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= = = = =Biology 103; Environmental Science= Professor D.C. Wilson Marti Holmes = = =Biotechnology and Genetically modified foods=

**Can Biotechnology and Genetically modified foods be harmful to our health and environment?**
====Is there a reason that Americans are called the biggest people on the planet? Look around, increased cases of obesity, childhood obesity, diabetes, childhood diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Could the reason be as close as the dinner table? Could the food we put into our mouths everyday be a part of the problem?====

**media type="youtube" key="1H9WZGKQeYg" height="354" width="622" align="left"The history of Biotechnology and Genetically modified foods**
====Biotechnology means using Biological science to create products. GM means genetically modified. Genetically modified foods are created when we modify segments of DNA in crops. GM foods are one type of biotechnology.====

Genetically modified crops consist of more than two-thirds of the soybeans, corn, cotton and canola in the U.S.
====In 1996, the food industry started putting genetically modified foods on the market. Between 1997-1999 more genetically modified ingredients were put into U.S. processed foods. If you've eaten any type of pre-made food with corn syrup or high fructose syrup you've consumed genetically modified food. Even cattle, pigs and chickens are feed genetically modified corn. Chickens are given hormones to make them grow faster. We do not know how this will effect our health in the future.==== ====Scientists make genetically engineered organisms by changing the genetic blue print of a living organism by taking the DNA from one or more organisms and placing them into another organism to create a genetically engineered organism. This process is done in crops to produce certain traits such as rapid growth, disease and pest resistance or higher nutritional value.==== ====The U.S. government prevents GMO labeling. Europe has banned GM ingredients after a GMO food safety scandal in early 1999. After a gag order was lifted Dr. Arpad Pusztai admitted to discovering genetically engeneered foods were not safe and could cause damage to human health.==== media type="youtube" key="hDPrQakrqN8" height="380" width="677" align="right"

The downside of genetically engineering crops with Bt (Bacillus Thuringiensis) is that these crops have high-potency levels of Bt and the insects that survive after being exposed become superpests.
====Many farms use insects, birds, and bees to combat harmful pests and keep their crops healthy. If these beneficial insects, birds, and bees eat a harmful pest that has eaten a Bt crop it can have unpredictable outcomes. In one case researchers found the mortality rate of green lacewings rose 150 percent after eatting corn-borers that had consumed Bt corn. In another, bees fed protein from genetically engineered rapeseed plants caused mortality rates to increase.==== ====Soil damage has been occuring from genetically engineered crop roots through Bt toxins. Engineered Bt remains in the soil after crop harvest. Bt toxins can bind with soil and stay toxic to insects living in the soil for long periods of time.====

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**Public Health impacts of Biotechnology and Genetically modified foods.**
====Scientists don't know all there is to know about DNA. Gene interaction is very complex. Scientists don't know the long term effects of consuming G.E. foods. It has been proven that G.E. foods have less nutritional value and quality than non-G.E. foods. Proteins cause allergic reactions and gene transfer in crops has some protein production. Protein within plants may potentiallly cause humans uncommon or unknown allergic reactions. It is extremely difficult to predict allergies in G.E. foods. there have been cases of animals dying and people becoming sick in areas where pesticides have been sprayed.====

Public Policy Options related to issue: Pros and Cons.
====Genetically engeneered crops could save the world from famine. Many people are on the verge of starvation even though there are no food shortages in the world. People are hungry because they are too poor to buy or produce food.==== ====Untested and unlabeled gene foods may cause humans to develop new allergies and antibiotic resistance. In the U.S. genetically engeneered foods don't undergo mandatory safety testing before going to the stores. The FDA says G.E. foods are not additives and this is why they are not tested. Other countries are following the precautionary principle and waiting for these products to be proven safe before they are sold. Congress has not passed any regulations regarding genetically engineered crops.==== ====Currently the food industry has begun selling unlabeled cloned meat. They think it is not in the public's best interest to know these things. If the FDA will not protect us, we must protect ourselves by becoming more informed and avoiding these products.====

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[|www.foodinc.com]
[|www.responsibletechnology.org] [|www.articles.mercola.com] Genetic Engineering: The world's greatest scam Genetically engineered food: a self defense guide for consumers-Ronnie Cummins and Ben Lilliston


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