GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOs)

DEFINITION OF GM FOODS                                                                                                      

Genetically modified foods or GM foods, also known as genetically engineered foods or bio-engineered foods, are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering techniques allow for the introduction of new traits as well as greater control over traits than previous methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding.

Genetically modified foods, GM foods or genetically engineered foods, are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering as opposed to traditional cross breeding.
DEFINITION OF GMOs                                                                                                         
According to the World Health Organization (WHO),"Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was

defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that it does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination.The technology is often called 'modern biotechnology' or 'gene technology', sometimes also
'recombinant DNA technology' or 'genetic engineering'.Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.                                                                                                                     

HOW ARE GMOs MADE                                                                                                           GMOs are made when a gene from one organism is purposely moved to improve or change anotherorganism in a laboratory, the result is a genetically modified organism (GMO). It is also sometimescalled "transgenic" for transfer of genes. There are different ways of moving genes to produce desirable traits.These are the the traditional selective breeding and laboratory transfer of gene of the desired traits into another organism.

EXAMPLES OF GMOs                                                                                                         Commercial sales of genetically modified foods began in 1994, when Calgene first marketed its unsuccessful Flavr Savr delayed-ripening tomato. Most food modifications have primarily focused on crops in high demand by farmers such as soybean, corn and cotton. Genetically modified crops have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and for better nutrient profiles.GM livestock have been developed, although as of November 2013 none were on the market.
This genetic manipulation of food began with the domestication of plants and animals through artificial selection at about 10,500 to 10,100 BC.

The process of selective breeding, in which organisms with desired traits (and thus with the desired genes) are used to breed the next generation (organisms lacking the trait are not bred),is a precursor to the modern concept of genetic modification (GM).With the discovery of DNA in the early 1900s and various advancements in genetic techniques through the 1970s,it became possible to directly alter the DNA and genes within food.
The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1983, using an antibiotic-resistant tobacco plant.Genetically modified microbial enzymes were the first application of genetically modified organisms in food production and were approved in 1988 by the US Food and Drug Administration.In the early 1990s, recombinant chymosin was approved for use in several countries.Cheese had typically been made using the enzyme complex rennet that had been extracted from cows' stomach lining. Scientists modified bacteria to produce chymosin, which was also able to clot milk, resulting in cheese curds.
The first genetically modified food approved for release was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994 developed by Calgene, it was engineered to have a longer shelf life by inserting an antisense gene that delayed ripening.China was the first country to commercialize a transgenic crop in 1993 with the introduction of virus-resistant tobacco.In 1995, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Potato was approved for cultivation, making it the first pesticide producing crop to be approved in the USA.Other genetically modified crops receiving marketing approval in 1995 were: canola with modified oil composition, Bt maize, cotton resistant to the herbicide bromoxynil, Bt cotton, glyphosate-tolerant soybeans, virus-resistant squash, and another delayed ripening tomato. The creation of golden rice in 2000, resulted in scientists making genetically modified food to increase its nutrient value for the first time.

By 2010, 29 countries had planted commercialized biotech crops and a further 31 countries had granted regulatory approval for transgenic crops to be imported.The US was the leading country in the production of GM foods in 2011, with twenty-five GM crops approved.In 2015, 92% of corn, 94% of soybeans, and 94% of cotton produced in the US were genetically modified strains.The first genetically modified animal to be approved for food use was AquAdvantage  salmon in 2015.The salmon were transformed with a growth hormone-regulating gene from a Pacific Chinook salmon and a promoter from an ocean pout enabling it to grow year-round instead of only during spring and summer.Genetically engineered products are not new. Insulin used in medicine is an example of genetic engineering; the insulin gene from the intestines of pigs is inserted into bacteria. The bacterium grows and produces insulin; this insulin is then purified and used for medical purposes. Thyroid hormones, until recently was derived only from animals, now the hormone can be cultured from bacteria. Other genetically engineered products include the chemical Aspartame used in sugar free foods, and the drug hepatitis B vaccine.

PROS OF GMO FOODS
Scientists genetically engineer seeds for many reasons. For example, they sometimes make changes designed to increase a plant’s:Resistance to insects,Tolerance to herbicides,Tolerance for heat, cold, or drought and Crop yield.
They also engineer seeds to give GM foods stronger colors, increase their shelf life, or eliminate seeds.

That’s why we can buy seedless watermelons and grapes. Some GM foods also have been engineered to have higher levels of specific nutrients, such as protein, calcium, or folate.
Proponents of GM food contend that genetic engineering can help us find sustainable ways to feed people.In countries that lack access to nutrient-rich foods,cultivation of some GM crops makes it so they can grow in marginal environments.The longer shelf life of some GM foods allows them to be shipped to remote areas.

POTENTIAL CONS OF GM FOODS
Till now, many still wonder if GM foods are safe and healthy to eat. Genetic engineering remains a relatively new development and as a result of this,research on the long-term health effects of GM foods is still limited.However,GM foods have to meet the same safety requirements as foods grown from non-GM seeds.Though, critics suggest that there is more to be concerned about as they propose that GM foods may be linked to allergies, antibiotic resistance, or cancer.