Name: _________________________
Date: ______________________
PART 1: Genetically Modified Food Background Reading:
Text Modified from: Freedman, Jeri Science and Society: Genetically Modified Food, How biotechnology is
changing what we eat The Rosen Publishing Group, New York, 2009
Introduction
Genetically modified (GM) food consists of plants and animals whose genes have been altered or
changes. GM food was originally developed to increase the capability of growing certain corps with
higher yields as a way to help beat world hunger. A goal of genetic modification is to create crops and
livestock that have beneficial characteristics that do not occur naturally in a given species. GM crops are
grown on every continent, except Antarctica.
The key to genetically modifying food is changing the plant or animal’s genes in some way. The nucleus,
or center of every cell, contains chromosomes that are threadlike elements that carry genetic
information. The chromosomes are composed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). A gene is one segment of
a chromosome that determines a particular trait of a plant or animal. Altering a gene will change a
specific characteristic of a plant or animal. Changing genes is called genetic engineering.
Genetic engineering has been used to alter animals including sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, and fish.
Genetically modified crops including a variety of foods – rice, corn, soybeans, tomatoes, melons,
potatoes, and summer squash, among others – that are eaten around the world.
Throughout the world, the debate still rages over whether genetically modified food is a blessing or a
curse. On one hand, genetically modified foods allow farmers to grow crops in places where standard
crops won’t grow, feeding people and providing income to those in developing nations. They can also
reduce people’s reliance on dangerous pesticides. On the other hand, there is much that is still not
known about such foods. Many people are concerned about genetically modified foods’ effects on
human and animal health, the environment, local economies, and biodiversity (the number of species
that exist).
Given the explosive growth in the production of genetically modified foods over the past decade, it is
likely that they are here to stay. For this reason it is important to understand the facts about GM foods.
Why might GM foods be a blessing and a curse?
What are Genetically Modified Foods?
Genetically modified plants and animals often called genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are those
whose characteristics have been changed by using modern scientific techniques to add or remove
genes. Just what is meant by “genetically modified”? Although this term conjures up images of mad
scientists in test tube-filled laboratories, people have had genetically modified food throughout human
history.
Genetics is the science that studies how traits, or characteristics, are inherited. “Genetic modification”
means changing the characteristic of plants or animals so that they develop new features that people
find desirable. For instance, GMOs may be able to grow in areas where the soil is too dry for
conventional crops to grow.
Sometimes, GMOS are given genes form a different species to provide them with a characteristic from
that species. For example, a gene from a bacterium has been used to give corn protection from insects.
GMOs modified with genes from another species are called transgenic plants or animals. “Transgenic”
means “having genes that are crossed over from other species.”
What does genetically modified mean?
The Genetic Engineering Era
By the mid-1980s, scientists started to change the genes in cells directly, creating genetically modified
organisms (GMOs). There are two main advantages to creating GMOs. First, it takes much of the
guesswork out of the breeding process, Instead of mating two plants or animal with desirable traits and
hoping the offspring gets the best of both, scientists can choose exactly which traits they want the
organism to have. Second, natural change is a slow process. It takes many generations of breeding the
best to the best in order to produce significant improvements. The process is much faster if scientists
simple alter the genes of organisms so that the organisms possess the trait that is desired.
Why have scientists turned to genetic modification? What are the benefits?
Genetically Modifying Animals
In 1987, Harvard University became the first institution to be successful in genetically modifying an
animal. The animal was a mouse, which was designed to be used in cancer research. In the past 20
years, more than forty different animals have been genetically modified. These include such food
animals as pigs, sheep, fish, (like salmon, trout, catfish, and tilapia), beef cattle, and milk cows. In
January 2008, the FDA approved the sale of meat and milk from cloned animals. However, at the same
time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asked producers to voluntarily refrain from selling
cloned meat. In addition, herds of cloned animals would be much more expensive to produce than
conventional animals. So, it is likely to be some time before cloned meat appears in stores.
In addition to genetically modifying livestock directly, scientists have used genetic engineering
technology in other ways. Scientists have genetically engineered bacteria to produce compounds that
can be used to improve the output of food animals. For example, genetically engineered bovine growth
hormone (rBGH) is being produced. Cows injected with this hormone produce more milk than those
who are not given the hormone. Injected hormones have become a great concern to consumers, who
wonder what the side effects of the hormones might be after eating and drinking these products.
Genetically Modified Food Statistics
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA),
some GM food statistics include the following:
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The number of genetically modified crops worldwide grew 12 percent from 2006 to 2007.
More than 282 million acres (1,141,214 square kilometers) of land are now used to grow
genetically modified crops.
 Twenty-three countries, including the US, Canada, and Mexico, now grow genetically modified
crops.
 Sixty-seven times as many acres were used to grow genetically modified food in 2007 than in
1996, when the ISAAA first started tracking the acreage used.
In Cornell University’s Genetically Engineered Organisms Public Initiative Project, researchers found:
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40% of the corn grown in the US is genetically engineered
80% of the soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered
60% of the rapeseed crops grown in Canada are genetically engineered. (Canola oil is obtained
from rapeseed and most of the canola oil used in US food products comes from Canada).
Myths and Facts
Myth: I eat only organic meat and vegetables, so I don’t consume any genetically modified foods.
Fact: According to the vice president of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, as quoted in Bill
Lambrecht’s book Dinner at the New Gene Café, as much as 70 percent of processed foods sold in the
US may contain genetically modified food products, so if you eat processed foods like chips or cookies,
you could be consuming GM ingredients such as corn, wheat, or soy.
