Organic Food vs. Genetic Engineering

It's always helpful to step back and take a look at things from an objective perspective, especially when we are personally involved.

Creating and sustaining an organic lifestyle means we are in the "center" of that activity, daily. Among all the other things going on in our daily lives, as moms, we are also trying to develop new habits for our family in regards to their health and well being.

So I thought it would be helpful for us all, myself included, to just take a step or two back and revisit the basic questions and reasons why we are pursuing an organic lifestyle to begin with.

What Is Organic Food?

Certified organic food is most commonly described as food grown and packaged without the use of chemicals, preservatives or additives. Food that is either completely or at least 70% all natural.

Another way to explain it, from a bigger picture standpoint is:

"Organic food is produced through a system that is based on ecological balance and humane care for the plants, animals and people that make up the farm environment."

One important reason to consider organic food, and an organic lifestyle, that I've not read much about previously, is genetic engineering. The Sierra Club site states:

"Eating organic food is one way you can avoid genetic engineering. All certified organic produce and ingredients are produced free of any genetic engineering"

What Is Genetic Engineering?

In layman's terms I would translate it to be the taking of genes from one species of plant and injecting another plant with those genes to force certain characteristics. For example, if you had a corn plant that was delicious and seemed to be resistant to pests, you would take its' genes and inject it into another plant of a different variety, in the hopes to force the taste and/or pest resistance onto the other.

Doesn't sound too bad, but when you understand the "risks" associated with genetic engineering, it doesn't sound so good either.

Here's a more technical description of genetic engineering and the associated risks:

"In genetic engineering technology, genes are isolated and transferred using a "gene gun" or a viral vector from one species into a foreign species, crossing over what is called the "species barrier." An example is the transfer of an insect-resistant gene from a soil bacterium (called Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt) into corn plants to confer insect resistance. This kind of genetic transfer never occurs in nature and cannot be achieved through traditional plant breeding methods. The new gene lands in a random spot in the genome of the recipient organism, and can disrupt normal functioning of that organism in unpredictable ways."

Risks of Genetic Engineering

Non-target insects, including ones that are beneficial to farmers are harmed by genetically engineered crops.

Genetically engineered organisms have harmed soil microorganisms, leading to stunted or killed crops.

Plants engineered to be insect- or herbicide-resistant can lead to resistance in weeds and insect pests. This means more chemicals or new genetic engineering.

New allergens and toxins are the potential result of genetically engineering food. Some are detected before market approval while others are not.

Pollen from genetically engineered crops can drift into wild environments and breed with wild relatives of crop plants.

The effects of this genetic pollution cannot be predicted. Once genetically engineered organisms are released into the environment they cannot be con-trolled and they cannot be recalled. Genetic pollution is irreversible.

So we can conclude that organic food is grown WITHOUT the use or need for genetic engineering. And if organic farming can help us avoid "genetic pollution", AND it's better for our health and well being, doesn't it just make good sense for everyone?

The Sierra Club article goes on to conclude that:

"The industrial approach is to "improve nature" and make food products exempt from natural systems and laws. Harmful consequences are corrected using new and more technologies, usually leading to further problems. In contrast, the organic approach is to understand these laws as much as possible and work with them. Organic farmers practice prevention, not correction."

I think any reasonable consumer, without a financial interest in the mass production of genetically altered foods would agree that when it comes to the foods we eat and the environment we need, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure".

Organic farmers, like organic moms, care about the food and sustaining the land for future generations. We all know, whether we want to admit it or not, what the large corporations who mass produce traditional food crops are most interested in.

Moms Organic House [http://www.momsorganichouse.com] is your place for practical, everyday organic living information, tips and ideas. Whether it's the garden, kitchen, bathroom or cleaning closet, "themom" is living an organic lifestyle and sharing information and experiences along the way.

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Genetic Engineering, Mosquitoes, and Anger in a Tropical Paradise

Debates about genetic engineering have been making headlines for a long time. Most of the genetic engineering debates have involved food production. Many food companies utilize genetic modification to allow the crops to resist rotting and pesticides. In recent years, the genetic modification of animals for food and non-food purposes has become an equally contentious subject. Such a debate is raging right now concerning mosquitoes and the island city of Key West.

