Genetically modified foods are foods that have been modified through genetic engineering to alter their DNA. The document discusses how GM foods are created by inserting or deleting genes to make foods more resistant, nutritious, or efficient to grow. It provides examples of cotton modified to be pest resistant and sweet peppers resistant to viruses. While GM foods may be more nutritious or productive, some argue they could provoke allergic reactions or be dominated by a few companies. The document explores both pros and cons of genetically modified foods.

1. Genetically
Modified Foods
A slideshow by Rowan Hill

2. What?
Genetically modified foods (GMs) are foods derived from
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) which have had
their DNA changed through genetic engineering.
Deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA is the building block of all life
on earth and is not dissimilar to computer code, that is it
can be programed, this programed food has been
genetically modified therefore it is a GMO. So
briefly, genetically modifying an organism and ultimately a
food is done by the insertion and deletion of genes.
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3. Why?
Organisms are generally modified to make them more
resistant, to make them more nutritious or to make them
larger or more space efficient.
Here are a couple of examples;
Name of Food Why? What?
Cotton Pest resistant Crystal protein
cotton gene added
Sweet peppers Resistant to virus Vaccinated with a
small amount of
virus
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4. When and Who
Genetically modified foods were first put on the market in
1994 with the tomato which could ripen without
softening, this tomato called Flavrsavr was created by
Calgene. Although Flavrsavr was the first official GM food
using the removal or input of genes, hundreds of years
earlier farmers were taking their tallest crops or their
biggest crops and separating them from the smaller ones
so that the crops produced will then be increased.
So as you can see foods are genetically modified so they
can be more efficient to grow or would keep
longer, generally to make foods easier to eat, use, store
and grow.
Con
s
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5. Pros
 To develop food that can deliver vaccines – i.e.
bananas that produce the hepatitis B vaccine.
 More nutritious foods – rice with increased iron and
vitamins.
 Faster growing fish, fruit and nut trees.
 Plants producing new plastics.
 Prevents wasted crops. If pests cannot eat the crops,
nothing goes to waste. Therefore, farmers make more
money.
Galler Con
y s
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6. Cons
 Domination of world food production by a few
companies.
 More likely to provoke an allergic reaction than its
natural counterpart.
 Many religious and cultural communities are against
genetically modified foods because they see it as an
unnatural way of producing foods.
 There are many rumours that are spread through the
world, the Agrarian Party of Russia states that “slowly
but surely you will turn into a mutant if you eat imported
potatoes.”
 Danger of cross pollination (explained on page 10)
Gallery
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7. Gallery
Image depicting
the changes Image of
mutated lemon Image showing
and
not necessarily Greenpeace (an
exaggerating
for or against environmental protection
these changes
GM foods. campaign) demonstrating
by showing an
against GM foods.
evil looking
mutated apple. GM foods – is
it the answer?
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9. Further Research
 “Consumer acceptance of genetically
modified foods”, by Robert Eugene
Evenson.
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-
11631254
 “inside the contoversy over genetically
modified food”, by Lisa H. Weasel.
GM foods
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song

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11. Cross Pollination
A big worry with GM foods is cross – pollination between
GM crops and „normal crops‟.
Cross – pollination is when pollen from a GM crop fertilises
a „normal‟ crop and vice versa so that the farmer of the
„normal‟ crop cannot claim his crops are GM free.
Research is being done into the production of GMOs that
cannot pollinate a non – GMO crop.
There is now a type of GM mize which cannot pollinate
other strains and scientists hope this could be done to all
GM crops to stop cross – pollination.
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12. Sources
 BBC news website
 Youtube
 Google images
 http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/b
hcarticles.nsf/pages/genetically_modified_
foods?open
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/20
11/oct/19/gm-foods-a-biotech-revolution
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13. Conclusion
As GM foods are in their infancy, time and scientific tests in
the future will probably reveal more good and bad points
about GM foods.
So you have seen the Pros, the cons, images, theories and
who, what ,where, why and when and also sources for
further information if you would like to take your knowledge
of Genetic modification further.
But is for you to make up your own mind.
What do you think?
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