Myth: If the government allows it to be sold, then it must be safe to eat.
Fact: Very little scientific testing has been done on safety of genetically modified food currently being
sold or used in prepared food product.
PART 2: LIFE SCIENCE GENETICS VIDEO:
Answer the following questions as you watch the video.
1. How are scientists able to manipulate (change) DNA?
2. What could Rosie do?
3. Who was Dolly?
4. Haw was Dolly created?
5. What is one reason scientists clone organisms?
6. How do genes influence behavior?
7. How does DNA help solve crimes?
Part 3: Directions: With your partner, read the question, talk about some
possible factors and solutions and list them below.
1. The world’s population will approach 9 billion by the year 2050. In order to
feed a population of this size the world needs to double it’s food production.
Besides food issues, what other issues may arise to a rapidly increasing
population size?
2. List some ways you think we can deal with this problem.
3. From “Harvest of Fear”:
“Industry, government, and many academic scientists tout the benefits of
genetically modified (GM) foods for agriculture, ecosystems, and human
health and well-being, including feeding a world population bursting at the
seams. With equal passion, consumer groups, environmental activists,
religious organizations, and some scientists warn of unforeseen health,
environmental, and socioeconomic consequences.”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/harvest/exist/
Based on what you know, do you think we should grow genetically modified
crops?
Part 4: Use the information from the articles below and the information from
the video to help you answer the following questions.
Text Modified from
Smith, Terry L. Science and Society: Modern Genetic Science, New technology,
New decisions. The Rosen Publishing Group, New York, 2009.
Environment
Pollution seems to be everywhere—in the air, lakes, and rivers, beaches, farm fields, and industrial sites.
Once it’s there, it’s hard to clean up. Transgenic organisms may be able to break down harmful
chemicals or clean up radiation spills. A transgenic pig produces waste that is less polluting to the
environment.
What about the harm that genetic engineering might cause, though? Transgenic plants and animals in
the environment might interfere with the natural species that are already living there. In the 1990s,
farms started planting a transgenic form of corn. At first, it was thought that the corn was killing
monarch butterflies, but this turned out not to be true. Fish have escaped from fish farms and mixed
with native ocean fish. If transgenic fish are raised in fish farms, then they could escape and pass on
their altered genes to native fish.
What’s for Dinner?
The answer to the question “What’s for dinner?” is too often “Salmon.” Numbers of wild salmon are
down because of overfishing. Fish suppliers gave turned to genetic engineering to produce a fastgrowing salmon they can raise in fish farms. But what happens if the genetically engineered salmon
escape from their coastal fish farms and breed with wild populations? These salmon have a “super”
gene that makes them grow quickly, and they might outcompete the wild salmon. Fish farmers claim
that even if the salmon do escape their cages, they will not be able to breed with wild fish. Fish farms
are regulated by government agencies that re responsible for both the quality of the food supply and
environmental protection. But will there be enough safety checks to ensure that all the rules are
followed by all the fish farmers?
The Atlantic salmon at the top in this photo grew at a faster
rate than its sibling, below, because of an added engineered
gene for production of growth hormone. Both salmon are
about eighteen months of age. Consequences of
interbreeding between these “super” fish and native fish are
unknown.
Video:Harvest of Fear: Salmon
What is the problem being addressed?
What is a suggested solution?
List some of the pros and cons described during the video and/or that you think
are important with respect to the solution.
Pros
Cons
Part 5: Use the information from the articles below and the information from
the video to help you answer the following questions.
Text Modified from:
Freedman, Jeri Science and Society: Genetically Modified Food, How
biotechnology is changing what we eat The Rosen Publishing Group, New York,
2009
Better Nutrition
Millions of people around the world suffer a lack of necessary nutrients because of limitations on what
will grow in their region. One area that scientists are exploring is genetically modifying vegetables to
increase their nutritional value. An example of this is “golden rice.” This variety of rice is genetically
engineered to produce vitamin A- the vitamin that gives carrots their orange color. A vitamin A
deficiency can have serious effects, including blindness and even death. Millions of people suffer from
this problem worldwide because they live in areas where vegetables containing the vitamin will not
grow. Since rice will grow in these regions, golden rice could provide at least some of this critical vitamin
to the local population.
Harvest of Fear: Medicine in Bananas and Rice
What is the problem being addressed?
What is a suggested solution?
List some of the pros and cons described during the video and/or that you think
are important with respect to the solution.
Pros
Cons
Part 6: Genetically Modified Organisms For and Against
You will be assigned a group. Read through the information at the station and create a poster highlighting the at lest
four (4) key points in the article. Then you will use this poster and those of your peers to collect arguments for and
against genetically modified food.
Article Name:
For: Science and Society:
Genetically Modified
Food: Why do we need
genetically engineered
food?
For: Weighing the GMO
arguments
Argument:
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For: Why Biotech Part 1
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For: Why Biotech Part 2
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Against: Science and
Society: Genetically
Modified Food: The
Genetically Modified Food
Debate
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Against: Frequently
Asked Questions
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Against: Genewatch: Why
GM crops will not feed
the world
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Against: Weighing the
GMO arguments
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PART 7: AFTER WATCHING Harvest of Fear:
Now reflect back on what you have learned or know about genetics and
genetic engineering. Use what you have heard, seen, read and discussed to
create a 7 sentence paragraph supporting or opposing Genetically Modified
Foods. BE SURE TO USE EVIDENCE FROM YOUR RESEARCH TO SUPPORT
YOUR POSITION.
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Based on what you now know, should we grow GM crops?