Recently an England-based company, Oxitec, which specializes in genetically modified insects, is in the process of attempting to release a mosquito in Key West, Florida that will hopefully reduce the probability of a virus that causes the dengue fever in that area. The dengue fever is a particularly nasty disease that is characterized as being extremely uncomfortable for the afflicted individual.

The South Florida area and the Caribbean have been areas that the dengue fever has had prevalence in recent years. The current mosquito control plan is based around pesticides and chemically attempting to eradicate the specific type of mosquito that carries the dengue fever, Aedes aegypti. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes originally come from Africa and can carry yellow fever, dengue fever, and other diseases.

The method Oxitec is using to quell the population of mosquitoes is a modified version of something developed in the 1930s and 1940s known as the Sterile Insect Technique. This process is where a company sterilizes a large amount of male insects in the same breed and then releases them into the wild. Once in the wild, these mosquitoes mate with the females and either have no offspring or have offspring that does not survive.

Oxitec has tested their method in a few other locations already and have achieved success in reduction of mosquito populations in those areas. Grand Cayman and Brazil both implemented this mosquito control policy and saw population reductions of 80 and 90 percent respectively.

Some residents of Key West and environmentalist are outraged at this proposal. In fact, the outrage has spread to the tune of 100,000 signatures on a Change.org petition that hopes to catch the attention of the Governor of Florida, Rick Scott, and a host of other local politicians.

The opposition to Oxitec, led by Key West resident and mother of 3 Mila de Mier, contests that there is not of knowledge surrounding the possible effects of releasing genetically modified insects into the environment. That being said, Mila de Mier who formed the petition is extremely active on the largely liberal petition site.

The petition gained a lot of steam after coverage in national news sources from online publications that included New York Times, The New Yorker, CNN's blog, and other reputable sources with heavy readership.

Many have criticized that the majority of signatures on the petition are not from residents of the region, but from environmental activists around the country. Despite this fact, many residents have come out against the proposed Oxitec initiative in Key West. Many people contest that the Oxitec method is much more environmentally friendly than using pesticides to treat the mosquito issues.

While Oxitec says that these methods are harmless and have showed success, the residents have a right to express their opinions about how the handling of their local ecosystem. One of the questions at hand is how the company should handle the delicate situation. Additionally, the government needs to decide on whether the method is the right thing for the community. Oxitec, who has projects pending in France and other regions, could implement other projects before Key West. This could help the company gather research on the safety and effectiveness of the method in order to ease the minds of the Key West community.

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Are Humans Being Used As Lab Rats In A Genetic Engineering Experiment?

Indeed, the writing is on the wall and screaming out trying to tell us that we are all being used as human lab rats, and without our consent, in one of the biggest uncontrolled scientific experiments in history! Evidence is all around us showing us that agri-biotech companies are genetically engineering food that is to be fed to us for the purpose of transforming us into genetically modified organisms.

To date there are 81 food items listed on the FDA's List of Completed Consultations on Bioengineered Foods some of which include corn, soybeans, cotton, potatoes, tomatoes, and squash. Yet, this list is far from comprehensive since at present in the U.S., agri-biotech companies are not required to obtain FDA approval for GM foods. In fact, under current FDA policy companies need only "voluntarily" seek FDA consultation and adhere to FDA recommendations following the consultation. Even more compelling is that because many GM foods are "substantially equivalent" to non-GM foods and are whole foods rather than food additives, they are not subject to FDA regulation, which means that only processed foods are being regulated.

So what this means is that we are being scared and manipulated into eating more processed foods. Why? Because consuming such foods ultimately lead to obesity and an increase in health problems, which equates to more dollars being spent on medicine and cosmetics, all of which are industries being "regulated" by the FDA. Thus, the writing is on the wall and democracy has a new face and its called genetic engineering. It's becoming more and more evident all around us.

When capitalism dictates the direction of science its called technological advancement. When increased revenues take precedence over the value of human life its called free enterprise and when corporations are allowed to go unregulated to dictate the very essence of life through DNA manipulation its called genocide. That said, since humans don't classify as whole foods, what does the future hold for us if there is no regulation of what is being done to us?

