FEATURE STORY
Getting to Know GMO By Kara Timmins
G enetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, have become a featured topic when it comes to food and food regulation since its introduction to the market in the early 1990s. While the acronym is familiar, many don’t know what it actually means for something to be a genetically modified organism, and fewer still have looked into what it means for them if they consume something that falls within the GMO category. Commonly searched questions include
introduced to promote a beneficial characteristic. This is different from gene editing, which modifies the genetic material that already exists within the organism. Genetic modification through selective breeding has been happening throughout human history. A shift away from hunting and gathering toward agriculture started the ever-present push to create more food in a better way that continues today. But in 1982, the FDA approved the first genetically engineered consumer product: Biosynthetic Human Insulin (BHI). Not long after that, the federal government established the Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology in 1986. This document is a comprehensive summary of the roles and responsibilities of the three principal regulatory agencies—FDA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—have with respect to regulating biotechnology products. This document was updated in 1992 and again in 2017. In the 2017 version, the document notes that it set out to “clarify current roles and responsibilities, to develop a
long-term strategy to ensure that the Federal biotechnology regulatory system is prepared for the future products of biotechnology, and to commission an expert analysis of the future landscape of biotechnology products to support these efforts. The goal of this work is to increase public confidence in the regulatory system and to prevent unnecessary barriers to future innovation and competitiveness.” These updates are an indication of the ever-changing nature of human-affected adaptation in biology. These initiatives are perpetually motivated by the need to feed a growing population fresh, nutrient- dense food. Of the plants that are classified as GMOs, the United States grows only a few, and of those that are, even fewer are specialty crops. Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. According to the FDA, the majority of plant GMOs are used to make ingredients that are used in food products, like cereal, snack chips and vegetable oils.
what is a GMO, is it safe to eat GMO foods or is my seedless watermelon GMO? Many consumers are unaware of the developments and innovation that happen within agriculture all the time. Misunderstanding or a lack of information is common fodder for fear and reactive responses to that anxiety. It’s up to individuals to decide their stance on GMOs, but that stance—and the decision-making that comes from it—should be made with supporting information. This article is not meant to be exhaustive in that endeavor, but it will hopefully spur curiosity or act as an introduction for someone looking to make informed voting decisions. The History of GMOs and What They Are According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a GMO is “a plant, animal, or microorganism that has been altered through genetic engineering, which involves the manipulation of DNA using techniques that are not possible through traditional breeding methods.” The tag of GMO is often used to mean an organism that has had genetic material
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JULY | AUGUST 2023
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