What are Genetically Modified Foods- Rebuttal

     Genetically modified foods, GMFs, is a terminology that is most commonly used to describe crops/plants that have been created for human consumption.  These foods have been created in labs to enhance desired traits such as an increased tolerance for herbicides or an improved nutritional content.  The enhancement of these desired traits is brought to life by genetic engineering.  The geneticists that work behind the scenes of genetic engineering, are responsible for isolating a desired gene and inserting it into any crop that they desire.  For example, a geneticist can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that same exact gene into another plant so that the newly modified plant will have drought tolerance as well.  Kind of nifty, huh?

Well in a sense, it kind of is.  But one of the craziest things about genetically modified foods is that geneticist can take genes from non-plant organisms and transfer them into plants that are meant for human consumption.  For example, geneticists have taken B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis), a naturally occurring bacterium that is deadly to insect larvae, and inserted it into corn so that the corn will produce its own pesticides against certain insects. So once you think about it, it’s kind of like we’re putting all of these different pesticides and chemicals into our bodies because once a gene is placed in the genetic makeup of an organism that we consume, it’s kind of near impossible for it to be taken out, right? 

                          

                            

But it’s okay, because you’re probably one of those people who reads all of the labels on your food before consuming it so it’s impossible for you to have come across a GMF.  Unfortunately, what most people don’t know is that the FDA does not require companies that produce these genetically modified products to label them as just that.  They can put a regular label on the food and not even hint to it even being genetically modified.  Moreover, 80 percent of the crops grown in the United States are genetically modified, so therefore it is a high chance that every American has come into contact with a GMF at one point or another.

And if you’re one of those people who only eats locally grown food or food that comes straight out of your garden then it’s impossible for you to come into contact with GMFs, right? Wrong.  GMF seeds have the tendency to spread with the wind.  You could think that you are consuming all organically grown crops, when you are really consuming a GMF.  Because GMFs aren’t weird alien like foods, they look just like the normal stuff.  So unless you are a scientist or a professional “GMF picker” then I’m pretty sure you have consumed a GMF at one point in your life.

*The pictures throughout this blog are meant for my visual readers out there, because I know that it is easier to comprehend something with pictures due to me being a visual person myself. And plus it adds a little "pizzazz" to the blog! :)*