By Dustin DriverGenetically Modified Organism are taking over the market
When cars had big fins and the Space Race wasn’t just a video game, engineered food was all the rage, and kids dropped all their lunch money on synthetic astronaut drinks and freeze-dried ice cream.
What are GMO foods?
GMO foods are made from genetically modified organisms, usually plants. The plants have altered genes and thus attributes that make them easier to farm. Some can resist pests better than natural varieties. Others don’t mind chemical insecticides and most can out-grow and out-produce their natural cousins.
The first GMO was a tomato plant, grown by the California company Calgene in 1994. It produced rot-resistant tomatoes dubbed Flavr Savrs. These mutated tomatoes were much more expensive than regular tomatoes and were usurped by conventional varieties. Today, many crops have been genetically modified, including soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. Most GMO crops are grown in North America, specifically the U.S.
Keep in mind, however, that humans have been genetically modifying their crops for a millennium through selective breeding. The main difference is technique. GM crops are modified by direct manipulation of the plants DNA. Old-fashioned crops are modified the old-fashioned way, by breeding.
Why make GMOs?
The down and dirty answer is quite simply: Profits. Farming is tough. A blight or pest invasion can devastate a years’ work in no time and wipe out an entire farm altogether. This uncertainty makes farming a bad investment. Bad investments and poor profits make corporations and consumers unhappy. GMO crops can be more resistant to the slings and arrows of life, bringing much-needed stability to farming. They can also increase output, which leads to lower prices and more satiated vegetarians (or humans, for that matter). Hence, big agribusinesses have dumped a lot of money and time into GMO crops. But that’s just one side of the story. Many scientists say that GMO crops have the potential to solve the world’s hunger problems as well.
Are GMOs safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies say yes. Each has its own thorough and bureaucratic methods for ensuring complete safety in foods. And for the most part, they work. In 1999, however, a Scottish biochemist allegedly found evidence that GMO potatoes were toxic to rats. His findings were later debunked and he was suspended from his research institute for releasing the bogus info. Nonetheless, his announcement sparked turmoil in Europe over GM crops. Many Europeans simply refused to accept foods made from GM crops or animals. Today the modified crops are rare in Europe and many North American consumers (and scientists) believe that the FDA’s safety procedures are too lax. They point to big agribusinesses, who have a big influence on American politics and the FDA. So the real answer to this question is -- probably, but there’s always a risk.
What’s all the fuss about anyway?
If foods from GM crops are relatively safe (compared to anything else the FDA approves), then what’s all the fuss about? Again, it comes down to money. GMOs are often patented, which could lead to sticky situations. In 1998, a large portion of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser’s crops were found to contain genes from a nearby Monsanto-patented plantation. It’s unclear whether he knowingly took seeds or if his crops were accidentally cross-pollinated. Monsanto Canada sued him for piracy, claiming that he grew their patented plant on purpose. The Canadian Supreme Court ruled five to four in Monsanto’s favor. The verdict ruined Schmeiser’s farming career and set a precedent for GM crops. Monsanto Canada states that it would never sue any farmer who unknowingly grows their patented plants, but the potential remains.
Some skeptics worry that GMO foods could inadvertently alter their own DNA. There is no scientific evidence, however, that GMO foods could alter human DNA under any circumstances.
What are the risks to the environment?
GM crops and organisms have the potential of spreading their genes if they “escape” into the wild. Only time will tell how these genes will affect local plants and animals. Some truly bizarre GMOs do exist, from pets that glow under UV lights to pigs that contain spinach genes and goats that produce spiderwebs. Scientists know very little about how these transplanted genes might act out in the world. The potential for disaster certainly exists, but there isn’t any evidence that GMO genes are wreaking havoc in the wild just yet.
How do I know I’m eating GMO foods?
In the U.S., GM crops and foods made from GMOs don’t have to be labeled. If you live in Europe, you’ll know right away because there are strict labeling laws. Chances are, however, that many foods labeled “organic” or “no GMO” are all natural and contain no GM foods.
Mutated melons
Today’s GM foods are just the beginning. Our bioengineering skills are being honed at an exponential rate. In a decade or so, it seems that scientists will be able to build DNA like you build LEGO toys. Completely new engineered foods will likely hit the market and we’ll have more choices, and dilemmas, on our hands.
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