Hello everyone! In my last post I briefly mentioned some of the main, concerning questions regarding the incorporation of genetically modified organisms into our food supply: what effects do GMOs have on the us, the consumers; what are—if any—the long-term effects that ingestion of modified produce can have on the human physiology; and, are they more beneficial or detrimental to our very existence or vice versa? As previously mentioned, these are the questions where the most speculation surrounds the reality of such products. However, before I delve into the science behind and reasons why there is such a push to genetically modify food, I thought I would first start off with the basics:
- What are GMOs and how are they produced?
In case you didn’t already know, GMO stands for “Genetically Modified Organism.” They exist due to advancements in biotechnology in the plant culture industry. Due to these advancements, scientists have successfully been able to intentionally produce a copy a specified gene that carries a desired trait found in one plant or other organism, and they insert that gene into another plant, which results in a GMO.
- Why do farmers use them?
Going back to the end of the very first post, I briefly mentioned the tragedy that struck to the Hawaiian Papaya population in the early 1990s. During this time, nearly all of the papayas being grown in Hawaii became infected by insects, which made the fruits inedible and unsafe to consume. The virus that was spread is known as PRSV—Papaya Ringspot Virus. Luckily, a scientist from Cornell University discovered a single gene that was resistant to the ringspot virus. Upon its discovery, they inserted this gene into a new generation of papaya plants, and overtime, the island was finally able to grow healthy, disease-free plants.
Source: http://www.agbioforum.org/v7n12/v7n12a07-gonsalves.htm
Hopefully this presentation of some background knowledge of what they are and a reason how and why GMOs were/are used gives you a decent understanding of the topic thus far. There is still a lot more to come!
If you have any other questions, please feel free to leave comments and ask below!
To GMO or Not to GMO, That is the Question.... 