What Are GMOs?

When the question, “is it safe to have chemicals pumped into the food we are eating” is presented, a lot of people’s initial answer is no. That answer is probably because GMOs have a lot of negative affiliations due to people’s reactions to eat something ‘unnatural’. GMO stands for genetically modified organism, which sounds unnatural; but in the same sense cows and corn are natural, genetically modified food is as well.

Human beings have been harvesting and growing food for thousands of years. At the beginning of those thousands of years food like corn and cattle looked and tasted a lot different than today. That is because over those thousands of years the way people grew/raised food has altered enough that the food has genetically changed as well. For example, corn’s original ancestor was teosinte, a more colorful grainy corn look alike. Similar, cattle’s ancestor was aurochs, similar to the bull.

Genetic modifying turned red and yellow grainy corn to smooth purely yellow corn. It also evolved a big bull like creature until to a softer spotted cow. Human agriculture statics over the years domesticated and created the food you eat regularly. Impossible Food’s page on GMO explains, “… that every trait they [humans] favored arose through one or more random alterations — mutations — to a species’ genetic code, passed on from parents to their offspring in the form of DNA.”

Human agriculture has now developed enough to the point were we can evolve food faster than through generations, but with GMOs. So what are GMOs? GMOs are a proved safe chemical that is injected into dirt or food to alter the foods genes. Impossible Foods and companies similar to them have mastered the art of editing DNA. The chemicals due no harm to your body, but simply give scientist access to edit DNA structure.

Even though the idea of changing the DNA of food sounds foreign, the multiple pros out way the few cons. GMOs maybe the future of producing and selling food.

Even though GMOs are safe, was is the purpose of changing foods DNA? Well in places like my home town, Boston, it can get difficult to grow food during freezing winters. GMOs are the future to solving that issue. GMOs could alter a foods DNA to grow and last through winter. GMOs can make food look more plump and colorful for consumer appeal. GMOs will be a career changer for local businesses or grocery shops. The food will become long lasting, better looking. A lot of small grocery stores could save a bunch of money locally growing their foods with GMOs. The kind of money they will save is the kind of money local grocery stores need right now during Covid.

Sources:

” Do Gmos Harm Health? “. 2021. Ag. Purdue.Edu

” How Gmos Can Save Civilization (And Probably Already Have) “. 2020. Medium.