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Understanding Genetic Engineering And Online Bookstores In India

The beginning of the 21st century has heralded a series of transformational breakthroughs sweeping changes stirring practically every function of human life. Its influence has been felt all across the globe. Growing population in countries like India has necessitated the need to introduce interventions to enhance superiority touching every aspect of life, improve livestock, medicine and perk up quality and quantity of food. One of the interventions of paramount importance for the past few years has been on the study of gene. Gene is the basic unit of life and controls every piece of life whether in structure and function. Organisms are nothing but the by product of their genetic makeup. Any deviation from the normal is the reflection of defect in the genetic arrangement in that organism. Concurrently the defect can be corrected by altering the flawed array and subjecting it into a normal state. This property of altering the genetic makeup by maneuvers called genetic engineering is well explored by researchers in agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and is challenging the traditional way of treatments.

Geneticists studying inheritance at molecular level have learnt to cut, splice and insert genes into organisms and read its impact. The organisms that contain and express foreign genes are popularly called genetically modified organisms or GMO. The technique utilized to cut, splice and insert gene is called genetic engineering. It makes use of tools which are enzymes. Restriction enzymes are the genetic scissors which cut the gene from superior organism and insert into recipient from which the defective gene has been removed using the same enzyme. Insertion is enabled using ligase which is the genetic glue. This technique is extended as gene therapy and is used to cure fatal diseases like diabetes, cancer, several human genetic disorders as color blindness, sickle cell anemia etc.

Research in India has focused on the bacterium Bacillus thuringienses. A gene namely Cry AC 1 in this bacterium codes for an endotoxin which is repellent to bollworms and other insects. This specific gene is incorporated in cotton plant making it insect and bollworm repellent so that it inherently wards off these pathogens from attack. This has eliminated the need for application of chemicals and fertilizers and reduced financial burden on the farmer multifold. This GMO cotton is popular in India as Bt Cotton and has ignited much debate hers from the opposing lobbies. Similarly GMO tomatoes in India are in vogue as Flavor Savr characterized by delayed ripening and better shelf life besides superior taste and increased solid soluble. Here the gene coding for enzyme polygalactourinase is lifted. This enzyme causes cell wall ripening making tomatoes soft and pulpy. Furthermore GMO pigs are subjected to human genes so that their organs carry human antigens and are not rejected following transplantation.

The seeds of Pentadiplandra brazzeanae are 2000 times sweeter than sugar. The desired gene coding for this plant are inserted into corn. The isolation, treatment and extraction of sugar from its kernels serves as a better sweeter than the synthetic ones. These are only a few examples of Genetic engineering. Its concepts and applications can be understood in a better way through books penned on the subject and sold with every bookstore in India. With e-commerce and i-shopping now extended to Indian soil these books can be located and their shopping enabled courtesy online bookstores in India.

Rosy Vohra works for online bookstore India

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Human Genetic Engineering Explained

If you are thinking of taking up genetics as your major, it is important to understand the basic concepts of the subject. In this article, we will discuss about human genetic engineering which refers to the process of genetically engineering the human beings by altering their genotypes before birth. The 'Genotype' refers to the individual's genetic constitution, with respect to the specific character under consideration. This process helps to control the traits that are possessed by the individual after birth.

The cells present in our body consist of the encoded information regarding the structure, growth, and functioning of the body, in the form of genes. The subject - human genetic engineering actually aims at de-coding this data and applying it to the benefit of mankind. There are basically two different types of genetic engineering, and they are somatic modification and germline modification.

In the case of somatic modification, genes are added to cells. This proves as a cure for several types of diseases that are caused by the defective genes. They cannot be inherited. The germline modification, on the other hand, is the form of human genetic engineering, where the genes in the early embryos are altered. The genes which are modified in this way are actually inheritable. This is quite an effective form of and it results in some enduring modifications.

The human genetic engineering can actually be classified as positive and negative. In the former kind of genetic engineering, the positive traits of the individuals are augmented. This results in increasing longevity or increasing in human capacity. The later type is about introducing the first-class copy of a definite gene into the cells. As a result, the suffering trait to genetic diseases can be lessened to a great extent.

In the case of human genetic engineering, the DNA or the genes of a human being are changed. This is used to bring about changes in the structure of the human beings. It can also be used to launch the genes for several positive and desirable characteristics in the embryos. It can also be used for finding a permanent cure for various diseases.

Some human beings possess exceptional qualities. When the genes are responsible for the qualities, they can be easily identified and implanted in early embryos. This results in what is known as the custom-made babies. If you want detailed explanation on the topic with illustrations, consider hiring a private tutor.

