Genetically Modified Food
Soon There May Be No Choice
Genetically modified food could be one of those health-choices-for-life with serious implications for our long term health. GM food is more commonplace in our food chain than we realize and it has a lot of people, scientists and farmers running around in confusion. In fact genetic engineering is becoming the norm in the world of animal factory farming and big industrial crop production. If it is a good thing, then why all the uproar? If it as a bad thing, then what are the dangers and the long term outlook for both farmers and consumers? This section will focus on the controversies surrounding genetically modified food, specifically cultivated food crops. A short paragraph on the state of genetically modified animals in factory farms is also included. 
Photo: Corn plants, GMO or no? Probably so. So far genetic alterations in food crops include corn, soybeans, cotton (for cottonseed oil), alfalfa (animal feed), tomatoes, canola, sugar cane, sugar beets, rice, squash and sweet peppers. As time goes by the list will certainly get longer unless limited by legislation, litigation or consumer outrage.
Genetically Modified Foods DefinedBiotechnology is the science that is used to manipulate life forms, or genetically engineer a life form into one that has new or different characteristics from the original organism. Simply stated, genetic engineering involves taking genes from one life form and introducing them (splicing) into another life form to produce DNA sequences that would not be normally found in nature or in the target species. Recombinant DNA is the term given to a DNA molecule made of two (or more) different organisms spliced together in a laboratory.  Photo: Soybean plants, most likely GMO
As a memory refresher, recall that DNA carries the information for encoding or expressing genes. Genes are made of DNA and chromosomes carry genes. In humans there are 24,000 genes carried on 23 pairs of chromosomes. The genome is what we call a full set of chromosomes and genes. Thus, a genetically modified organism is one that has been created by changing its genetic material using recombinant DNA technology. Because the structure of DNA is such that DNA molecules from all organisms share the same nucleotides, or building blocks, consisting of the same sugar and phosphate group and one of five different bases; A, T, U, C and G. A base pair refers to the chemical reaction between the nucleotide building blocks where within the nucleic acid strands of the DNA helix, base A always pairs with T or U, and base G always pairs with C. What all that means is that the recombinant DNA can originate from any species and be joined to that of any other species. For example, plant DNA can be joined to a bacterial DNA; or human DNA can be joined to a fungal DNA; or anything else the scientific mind can imagine. Therein lays the cause for concern, if not outright alarm. The dangers and concerns will be covered shortly.
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