Genetically engineered (GE) foods have had their DNA changed using genes from other plants or animals. Scientists take the gene for a desired trait in one plant or animal, and they insert that gene into a cell of another plant or animal. Show FunctionGenetic engineering can be done with plants, animals, or bacteria and other very small organisms. Genetic engineering allows scientists to move desired genes from one plant or animal into another. Genes can also be moved from an animal to a plant or vice versa. Another name for this is genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. The process to create GE foods is different than selective breeding. This involves selecting plants or animals with desired traits and breeding them. Over time, this results in offspring with those desired traits. One of the problems with selective breeding is that it can also result in traits that are not desired. Genetic engineering allows scientists to select one specific gene to implant. This avoids introducing other genes with undesirable traits. Genetic engineering also helps speed up the process of creating new foods with desired traits. The possible benefits of genetic engineering include:
Some people have expressed concerns about GE foods, such as:
These concerns have thus far been unfounded. None of the GE foods used today have caused any of these problems. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assesses all GE foods to make sure they are safe before allowing them to be sold. In addition to the FDA, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulate bioengineered plants and animals. They assess the safety of GE foods to humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Food SourcesCotton, corn, and soybeans are the main GE crops grown in the United States. Most of these are used to make ingredients for other foods, such as:
Other major GE crops include:
Side EffectsThere are no side effects from consuming GE foods. RecommendationsThe World Health Organization, the National Academy of Science, and several other major science organizations across the globe have reviewed research on GE foods and have found no evidence that they are harmful. There are no reports of illness, injury, or environmental harm due to GE foods. Genetically engineered foods are just as safe as conventional foods. The US Department of Agriculture has recently started requiring food manufacturers to disclose information about bioengineered foods and their ingredients. Alternative NamesBioengineered foods; GMOs; Genetically modified foods ReferencesHielscher S, Pies I, Valentinov V, Chatalova L. Rationalizing the GMO debate: the ordonomic approach to addressing agricultural myths. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016;13(5):476. PMID: 27171102 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27171102/. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. US Department of Agriculture website. National bioengineered food disclosure standard. www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/national-bioengineered-food-disclosure-standard. Effective date: February 19, 2019. Accessed September 28, 2020. US Food and Drug Administration website. Understanding new plant varieties. www.fda.gov/food/food-new-plant-varieties/consumer-info-about-food-genetically-engineered-plants. Updated March 2, 2020. Accessed September 28, 2020. Review Date 8/20/2020Updated by: Meagan Bridges, RD, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Why do scientists create transgenic organisms?Most transgenic organisms are generated in the laboratory for research purposes. For example, “knock-out” mice are transgenic mice that have a particular gene of interest disabled. By studying the effects of the missing gene, researchers can better understand the normal function of the gene.
What makes an organism transgenic quizlet?What is a transgenic organism? Its an organism produced by the insertion of recombinant DNA into the genome of the organism.
What are transgenic organisms answer?The organisms or cells whose genome is altered by injection of one or more foreign DNA sequences from another species by artificial means are known as transgenic organisms. Transgenic organisms are used for research purposes. Transgenic organisms are also known as Genetically modified organisms (GMO).
What is the process of creating a transgenic organism?To obtain a transgenic organism, specific DNA sequences are typically introduced into the genome of an organism and expressed under the control of a specific promoter sequence to guide the cellular, temporal, and spatial localization of transgene expression.
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