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Benefits of Genetic Engineering

Every human being inherits approximately 30000 genes at birth. These determine his or her physical and emotional attributes. Some of these genes might have mutated or become otherwise defective making the carrier predisposed to certain genetic diseases. These diseases may strike the person during his lifetime or alternatively may not do so at all. Nonetheless the person is a carrier and passes on these defective genes to his progeny. At some point, perhaps generations later when conditions are conducive, the disease will manifest itself.

One of the primary objectives in genetic engineering is to identify and isolate such genes with a view to repairing them or eradicating them so that their harmful effects are negated. An alternate strategy employed is to introduce a gene that has the effect of countering or combating the defective gene.

Another goal of genetic engineering is to find remedies and therapies to treat other non-genetic diseases. With preliminary data available long before the project was completed new protocols were developed to treat auto-immune and cardiac ailments.

The field of human reproduction, pharmaceuticals and medicine has gained significantly from genetic engineering. More sophisticated and effective medicines have been developed; bio-engineered insulin and human growth hormone being two such examples. With the new techniques available, at the fetus stage genetic diseases are being identified and successfully treated before birth.

Genetic engineering has thrown fresh insight into evolution and the origin and relationship man had with his primate ancestors 25 million years ago. This has enabled scientists to take a fresh look at some of the genetic diseases that might have descended through a process of evolution.

Pauline Go is an online leading expert in the medical industry. She also offers top quality articles like :

Human Chromosomes,
Mitochondrial DNA

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Who Invented Genetic Engineering?

If you are wondering who invented genetic engineering, do not be surprised to hear that this controversial area began way long ago in the early 1900s by the works of the Austrian monk and scientist named Gregor Mendel. What his work led to was the establishment of genetics as a scientific field to be studied. From then on, many other scientists followed through and made discoveries.

In 1944, Oswald Avery Colin McLeod and Maclyn McCarty found that genetic information could be found in the DNA. From then on, scientists from all over began to study on DNA and its properties. In 1953, Watson and Crick made a breakthrough when they decoded the structure of the DNA. This was an important finding because understanding the structure allowed for specific alterations to the DNA.

Then in the 1960s, Ian Wilmut had begun developing ways to clone animals from the cells of mammals. Restriction enzyme was later discovered in 1968 by Swiss microbiologist Werner Arber, followed by type II restriction enzymes found in 1969 by American biologist Hamilton Smith.

More research in genetic engineering took place in the 1970s, which focus laid on bacteria and microorganisms. From there, gene isolation and alteration techniques were developed, allowing scientists to pull one gene of a plant to another. It was also found that this could be done with animals, which would create changes to the heredity.

In 1973, a process of slicing DNAs and attaching it to another DNA was developed by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen, which allowed them to make bacteria reproduce. This was used in the production of insulin. Within that decade, scientists were also attempting to slice genes of other organisms of higher forms. The first of such was the insertion of human growth hormone into a mouse, in which made the mouse grow twice its size. In 1986, a virus that was genetically altered was sold as vaccine. In 1987, a conclusion was made that replacing genes from one organism to another would not pose danger to the environment.

Throughout the history of genetic engineering is filled with controversies and debate. While we will never know how the future will be influenced by it, the possibilities it bring is truly remarkable. Things would be different if there was no one who invented genetic engineering.

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How The Uses Of Genetic Engineering Are Endangering Dinner Time

In ancient times, farmers generally relied on the natural elements to plan their planting cycles. Crops were planted during dry season, and harvested before the wet season. Farmers also used organic or natural fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals to nurture their crops and eliminate harmful pests. As civilization progressed though, and the increasing population placed added pressures on farmers and societies to produce more food, scientists and crop experts began devising new methods for developing crops that were more resistant to varying weather patterns, pests and other external elements. Thus came forth the words genetic engineering.

In genetic engineering, the inherent structure of crops were modified in ways were they are considered safe to be eaten. Some crop breeders and scientists have even induced mutations in a crop's genetic structure though chemicals, radiation and chemicals. The process of altering a crop's genetic structure to make it pest and drought-resistant is now referred to as GMO development, or genetically modified engineering.

Is The GMO Industry Only Worried About Profit?

