What is Genetic modification?
Genetically modified (GM) organisms are plants, animals or
microorganisms in which their DNA has been modified in a way that does not
occur naturally. The process of genetic manipulation involves the translocation
of genes from multiple genetic sources in a process widely known as recombinant
DNA technology (Bawa & Anilakumar, 2013). This process is sometimes
referred to as genetic engineering, modern biotechnology or gene technology
(WHO, 2016). Genetic modification allows selected individuals genes to be
transferred from one organism into another, also between non-related species. Food
produced from using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.
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Genetic engineering used to
produce plants that produce their own insecticides. The bt toxin gene, which
encodes an insecticide, was isolated from bacteria and transferred to tobaccop
plants. (Pierce genetic conceptual approach, page 526)
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Examples of GMO in Europe and UK
GM crops have been used as food sources for many years
around the world. Since November 2015 the first GM animal in the US, in this
case GM salmon was approved for human consumption by the US food and drug
administration (Nature, 2015). Although no GM animals have been approved in
Europe, it still produces GM crops and allows the import of GM products such as
cotton, maize, yeast biomass, oilseed rape, sugar beet and soybean from other
countries (EU Plants, 2016). Spain is the largest producer of GM crops in Europe
with a hectare of 0.1 used for GM maize (ISAAA, 2013). However, small amounts
less than 0.1 hectare are grown in Slovakia, Romina, Poland and Czech Republic (ISAAA,
2009).
Large amounts of GM foods such as soya and maize are
imported into Europe including Britain to be used as animal feed. In the UK,
meat and dairy products that are fed on GM feed are not labelled. Most of the
main supermarkets in the UK such as Asda, Aldi, Tesco, Co-op, M&S and
Morrison’s have meat and dairy products that are fed on GM food (Gmfreeze,
2015). One of the most consistently stocked GM items in UK supermarket is
cooking oil. Most retailers in UK do not sell any other GM foods and if they do
then labelling is required.
References
That's a good read, we'll add it to the poster on Wednesday. I have some more information I'll incorporate in and we'll finalise it all.
ReplyDeleteWe also need to do Harvard referencing on the links which we can do on Wed.