Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
Genetically Modified Organisms are organisms, such as agricultural crops or animals that have had their genetic code altered to include specific genes. Genetic modification can be used to increase crop production, reduce the need for pesticides, and improve food quality. Salmon have even been genetically modified to increase growth and help them mature faster. However, many controversies and questions are raised through this practice. Many feel that this practice is not ethical and some even go as far as saying that it is "playing God."
GMO: The Process
There are two major methods for creating a genetically modified organisms. While they are very different from each other, both involve directly inserting the DNA into the subject's genetic code. One method uses bacteria to alter the genes of cultured cells. Scientists remove the extra set of DNA (known as the plasmid) from the bacterial cell and insert the gene they want to transfer (the transgene). They then reinsert the plasmid back into the bacteria and, using a syringe, inject the bacteria into the cultured cells. The bacteria invade the cells and the transgene is integrated directly into the plant cell's chromosomes (the packaged set of DNA in the center of a cell). The second method uses a device commonly called a "Gene Gun". What the scientist does is he coats microscopic metal particles with the transgene and literally shoots them directly into the nucleus of the cell where the chromosomes are. Thus, the transgene is put right into the host's DNA structure, causing the gene's code to be expressed as the plant grows.
Hybridization
Hybridization is the breeding of animals or plants to make a specific trait outwardly expressed. This has been done for many years, all the way from Gregor Mendel's pea plant experiment. This is not always the result of science though, it is occasionally done naturally, from a bee cross pollinating a flower to corn fields blowing pollen around a farm. This is the most natural way of creating a "GMO" but it would not be noted as such, it would be noted as a hybrid. The issue with this arises when GMOs are hybridized. This can make natural and organic products into genetically modified hybrids. These types of hybrids advance and advance and eventually they create a super crop, but this is not usually a positive process. This can happen to weeds, and has been reported to happen. Fields of weeds have could not be destroyed by any means other then gasoline and fire, no doubt affecting the local fauna and the air quality do to the necessity of these cleansings.
Hybridization
Hybridization is the breeding of animals or plants to make a specific trait outwardly expressed. This has been done for many years, all the way from Gregor Mendel's pea plant experiment. This is not always the result of science though, it is occasionally done naturally, from a bee cross pollinating a flower to corn fields blowing pollen around a farm. This is the most natural way of creating a "GMO" but it would not be noted as such, it would be noted as a hybrid. The issue with this arises when GMOs are hybridized. This can make natural and organic products into genetically modified hybrids. These types of hybrids advance and advance and eventually they create a super crop, but this is not usually a positive process. This can happen to weeds, and has been reported to happen. Fields of weeds have could not be destroyed by any means other then gasoline and fire, no doubt affecting the local fauna and the air quality do to the necessity of these cleansings.
Plants
Genetically Modified Strawberries
-Strawberries are one of the most desirable fruits on the market, known for their vitamins and minerals, their sweetness, and their ability to assist in preventing cancers. But why has this delectable fruit been the subject of our concern? Because it is so loved! The sales of strawberries are always on the up so the run to sell them faster, longer, or later, has always been around. So naturally (OR unnaturally) they have been the target of genetic modifications. The main goal of modifying strawberries is to prolong their growing season, since they are so vulnerable to early frosts of winter. This was done in two ways, and accomplished two completely separate groups furious. The first type of modification was taking genes from peanuts, ones that allowed their growing season to last longer, was spliced into strawberries. This wasn't originally thought of as negative, until incidents of anaphylactic shock were seen in consumers that had peanut allergies. As many know, nut allergies can be very serious sometimes life threatening, and these reactions made this decent decadence a deadly delectable. The second process that was heavily debated among vegetarians and vegans and the subject of this dilema? The Pseudopleuronectes americanus, or in other words, the Winter Flounder. Surprising yes, whoever had the idea to make a strawberry part fish was either mad, or very very wise. But whoever they were, they forgot one thing. Adding an animal protein to a fruit will raise huge barriers for many vegans and vegetarians. The issue rises in two thoughts, the first that if it is found in most strawberries, they can no longer eat these strawberries. The other main issue? People had no choice but to eat them! As few people know, GM foods don't need to be marked on the package so people may unknowingly eat something they don't agree with eating. The only way that people were saved from ruining their perfectly vegan diet is that heavy debate rose on the creation of the gene splice and was rejected before it hit stores. Saved, but much too close for comfort.
Starlink Corn
-Starlink Corn is a genetically modified variation of a common genus of corn. The corn variation (Also known as Bt corn) has been modified for the purpose of preventing pests from harming the crop. The way it does this is the corn has been modified to create a small amount of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a toxin that kills pests such as corn ear worms and root worms. This corn has been filed to be unsuitable for human consumption and is only fed to livestock. This though, is inhuman for the animals that we are feeding, if we cant eat it, why can they? Also if we eat these animals aren't we then indirectly eating this toxic corn? Yes, we are, through a process called bio-accumulation This is when an animal eats a small amount of toxin at a time. Over their lifespan they collect a high concentration of the toxin, which their system has grown accustom to. When the animal is slaughtered for its meat, or produces any type of product (Eggs, Milk, ect..) it is transferred We then ingest this food, which now has a high concentration of toxin, causing possible reactions or death, depending on the toxin. In addition to the toxins in our food, we have been unknowingly eating these toxins in much smaller quantities through our local grocer recently! This corn has been found in multiple corn products in general food stores, the corn that has been deemed unsuitable for human consumption! Researchers still do not know how it entered our food supply, all the do know is that it has. This potentially dangerous corn needs to be taken out of our lives and replaced by a much safer alternative.