Today, gene transfer technology is available worldwide, and some even hail this development as a victory against pests and sudden weather changes. However, many worry that few large companies are slowly gaining full control of world agriculture, to the detriment of small farmers in poorer countries.

The GMO industry however counters that poor third-world farmers can actually adopt these GMO technologies, to help them achieve efficient farming practices, as well as to ward off harmful pests from their fields. However, critics of the uses of genetic engineering argue that genetic engineering is a technology is actually making global agriculture dependent only on large multinational companies. The potentially harmful effects of a number of GMO foods have also not yet been fully determined by health researches.

The Public Should Know The Truth Behind The GMO Research

Genetic engineering is not actually a truly safe process. One example of the hazards of GMO research was brought to the public limelight a couple of years ago, when scientists in the US state of Nebraska planned to transfer a gene from a Brazil nut to soybean, to get good quality protein. What happened was that people developed severe allergic reactions to the Brazil nuts. As a result of this debacle, the soybean genetic modification project was discontinued.

Staunch critics of genetic engineering also claim that the process has a negative impact on the environment and food safety. Although there have not yet been any publicly documented cases on any sever illness or environmental damage, the critics fear that the development of more GMO crops may lead to the possibility of creating disease or pesticide-resistant insects, as well as to the development of certain diseases and infections in humans.

Concerned whether the food you eat is genetically engineered or modified?

Recent polls show that over 90% of American's believe genetically engineered food should be labeled. Unfortunately this will not happen until consumers choose to get informed about what they are eating and stop purchasing genetically modified food.

You can take action by staying informed about GMOs at http://geneticallyengineeredfoodnews.com

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Genetic Engineering and Its Unpredictable Impact to Humanity

Genetic engineers see the potential of the industry towards being able to change the DNA. DNA recombinant technology has the potential to offer positive impacts to humanity but this goal is seemed to be opposed by several ethical groups due to various reasons. This article will investigate more on these issues over the unpredictable impact of genetic engineering.

The ability to accurately manipulate the human DNA is an opportunity to develop treatments for diseases that are impossible to cure as of the present. This can completely eliminate the possibility of having birth defects among babies. The technology can also be employed to prevent hereditary diseases and stop the transfer of these maladies from one generation to another.

Another possible benefit that this opportunity can offer is the application to agriculture by development of genetically modified plants and animals. Because of the growing population, farmers can produce more varieties of plants and animals that have more meat and fruits for food. This will allow more plentiful harvests and more access to food, which is very important especially in developing countries with larger number of mouths to feed. This will also be a prospect to develop more nutritious foods and even better tasting ones.

This intervention of men, however, can possibly have negative effects too. There are possibilities, due to the creation of these new organisms, that genetic engineering can cause havoc to our ecological balance. This is because the impact of these genetically engineered species to the environment can be unpredictable especially with our very little knowledge of the true nature of the DNA. Thus, there is the possibility of causing an imbalance in the ecosystem with the creation of these new types of organisms.

As an example of a possible scenario, genetically enhanced bacterial strains can be accidentally released to the environment to cause a serious epidemic just like the SARS epidemic. Another concern would be the possibility that genetically modified plants and animals can produce side effects such as allergies when consumed as food.

Genetic engineering can also fall to the wrong hands and be used as weapons for warfare. When this technology is used for destructive purposes, the effects can really be alarming. Genetically modified organisms can be used as biological weapons of mass destruction. Because these organisms will likely spread faster and be resistant to existing medicines, it can potentially be devastating to the society.

Genetic engineering is like a double-edged sword. It should be used with responsibility as it can produce either positive or negative effects to mankind. Yes, we may be ready to use this technology but the scientific community agrees with the fact that we are blind on all its possible consequences.

In ending, there are concerns with the little knowledge of the role of DNA among living things as of the present. But even with such lack of understanding, our genetic engineers are convinced that the potential of this newfound technology can dramatically affect humankind, either helping it or destroying it altogether. Without a doubt, there is a need to regulate this technology by different governments all over the world for it to be controlled and put to good use.

Robert Ian Maranon is a licensed chemist, environmentalist, writer, and blogger. He is also reviewing various home products in the internet.

Check out his new website on the review of Electric Clothes Airer. His site also features an eco friendly take on using these products like the use of Indoor Airer without energy costs.

