The Genetic Engineering Of Food - 2047 Words

Genetically modified material are plants or animals that have been modified in order to achieve some goal, such as maintain a longer shelf life or provide nutrients to humans and animals. According to Doctor Kirpichnikov et al., there are several different ways that scientists modify genes of fruit, vegetables, and animals, such as utilizing the methods of â€Å"synthesis of genes, isolation of individual genes or hereditary structures from the cells†¦, and integration of various genomes within a cell† (1). Genetically modified foods are generally accepted because they have the potential to bring nutritional benefits to consumers and even meet some of the basic food needs of society (Hossain et al. 353). The genetic engineering of food can be†¦show more content†¦HISTORY OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS The genetic engineering of food can be traced back to the mid-1800s. In 1859, The Origin of the Species was published by Charles Darwin and explains information of breeding which became the foundation of genetically modifying fruits and vegetables. Sixteen years later in 1865, Gregor Mendel successfully experimented with the breeding of pees and contributed to Darwin’s knowledge. Approximately fifty years later, scientist H. J. Muller proved that X-rays could generate genetic mutation (â€Å"A Brief History†¦Ã¢â‚¬  1). Genetic engineering originated in the mid-1800s, but the history of genetically modified food has sped up in more recent years. In 1994, the U.S. FDA, Food and Drug Administration, approved the sale of a genetically modified tomato in grocery stores because natural tomatoes have a shorter shelf life (Woolsey 2). Only two years after that, scientists announced the birth of Dolly the sheep, the first genetically modified animal, and the cloning a Polly, a transgenic lamb. Through the experiments, scientists discovered how to clone animals to create a new protein. Scientists are trying to use the feedback from Dolly and Polly to clone other animals to use as food for humans, but these animals contain toxins that are not safe for human consumption (â€Å"A Brief History†¦Ã¢â‚¬  3). By the end of the