tree hugging with style
GM will not stand for General Motor's anymore
It is in the news everywhere we turn, GM, GMO or Genetically Modified Foods. What are they? In our day of modern convenience we consume GM's everyday all day long without knowing it. Think back to what have you had to drink and eat today? Did you eat a fruit, a sandwich, or drink a smoothie?
The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These foods have been created in a laboratory to increase production, resistance, and nutritional value. Why? The tradition of growing plants the old fashion way take to long, or so they say. A great example of this is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops. B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B.t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. There are over 40 plants the FDA and USDA have approved for commercialization. They include tomatoes and cantaloupes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests. Let's have a look at some genetically modified foods.
1. Soybeans
Resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides
Herbicide resistant gene taken from bacteria inserted into soybean
89% Modified in US
2. Corn
Resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides. Insect resistance via producing Bt proteins, some previously used as pesticides in organic crop production. Vitamin-enriched corn derived from South African white corn variety M37W has bright orange kernels, with 169x increase in beta carotene, 6x the vitamin C and 2x folate.[9]
New genes, some from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, added/transferred into plant genome.
100% Modified in US
3. Cotton
Pest-resistant cotton
Bt crystal protein gene added/transferred into plant genome
83% Modified in US and 62% Modified the rest of the world
In addition, various genetically engineered micro-organisms are routinely used as sources of enzymes for the manufacture of a variety of processed foods. These include alpha-amylase from bacteria, which converts starch to simple sugars, chymosin from bacteria or fungi that clots milk protein for cheese making, and pectinesterase from fungi which improves fruit juice clarity.
The concern with GM's is that the new foods could cause human health risks, economic concerns and environmental risks. There have been an increase in food allergies amongst children since the introduction of GM's in the early 1990's. For example if they modified a corn plant with the gene of a peanut, a child with a peanut allergy could possible be allergic to corn now. Slight variations in a gene pool can cause a major catastrophe in a small child's body. Bringing a GM food to the market is expensive and time consuming, there for the cost of food rises.
The environmental factors are enormous. The same BT gene used to modify corn becomes a hazard to plant and animal life in the ecosystem. B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B.t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. A monarch butterfly might seem like a small price to pay, but the beauty of the insect seems priceless to me. What if it cross pollinates? What harm will it do to other wildlife and plant species?
So the next time you go to grab your favorite snack out of the cabinet, look at the ingredients. If it has corn or soybeans it might be a GM, make a healthier choice and eat organic.
Written by
Tiffany Bare
Karmafarm Online
Excerpts taken from:
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food
The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. These foods have been created in a laboratory to increase production, resistance, and nutritional value. Why? The tradition of growing plants the old fashion way take to long, or so they say. A great example of this is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops. B.t., or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B.t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer. There are over 40 plants the FDA and USDA have approved for commercialization. They include tomatoes and cantaloupes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests. Let's have a look at some genetically modified foods.
1. Soybeans
Resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides
Herbicide resistant gene taken from bacteria inserted into soybean
89% Modified in US
2. Corn
Resistant to glyphosate or glufosinate herbicides. Insect resistance via producing Bt proteins, some previously used as pesticides in organic crop production. Vitamin-enriched corn derived from South African white corn variety M37W has bright orange kernels, with 169x increase in beta carotene, 6x the vitamin C and 2x folate.[9]
New genes, some from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, added/transferred into plant genome.
100% Modified in US
3. Cotton
Pest-resistant cotton
Bt crystal protein gene added/transferred into plant genome
83% Modified in US and 62% Modified the rest of the world
In addition, various genetically engineered micro-organisms are routinely used as sources of enzymes for the manufacture of a variety of processed foods. These include alpha-amylase from bacteria, which converts starch to simple sugars, chymosin from bacteria or fungi that clots milk protein for cheese making, and pectinesterase from fungi which improves fruit juice clarity.
The concern with GM's is that the new foods could cause human health risks, economic concerns and environmental risks. There have been an increase in food allergies amongst children since the introduction of GM's in the early 1990's. For example if they modified a corn plant with the gene of a peanut, a child with a peanut allergy could possible be allergic to corn now. Slight variations in a gene pool can cause a major catastrophe in a small child's body. Bringing a GM food to the market is expensive and time consuming, there for the cost of food rises.
The environmental factors are enormous. The same BT gene used to modify corn becomes a hazard to plant and animal life in the ecosystem. B.t. toxins kill many species of insect larvae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B.t. toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. A monarch butterfly might seem like a small price to pay, but the beauty of the insect seems priceless to me. What if it cross pollinates? What harm will it do to other wildlife and plant species?
So the next time you go to grab your favorite snack out of the cabinet, look at the ingredients. If it has corn or soybeans it might be a GM, make a healthier choice and eat organic.
Written by
Tiffany Bare
Karmafarm Online
Excerpts taken from:
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food
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