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Genetic Engineering: Boon Or Curse?

Genetic Engineering is the alteration of the genes of an organism, to improve its chances of survival, boost its immunity, help in its regeneration and reproduction, and in more complex fields of study - even clone them. It is the direct manipulation of an organism's genes. It uses the techniques of cloning and transformation to alter the structure and characteristics of genes directly. It has ushered in a new era of science and technology with many successful applications. The most notable of such applications include increased crop productivity, development of insulin in hamster ovary cells, development of organs such as 'ear' on the body parts of mice and the most known example that really accelerated the researches on genetics and its application - cloning of a sheep named Dolly in 1997.

Today, genetic engineering is one of the most hotly debated topics in the world. Many believe and hope that it can once and forever get rid of all human sufferings due to diseases, disability, starvation, etc. On the other hand, more conservative and pessimistic people - who actually believe they are rather realistic, argue that genetic engineering will never be able to accomplish what it promises. They argue that it will do more harm than good citing the principles of natural selection and evolution.

Genetic Engineering has a wide range of applications including agriculture, animal husbandry, medicine and surgery. With its help, various species of crops have grown immune to many lethal diseases. Hybridization has helped to increase crop yield. Today, many species of crops such as wheat are genetically altered for high nutrition value and quicker and higher productivity. Countries all over the world are adopting genetically enhanced crops which have helped to minimize food scarcity, provide highly nutritious food and grow crops much immune to various illness and pesticides. This has thus brought about a new era of agricultural revolution, which can hopefully eradicate starvation and malnutrition.

However, some people believe that genetically altered crops are not healthy in the long run. There are also doubts about the effects of such highly enhanced and immune crops in the much delicate ecosystem. Genetically altered animals are also thought to bring about similar problems.

Similarly, genetic engineering which has proved revolutionary in the medical sector is also believed by some people to be morally and socially unethical. Altering some organism's genes is thought to be against religious beliefs and values. It is also considered immoral to hybridize some organism for selfish human needs. Most of these arguments are correct and not baseless. There have been many cases of genetically enhanced crops being potentially harmful to the consumers as well as the ecosystem. Also, it is not hard to get to the point of argument that genetic engineering, especially cloning and hybridization are immoral and unethical. However, most of the people that support the ever-increasing applications of genetic engineering argue that something that might free humans from all kinds of sufferings is bound to have some drawbacks. These drawbacks are in fact correctable provided required effort is put in. Therefore, there must not be a stop to the applications of and researches on genetic engineering. It is too great an opportunity for humans to undo their past mistakes of conflicts that have brought poverty, of mismanaged civilization and development that have brought destruction of natural resources and disturbed the delicate ecosystem, and of thoughtless and haphazard technological advancement.

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Biodiversity and Genetic Engineering

Genetic Engineering is a process of artificially modifying plant or animal cells by cutting and splicing DNA from one cell into another for the purpose of transferring desirable qualities that will make a crop resistant to herbicides, insects, or to enhance food value. When genetic engineers insert a new gene into any organism, there are what are called position effects. These effects can lead to unpredictable changes in patterns of gene expressions and genetic functions. The protein product of the inserted gene may carry out unexpected reactions, producing potentially toxic products.Genetically modified foods in U.S. markets include tomatoes, squash, yeast, corn, potatoes, canola and soybeans (which are used in 60 % of all processed foods, such as bread, pasta, candies, ice cream, pies, biscuits, margarine, meat products and vegetarian meat and cheese substitutes). Genetically engineered foods not tested nor labeled as genetically altered could jeopardize our health.

Living organisms are highly complex, and genetic engineers cannot predict all the effects of introducing these new genes. Problems may develop from this process: new toxins and allergens, loss of bio-diversity in seed and crops, or damaging health effects from manipulated food crops. When new genetic information is introduced into plants, bacteria, insects, or animals, it can then be passed into related organisms through naturally occurring processes such as cross-pollination.

It is estimated that 70% of the current genetically modified (GM) harvest is made up of herbicide-resistant crops (HRCs) designed to tolerate high levels of exposure to broad-spectrum herbicides, enabling farmers to spray only one heavy dosage per year, but still this does not break the overall cycle of dependence upon chemical applications.