Terminator Seeds
-Terminator seeds are a product created by some of the greediest biotechnology companies in the word. The purpose of these seeds are for no other reason then to create a profit for the sellers and producers of this seed. What they do is these seeds are actually sterile and cannot reproduce. This means that seeds can no longer be taken from the plants for the next year of growing. Seeds must be bought every year in order to grow your necessary crop. This has been bleeding farmers in developing countries dry and have been making the already rich biotech companies even more piles of cash.
-Strawberries are one of the most desirable fruits on the market, known for their vitamins and minerals, their sweetness, and their ability to assist in preventing cancers. But why has this delectable fruit been the subject of our concern? Because it is so loved! The sales of strawberries are always on the up so the run to sell them faster, longer, or later, has always been around. So naturally (OR unnaturally) they have been the target of genetic modifications. The main goal of modifying strawberries is to prolong their growing season, since they are so vulnerable to early frosts of winter. This was done in two ways, and accomplished two completely separate groups furious. The first type of modification was taking genes from peanuts, ones that allowed their growing season to last longer, was spliced into strawberries. This wasn't originally thought of as negative, until incidents of anaphylactic shock were seen in consumers that had peanut allergies. As many know, nut allergies can be very serious sometimes life threatening, and these reactions made this decent decadence a deadly delectable. The second process that was heavily debated among vegetarians and vegans and the subject of this dilema? The Pseudopleuronectes americanus, or in other words, the Winter Flounder. Surprising yes, whoever had the idea to make a strawberry part fish was either mad, or very very wise. But whoever they were, they forgot one thing. Adding an animal protein to a fruit will raise huge barriers for many vegans and vegetarians. The issue rises in two thoughts, the first that if it is found in most strawberries, they can no longer eat these strawberries. The other main issue? People had no choice but to eat them! As few people know, GM foods don't need to be marked on the package so people may unknowingly eat something they don't agree with eating. The only way that people were saved from ruining their perfectly vegan diet is that heavy debate rose on the creation of the gene splice and was rejected before it hit stores. Saved, but much too close for comfort.
Starlink Corn
-Starlink Corn is a genetically modified variation of a common genus of corn. The corn variation (Also known as Bt corn) has been modified for the purpose of preventing pests from harming the crop. The way it does this is the corn has been modified to create a small amount of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a toxin that kills pests such as corn ear worms and root worms. This corn has been filed to be unsuitable for human consumption and is only fed to livestock. This though, is inhuman for the animals that we are feeding, if we cant eat it, why can they? Also if we eat these animals aren't we then indirectly eating this toxic corn? Yes, we are, through a process called bio-accumulation This is when an animal eats a small amount of toxin at a time. Over their lifespan they collect a high concentration of the toxin, which their system has grown accustom to. When the animal is slaughtered for its meat, or produces any type of product (Eggs, Milk, ect..) it is transferred We then ingest this food, which now has a high concentration of toxin, causing possible reactions or death, depending on the toxin. In addition to the toxins in our food, we have been unknowingly eating these toxins in much smaller quantities through our local grocer recently! This corn has been found in multiple corn products in general food stores, the corn that has been deemed unsuitable for human consumption! Researchers still do not know how it entered our food supply, all the do know is that it has. This potentially dangerous corn needs to be taken out of our lives and replaced by a much safer alternative.
Terminator Seeds
-Terminator seeds are a product created by some of the greediest biotechnology companies in the word. The purpose of these seeds are for no other reason then to create a profit for the sellers and producers of this seed. What they do is these seeds are actually sterile and cannot reproduce. This means that seeds can no longer be taken from the plants for the next year of growing. Seeds must be bought every year in order to grow your necessary crop. This has been bleeding farmers in developing countries dry and have been making the already rich biotech companies even more piles of cash.
Animals
Salmon
-In more recent news, a GM salmon who grows in half the time of a normal salmon is said to be bound to reach our own dinner plates, but the question is, should it? This would be the first fish ever to reach the consumer that was genetically modified. It has been done before but has always been rejected by the FDA and this fish has been in the process of finding the FDA approval for 17 years. If it hasn't been good enough for the past decade and a half then why is it good enough now?
This GM salmon is known as the AquAdvantage Salmon. This has genes from the chinook salmon and ocean pout. The genes from the ocean pout encourage groth in the chinook salmon. With the new genes, the salmon will now be able to reach a marketable size twice as fast as a normal salmon (18 months compared to 3 years). The possible health risks it poses to humans are currently unknown. Research has been conducted on it and
-In more recent news, a GM salmon who grows in half the time of a normal salmon is said to be bound to reach our own dinner plates, but the question is, should it? This would be the first fish ever to reach the consumer that was genetically modified. It has been done before but has always been rejected by the FDA and this fish has been in the process of finding the FDA approval for 17 years. If it hasn't been good enough for the past decade and a half then why is it good enough now?
This GM salmon is known as the AquAdvantage Salmon. This has genes from the chinook salmon and ocean pout. The genes from the ocean pout encourage groth in the chinook salmon. With the new genes, the salmon will now be able to reach a marketable size twice as fast as a normal salmon (18 months compared to 3 years). The possible health risks it poses to humans are currently unknown. Research has been conducted on it and