. Monsanto was originally founded in 1901 as a chemical company that produced artificial substitutes for food and beverage products.
Search your feelings… you know it to be true