Genetic Modification of Foods

Sarah Stein and Emma Scotson

Period 3

Basic Principles of Genetics

If a dominant allele is present it will show and mask the recessive allele. If the dominant allele is not present

then the recessive trait will appear.

Traits controlled with two co-dominant alleles show both traits but do not blend.

The alleles on each chromosome separate and one allele from each pair goes to each sex cell.

Human Genome Project

The main goal of the human genome project is to identify the DNA sequence of every gene in the human genome. The project started in 1990.

People think that because of their genes (genetic info) , they will be discriminated against (Social).Employers may not want to choose people with genetic health problems. They may not choose people based on their genetic information under federal law if they have equal to or more than 15 workers (Federal).Insurance companies want genetic information because then if the person has any health problems then they get to charge more, which is unfair (Ethical).

The law prohibits discrimination by employers and insurers (based on genetic information and health problems), changing GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008)

Genetic Disorder

Single Gene Disorder – runs in families, includes cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia, symptoms vary from person to person

Chromosome Abnormalities – includes Down Syndrome and Turner Syndrome, symptoms are deletions and duplications, or abnormal chromosomes

Multifactorial Disorders- conditions with many different factors, includes heart disease and diabetes, can be caused by enviornment, multiple genes, and lifestyle

Argument 1: Decide for ourselves?Do genetically modified plants help a new world of choices or limit it down to a world with only one?

Lately there has been talk of labeling if a food (crop) has been genetically modified or changed, there will not be a label telling customers so. This is mainly because business

companies think that it will effect its rate of products sold. This limits the choice of a customer. Instead of letting them decide if they would like a GM food or non-GM food, they just give them one or the other and don't tell that customer which kind they are giving to it. The thing is, is that company’s only look at the short term effects on the human body that a

GM food could have. They don’t even bother researching if it would cause any long term effects on a human. If no short term effects that might be caused by a GM food are found, then

the FDA approves the company to sell it and not have to put a label.The force of putting a label on GM food by law has been talked and thought about, but not

enforced. There is an argument that GM foods and ones that aren't GM are the same and it is a waste of money and time to label that they are GM. I can get why companies would say this.

Why spend extra money and precious time for putting a small label on foods saying that there is a minor difference between that and another food? But don't people have the right to know

what they are consuming in their own bodies? What if GM foods have some chemicals that can cause severe allergies in people? There may

not be a difference in taste, I don't know about that, but the chemicals GM foods and crops contain might hurt people. And people should be alerted about if their food is GM!? Lookout

for soybean, corn, cotton and canola folks! Those are the most GE crops there are, and who knows if there will be a label telling you if it is or not?

Argument 2: It Helps Me, It Helps Me Not.Does genetically modifying crops help eliminate human

allergies or just make things worse?

Some people would say that a pro of Genetically Modifying (or Engineering) plants/crops is that scientists can change a plant’s DNA and make it so a person will

not have allergies when consuming this plant. But is this really a pro?If we genetically modify the system of a plant’s DNA it may lessen allergies for one person. But, what if it causes new allergies for another? It could even make a person already allergic have even worse allergies to that plant because what if scientists add

a chemical to a plant to change its DNA, that causes allergy symptoms?There are no tests to prove that GM plants are safe. There also isn’t anything to

prove that “fixing plants to decrease allergies” isn’t just “intoxicating humans and sending them into the ER because you have strengthened their allergies”. FDA microbiologist Louis Pribyl said that The only definitive test for  allergies,""is

human consumption by affected peoples, which can have ethical considerations

Argument 3

Sarah was assigned arguments 3 and 4 these are not completed

Argument 4

Arguments 1-4

The Cons1. People don’t know if it’s modified or not because

the companies are not labeling their products.

2. Genetically modified food might cause allergies to get worse.

Arguments 5-8

The Pros

Argument 5: Time consuming

More weeds and less crops with multiple doses of weed killers?Or Genetically modified plants that can resist one powerful herbicide?

We weed our gardens, we spray, and we pull those unhelpful small weeds from the ground. You may do it also. But when

your spraying your plants with an herbicide, to kill off weeds, you have to spray with so many different large doses of kinds,

making sure you kill those weeds off. (TAB) There is no reason for this much time to be spent and

hassle to be made! With genetically modified plants we can have more time in our lives. GM plants can have their DNA altered to make it resist one very large and powerful weed-

killer spray instead of medium doses of different kinds. This kills off the weeds with one easy spray. The plant will stop

growing weed, and will not be effected by this large spray and dosage of

powerful weed killer.

Argument 6

Lets just let our food die!

Cold weather, snow, ice and sleet, damages our plants it sure isn't neat!

Your plants are damaged and severely killed throughout the cold harsh winters. When plants and crops die that's starvation and hunger for

people. People dying and losing money because they sold those crops. With genetically modified plants we can prevent all of this and

have a better new tomorrow!.

Argument 7

• Sarah was assigned arguments 7 and 8 but they are not completed

Argument 8

CONS OF GMP

• Richest nations would be controlling the market• Too new to know if it will have affects on the human body• Stress for animals• Food can be used for vaccines, but if it is genetically modified

then it may have some things that will cause BAAAD affects to our body and if we start using these foods as vaccines then they will get into our blood stream and who knows where we will be?

• Mixing GM plants with NONGM plants confounds labeling attempts

• Bad for environmental and human health• Labeling not mandatory in the U.S.

Conclusion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H9WZGKQeYg

Over all we believe that Genetic Modification of plants, crops, and/or food is not an improvement and will not help the world move towards a better nation

Works Cited•http://blisstree.com/feel/genetically-modified-food-pros-and-cons/?utm_source=blisstree&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=b5hubs_migration

•http://www.reproductivegenetics.com/single_gene.html

•http://blisstree.com/feel/genetically-modified-food-pros-and-cons/?utm_source=blisstree&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=b5hubs_migration

•http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-genetically-engineered-food.htm•http://www.buzzle.com/articles/genetically-modified-foods-pros-and-cons.html•http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09371.html•http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5296.cfm•http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php