Genetic Engineering at a Grocer Near You

It started simply enough in the mid-1990s with a tomato called FlavrSavr that was resistant to blight, kept longer on the shelves, had more vitamin C, and tasted sweeter than previous generations. Next came new strains of beans and grains genetically engineered to have more protein, caffeine­free coffee beans, strawberries packed with extra natural sugars, and potatoes that soak up less grease when fried. Many saw this as the sign of a new wave, a seemingly endless stream of new foods genetically engineered to outperform those foods we’ve come to know … and love. Known as Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, these foods represent a process of genetic engineering in which scientists break fundamental genetic barriers between species. Through a process in which genes of nonrelated species are spliced together using viruses, antibiotic-resistant genes, bacteria, and other agents, the most desirable traits are merged to create a super species.

One of the most noteworthy examples of the GMO process, the genetic engineering of a hardier corn, also garnered a great deal of controversial attention. By splicing DNA from the common soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis into the genes of corn, scientists have created a plant that produces the same toxin as the corn borer; a mothlike pest that can destroy the corn crops it infests. When the corn borer eats the genetically altered corn, the toxin kills it, potentially saving farmers billions of dollars and dramatically increasing crop yields. Today, more than 25 percent of the u.s. corn crop comes from genetically engineered seed.

However, just as the agricultural community thought a major problem had been solved, and as GMO corn producers were building steam, Dr. John Losey from Cornell University reported a disturbing finding. His research showed that when the larvae of the monarch butterfly also ate the corn, they, too, died or produced stunted, deformed butterflies. Environmental groups, quick La point out that what happens in the simplest species in nature also may be a harbinger of what may happen in humans, signaled an alarm, about ALL genetically modified organisms.

In recent years, controversy over GMOs has grown. Proponents of GMOs argue that these new products will make agriculture more sustainable, will help address world hunger issues by increasing crop yields, will reduce the threats from some pests and diseases, and will improve overall public health. In addition, farmers cite the cost efficiency of GMOs. Opponents retaliate with the following concerns:

Unpredictable mutations of the genetic code, causing new diseases, viruses, and bacteria.

Side effects from new toxins and allergens in foods that people will be unable to trace without proper labeling.

Increased used of chemicals on crops, resulting in increased contamination of the food supply, waterways, and soil.

Continued rise in resistance to antibiotics.

Disturbance of ecological balance and natural selection processes.

Currently, there are increasing concerns over GMO’s affect on the global population. Consumer action has temporarily halted a new GMO, known as the “Terminator Seed,” from being marketed in many regions of the world. This seed was designed to produce crops only once; hence, no seeds from adult plants are carried over to grow foods the next year, creating a perpetual new market of buyers during each planting season. Environmentalists argued that such a seed could cross-pollinate with other plants, causing massive destruction of the plant world as we know it. In addition, England, Australia, and several European Union countries have passed legislation requiring that genetically altered foods be labeled as such to allow consumers the right to choose whether they wish to eat GMO foods. Other countries, such as Japan, are fighting to ban the use of such products.

Labeled “Frankenstein Foods” by the British tabloids, GMOs have only recently begun to be examined by the American media. In the United States, consumer protection groups argue that people have a right to know whether the foods they eat have been genetically engineered and whether they pose any threats. Currently, no such labeling exists in the United States, and as many as four dozen commonly consumed GMO foods may already be on the market. For example, as many as 500,000 dairy cows per year are treated with recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone(rBGH), leading to questions over the potential transfer of the hormone to humans and related side­effects. Many states are actively lobbying to restrict rBGH use or to eliminate it completely.

Students Speak Up:

Do you think the benefits of GMO foods outweigh the arguments against them? Are you aware of what is in the foods you eat?