Keywords: GMO Foods, Genetically Modified food, Health, Organic, Labeling
Page Description: GMO foods are foods that are modified using genetic engineering. Due to health risks associated with intake of genetically modified food, testing and labeling them is important.
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What are GMO Foods?
GMO foods are genetically modified foods that have been produced through genetic engineering techniques. In the GMO foods, foreign genes are inserted into the DNA of the plants. Such altered DNA merged from different species does not occur naturally in the foods. The GMO foods are modified in the laboratory to incorporate desired traits in the new species viz. resistance to herbicides, improvement of nutritional content etc. Organic foods are not genetically modified. According to the guidelines, foods that are marked as organic should not contain GMO foods. Only the food which is 100% organic should be bought by the consumers.
Some of the examples of GMO foods are:
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As this genetically modified food was not successful, now there is no commercial production of potato.
• Tomato: Flavr Savr tomato was the first commercially produced genetically modified food, introduced in the year 1994. Genetically modified tomato has been considered as one of the “low risk” GMO foods by the Non-GMO Project Standard.
What are the Advantages of GMO Foods?
• Genetically modified food is herbicide tolerant and prevents damage to environment as lesser amounts of herbicides would be used.
• Drought tolerant genetically modified food can withstand for longer period in times of drought.
• Genetically modified food is pest resistant and eliminates the use of pesticides.
• Disease resistant and cold tolerant genetically modified food can be produced.
Health Issues and Labeling of GMO