Genetically Modified

Organisms!
Is Genetically Modified Food Safe
Enough to feed the Worlds
Growing Population?
ISU
Nicketta Lagadoo
Dec. 8, 2009
Mr. Watts
SBI4U
 What Is Genetic Modification?
Genetic Modification of an organism, is
a process where by the genetic
material( DNA or RNA) of an organism
is transferred to another organism
using biotechnology to achieve a
desired effect
Scientists alter the genetic make up of
an organism to enhance a desired trait
for commercial advantage for
agricultural production
Traits are taken from other plants,
bacteria, viruses and animals
Traits that are desired include:
resistance to insects or pathogens,
increase nutritional content, herbicide
tolerance, longer shelf life in grocery
stores, ability to grow faster and
bigger, delayed ripening, or higher oil
content, etc.
 History of GMOs:
Genetic Modification is not one of
the 21st century, but has been
around since the begginning of
aguculture
Humans have been naturally
genetically modifying plants, to
create the best offspring using
selective breeding
The process included the mixing
of many genes together in order to
achieve a specific result
Crops that have been genetically
Since traditional breeding modified include:
techniques are time consuming, canola
and not accurate, genetic corn, including popcorn and sweet
modification allows scientists to corn but not blue corn
target the exact desired gene to cotton
be inserted into an organism in a flax
short amount of time
papaya
In 1994 , the first commercially potatoes
grown, genetically modified food
was a tomato created by Flavr soybeans
Savr squash (yellow crookneck)
sugar beet
tomatoes, including cherry tomatoes
How the Process Works:
The process of genetically modifying a
plant is as follows:
1. A plant with the desired characteristic is
identified.

2. The specific gene that produces the

characteristic is located and restriction
enzymes are used to cut the
plants DNA.

3. A plasmid is joined to the gene to act as a

carrier inorder to insert the gene into the
cells of the plant.

4. A promoter is included with the gene and the

plasmid, to help the gene function properly
when inserted into the plant.

5. The gene package is then inserted back into

the bacterium, which reproduces to create
many copies of the gene package.

6. The gene packages are transferred into the

plant that is being modified, using a particle
gun or a soil bacterium.

7. The plant tissue that has taken up the genes

is grown into full-size genetically modified
plants.
 Contd.
Modified Trait Crop
Input Traits

Herbicide resistance Sugar beet, Soybean, Corn, Canola, Cotton, Flax

Insect/herbicide resistance Corn

Insect resistance Tomato, Corn, Potato, Cotton

Virus resistance Squash, Papaya

Male sterile Corn
Output Traits
Modified oil Soybean, Canola
Modified fruit ripening Tomato
Provitamin A enriched Rice
Iron fortification Rice

Beta-carotene, lycopene enriched Tomato

Detoxification of mycotoxins Corn

Detoxification of cyanogens Cassava

Caffeine-free Coffee beans

Vitamin E enriched Canola
 Pros of GMOs:
Golden Rice:
Pros of GMOs:
Enhance the taste and quality of foods
Reduced maturation time
Increase nutrients, yields, and stress
tolerance
Improved resistance to disease, pests
and herbicides
New products and growing techniques
Conservation of soil, water and energy
More efficient processing
Increased food security for growing
populations
Rice for many countries in the world is
a primary food source
Vitamin A from beta-carotene is made
from mammals and is not found in
polished white rice
White rice was missing many essential
vitamins and minerals, so people
whose diet is heavily based on rice
were malnourished
The most severe consequences of
malnutrition is blindness cause by the
vitamin A deficiency
Scientists genetically modified rice so
that it could be high in vitamin A
Turned rice, yellow in colour
 Cons & Ethics of GMOs
Cons of GMOs:
Human health impacts (allergens or
the transfer of antibiotic resistance
markers)
The transfer of transgenes through
cross-pollination
Loss of flora and fauna biodiversity
Domination of world food production
by a few companies
Increasing dependence on
industrialized nations by developing
countries
Harmful pollutants as a result of cross
breeding plants and the formation of
super weeds
Ethics for GMOs:
Violation of natural organism intrinsic
values
Tampering with nature by mixing
genes among species
 Labeling of GMOs in Canada:
Canada is one of the largest producers of
genetically modified crops, up to 70% of
processed foods in the grocery stores
contain genetically modified ingredients

When a manufacturer wants to sell or

advertise a new genetically modified
product in Canada, they must submit data
to Health Canada for a pre-market safety
assessment as required under the Division
28 of Part B of the Food and Drugs
Regulation.

The information that is submitted is

assessed by the evaluators who are
experts in molecular biology, toxicology,
chemistry, nutritional sciences, and
microbiology.

The criteria for assessing the new

product is as follows:

1. How the modified product was developed

2. How the GM food compares to a non-
modified counter part food in terms of
composition and nutrition quality
3. The potential for production of new toxins
in the food
4. The potential for causing allergic reactions
5. The microbiological and chemical safety of
the food
 Organizations Pro or Anti-GMOs:
Pro GMOs:
Organizations that support the
creation of genetically modified
foods are:
AAEA (African American
Environmentalist
Association):
-founded in 1985
-a national, non-profit
environmental organization that
encourages participation in
environmental issues
-insist that GM foods are
beneficial to helping feed
hungry populations across the
world
-Starvation is much more
dangerous to more people than
any threat presented by GM
foods
Anti-GMOs:
Organizations that do not
support the creation of
genetically modified foods are:
The Royal Society of Canada:
- it is scientifically unjustifiable
to presume that GM foods are
safe, and that the default
prediction for any GM foods is
the creation of unintended side
effects
Greenpeace:
- Oppose the release of GMOs
into the environment
- advocates interim measures
like the labeling of GM foods,
and the segregation of GM
crops and seeds from
conventional and organic
seeds
 References:
_________.(2006). Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved Oct. 17, 2009, from Science Reference Center database.

Eubanks, Mark W. (2003). Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved Nov. 8, 2009, from Science Center database.

Food Standards Agency. (2003). GM Basics. Retrieved Nov. 18, 2009, from
http://www.food.gov.uk/gmdebate/abountgm.

Hanrahan, Clare (edu.). (2008). Global Resources. New York: Green Haven Press.

Health Canada. (2009). The Safety of Genetically Modified Foods. Retrieved Nov. 10, 2009, from http://www.hc-
sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/gm-tg-eng.php.

Human Genome Project Information.(2008). Genetically Modified Foods and Organisms. Retrieved Nov. 17, 2008, from
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human-Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml

Pictures:
http://www.chamah.org/assets/images/man-receiving-food-pkgs.jpg
http://library.thinkquest.org/07aug/00775/dna.jpg
http://www.sott.net/image/image/16377/full/tomato.jpg
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/ hotos/greenpeace activists-
protest-a-10.jpg
http://chargar.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/canned-food1.jpg
http://sustainabletable.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/corn1.jpg
http://www.goldenrice.org/
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec006group5/files/percent_gmos_worldwide_chart.gif
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/seminar/2004/GMevents/NH/foodlabel.jpg
http://www.worldproutassembly.org/GM-foods.jpg