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Logan Vander Velden

Mrs. Noffsinger
BioTech
25 January
GMO Safety
Every day foods containing GMOs are raised, bought, and consumed by humans. Without proof of
these foods being safe this has raised a huge controversy. People want these foods to be labeled and
researched, for these people believe that GMOs could lead to many health problems for not only humans,
but crop production and agriculture as well.

GMOs are organisms that have been changed by genetic engineering (1). These GMOs have been added
to our food to what many people think, makes the food better. However, according to a 2008 news poll by
CBS, it is shown that 87% of people want food with GMOs to be labeled (2). This is especially important
considering that 53% of people wouldnt buy foods containing GMOs, according to a New York Times
poll, and the fact that up to 80% of store processed foods contain GMOs (2). Many people however
believe that GMOs are safe, but the answer may never be found without more research.

We can learn more about these type of plants through the processes by which they are made by. Plant
genetic engineering is the type of engineering that makes plants like these possible (3). The beginning of
this process is DNA extraction (3). This is where scientists extract a desired DNA trait from another
organism (3). After this scientists extract all DNA at once and single out a desired trait in a process called
DNA cloning (3). Scientists then perform DNA design, where they make the new gene work in another
organism (3). The next step for the scientists is Transformation (3). The main goal here is to deliver the
new genes into the nucleus safely these new plants are grown and their seeds are taken (3). Backcross
breeding is the final step in this process (3). This is where transgenic plants are always brought to be
crossed with elite breeding plants, containing a powerful transgenic plant process (3). All of this is

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basically a process to take traits from organisms to make these plants superior, but we still dont know if
this process is beneficial to the plant and the people who consume it.

Deep within the process in transforming foods genetically is the process of cellular respiration. This
process results in nitrogen bases being paired down and made into a gene. Scientists can change this by
taking a gene or genes from one organism and putting those genes into the code for this DNA. It all starts
when mRNA detaches from DNA after it has copied the DNA and is transferred into the ribosomes in
cytoplasm. This happens right after The DNA helix is unzipped by the Helicase. Along with the DNA
polymerase making sure all the bases are paired correctly so that they can be copied. Once the DNA code
is copied tRNA or transfer RNA transfers the new code to be paired. The codes are eventually paired
down to new genes based on what code they are. It starts with a DNA sequence being paired with A being
paired with T, and C being paired with G. This code is changed by changing the A being paired with a U
in mRNA. An amino acid is then made by taking three bases at a time. This is altered and changed when
scientists insert new codes and bases, which in turn create new genes.

In conclusion we have some proof is worth being considered against GMOs. However, there are
hardly any facts set in stone about GMOs being safe or harmful. One big fact against these GMOs is that
the chemicals used to raise them cause super weeds and can alter crop production, in which could lead to
altercations for humans eating these. And until further research is done we will not know if these crops
are okay for human consumption. Until that these are further researched and proven alright, all these
people will still believe that GMOs are unnecessary and will always be against them.

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Bibliography

(3) "AgBiosafety at UNL - Biotech Basic The Process of Plant Genetic Engineering."
AgBiosafety at UNL - Biotech Basic The Process of Plant Genetic Engineering. Web. 29
Jan. 2016. <http://agbiosafety.unl.edu/education/summary.htm.

(1) ( Random House, Inc. , httpt://dictionary.reference.com/browsers /)

(2)

( Fleck, Desiree. GMO Awaress. Web. 25 Jan. 2016. < https://gmoawareness.org/)

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Work Cited