Unit 4: Genetically Engineered

Food
Crystal Pettigrew
Kaplan University

HW499-01: Unit: Bachelors

Capstone in Health and Wellness
Professor Henningsen
February 24, 2018
Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMOs)
What are genetically modified (GM) organisms
and GM foods?

• Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms

(i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material
(DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by
mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called
“modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also
“recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. It allows
selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into
another, also between nonrelated species. Foods produced from or
using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.
 GMO’s
• Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms
whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does
not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a
different organism. Currently available GM foods stem mostly from
plants, but in the future foods derived from GM microorganisms or
GM animals are likely to be introduced on the market. Most existing
genetically modified crops have been developed to improve yield,
through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or of increased
tolerance of herbicides.
 Should people eat GMO foods?
• People should definitely research the pros and cons of how GMO can
affect your health especially if you have allergic reactions to certain
foods that can sometimes be substituted in another food that does not
pose certain allergic reactions until it has been altered to carry the gene
that cause the allergic reaction. The best approach is to education
yourself so that you can make informed decision based on the needs of
your health and our environment.
• In the future, genetic modification could be aimed at altering the
nutrient content of food, reducing its allergenic potential, or improving
the efficiency of food production systems. All GM foods should be
assessed before being allowed on the market.
 Why are GM foods produced?
• GM foods are developed – and marketed – because there is some
perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer of these foods.
This is meant to translate into a product with a lower price, greater
benefit (in terms of durability or nutritional value) or both. Initially
GM seed developers wanted their products to be accepted by
producers and have concentrated on innovations that bring direct
benefit to farmers (and the food industry generally
Do you think there are certain groups of people
who should avoid GMO foods (children,
pregnant women, cancer patients, etc.?)
• Yes, GM food could be toxic to a mother and her unborn child, some
GM foods are modified with bacteria and viruses. In addition research
shows that rats suffered from various physical changes some
precancerous
Do you think that you should know if what you are
eating is genetically modified? Current regulations
do not make this necessary. (Awful!)

• Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show

that a significant majority of Americans want to
know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs,
the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in
keeping this information from the public. In the
absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO
Project was created to give consumers the informed
Policy Strategy
 How are GM foods regulated nationally?

• The way governments have regulated GM foods varies. In some

countries GM foods are not yet regulated. Countries which have
legislation in place focus primarily on assessment of risks for
consumer health. Countries which have regulatory provisions for GM
foods usually also regulate GMOs in general, taking into account
health and environmental risks, as well as control- and trade-related
issues (such as potential testing and labelling regimes). In view of the
dynamics of the debate on GM foods, legislation is likely to continue
to evolve.
What kind of GM foods are on the market
internationally?
• GM crops available on the international market today have been
designed using one of three basic traits: resistance to insect damage;
resistance to viral infections; and tolerance towards certain herbicides.
GM crops with higher nutrient content (e.g. soybeans increased oleic
acid) have been also studied recently.
What happens when GM foods are traded
internationally?

• The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) is the joint FAO/WHO

intergovernmental body responsible for developing the standards,
codes of practice, guidelines and recommendations that constitute the
Codex Alimentarius, meaning the international food code. Codex
developed principles for the human health risk analysis of GM foods
in 2003.
Nutrition Incentive Policy Work
Scaling nutrition incentive work nationally since 2008

• Engaging with Congress and Federal Agencies:

• Senate and House Agriculture Committees, Nutrition
Subcommittees
• USDA – Office of the Secretary, Food & Nutrition
Services, NIFA, Ag Marketing Services, Rural
Development

• Convened national coalition of groups supporting nutrition

incentives to inform 2018 Farm Bill

• Successfully established and included the new USDA,

Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant program in
the 2014 Farm Bill

• FINI provides $100 million in competitive matching grants

(over 4 years) to support and expand fruit and vegetable
incentives through SNAP
 The team collaborates w ith
Aggregat ed food from over
and advises the b usinesses, 350 farmers and fisherman

Healthy Food Commerce

government entities, investors,
and customers that ar e building
a vibrant, just, and sustainab le
Creat ed or support ed over
50 jobs in 2013, with over
80 new jobs expected in 2014
SHARIN G KN OWLEDGE
Trained over 450 people on how
to understand and assess food hub
food system. Paid over $7 million businesses using the HFCI Food Hub
to local food producers Business Assessment Toolkit
Strengthening Local and Regional Food Supply Chains
Small and Wholesale
Mid-Sized and Inst it ut ional
Producers THE REGIO N A L Market s
FO O D SUPPLY CHA IN

Schools
Farmers Wholesome Wave w orks
w it h Regional Food Hubs

Hospit als
Fishermen CSA
First -Mile Last -Mile Ret ail or
Aggregat ion Dist ribut ion diversified
market s
Corporat e
Cafet erias
Livest ock/ Dairy
Producers
Processing for Processing for
Convenience Preservat ion
Grocery St ores

Value-Added
Producers Rest aurant s
How FVRx Works
 FVRx Policy Work
Goal: Expand and incorporate FVRx programming into federal health programs through:
Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and the military
Engaging Policymakers Through:
Congress
• Tri Caucus: Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), and
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC)

• Hill Champions: Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee members, DOD Appropriations

Subcommittee members, CT Delegation, NY Delegation, other key members

• $1.5 million pending in FY2016 DOD authorizing language for FVRx pilots on military bases

• Drafting legislation to expand FVRx

Federal Agencies
• HHS: CDC and CMS

• DOD: Defense Health System and Healthy Bases Initiative

States
• NY State to expand and institutionalize FVRx
 Reference:
www.wholesomewave.org
www.geneticallymodifiedfoods.com
www.GeneticallyModifiedFoods.com
genetically modified food. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2018,
from http://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-
technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/

Shaping our food – an overview of crop and livestock breeding.

Edited by A. Lehrman. Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden. Published in 2014, pp. 176.
ISBN 978-91-637-5757-0 Available at
http://tr.anpdm.com/track?t=c&mid=11856281&uid=60329570
9&&&http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slu.se%2Fshapingourfood%2Fen
. (2014). Animal Genetic Resources/Ressources génétiques
animales/Recursos genéticos animales, 55, 143.
doi:10.1017/s2078633614000435