This process has already created some herbicide-resistant "super weeds" causing many farmers to have to spray even greater quantities of herbicides on their GM crops because the weed species have become even harder to control. Cross-species transfers between fish and tomatoes, or other unrelated species that would not have happened in nature may create new toxins, diseases, and weaknesses that can spread across species barriers. This new combination of host genes and introduced genes have unpredictable effects. These artificially induced characteristics can be passed on to subsequent generations and other related organisms. Transferring animal genes into plants also raises important ethical issues for vegetarians and religious groups.

Another form of genetic engineering is used to create BT crops by inserting a genetically modified gene into a plant gene from a soil organism called Bacillus Thuringiensis (a pest-specific powder used, only when it is needed, by organic farmers and gardeners). This inserted gene causes the plant to produce a substance that makes it toxic to certain insects - creating a built in pesticide - eliminating the need for chemical sprays. However, insects exposed to these transgenic crops over sustained periods of time may develop immunity to BT, and even harsher pesticides will be needed to control the problem.

Genetic engineering companies are carrying out a potentially dangerous global experiment by introducing large numbers of genetically engineered foods into agriculture and food supplies which may have unanticipated and harmful side effects leading to national and/or global food shortages.

More than 50% of the crops developed by biotech companies have been engineered to be resistant to herbicides. This could promote a rapid appearance of resistant insects, destroy the beneficial insects, or alter soil organisms and ecosystems. In addition, the pesticide produced by the plant may be harmful to the health of consumers.

There is no way of knowing the overall, long-term effects of genetically engineered foods on the health of those who eat them. Since most genetically modified foods are not be labeled, manufacturers have already introduced genetically modified ingredients into many of our foods. Labeling should be required for any food that contains a genetically engineered ingredient, or has been produced using GM organisms or enzymes. This would help scientists trace the source of health problems arising from eating these foods. Food scares and epidemics are increasingly commonplace, and in response, the demand for organic food is skyrocketing. Greenpeace has launched a new version of their popular Shopper's Guide, which is an online resource to help you find out whether the food in your shopping basket is GM free go online to Shoppers Guide to GM Foods there are hundreds of products are listed that are genetically modified or have genetically modified ingredients.

The Importance of Biodiversity includes social-cultural, economic, and environmental elements. Genetic biodiversity provides not only healthy crops, it also allows for new plant and seed varieties, maintains soil fertility and its microorganisms, and makes soil and water conservation a priority. Agricultural diversity maintains our bio-diverse plants, seeds, animal food sources, croplands, pastures, range lands and the microbial and fungal sources necessary for healthy soil. Another growing objection to genetic engineering is that we don't need to figure out how to grow more food.

According to the Institute for Food Development Policy, nearly one third of the worlds land area is used for food production and we already grow more than enough to feed everyone. If the vitality, biodiversity, and health of our soil and crops can be improved, plants would be naturally resistant to pests and disease. We need to educate our farmers about the benefits of bio-diversity, soil sustainability, plant and animal health, natural pesticides, composting, and companion planting.

It has been estimated that only 1% of pesticides applied to crops reach the insects they are designed to kill; the other 99% pollutes the air, soil, food, water, kills wildlife, ruining the vitality of the soil. In the past it has been acceptable for farmers and gardeners to buy and spread chemicals and pesticides over their crops instead of understanding the mechanisms of sustainable organic growing methods, and the importance of biodiversity. As consumers demand more organic foods and growing methods, governments, agribusinesses, giant chemical companies, farmers, and home gardeners will be motivated to eliminate the use of genetically altered seeds and plants, carcinogenic pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Hopefully, this will grow to include the livestock and fisheries industries currently using antibiotics, chemical food additives, growth regulators, and hormones.

"When the planes still swoop down and aerial spray a field in order to kill a predator insect with pesticides, we are in the Dark Ages of commerce. Maybe one thousandth of this aerial insecticide actually prevents the infestation. The balance goes to the leaves, into the soil, into the water, into all forms of wildlife, into our selves. What is good for the balance sheet is wasteful of resources and harmful to life."
-Paul Hawkin from The Ecology of Commerce

Frank and Vicky Giannangelo
Copyright (c) 2008 Giannangelo Farms Southwest

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Giannangelo
http://EzineArticles.com/?Biodiversity-and-Genetic-Engineering&id=1788731

29. Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Learn More about Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

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