DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE RESEARCH & EXTENSION UJA--University of Arkansas System Family and Consumer Sciences FSFCS97 What Are GMOs? to see the characteristic observable in Jamie I. Baum, PhD GMOs (Genetically the plant before selecting parent Assistant Professor ­ Modified Organisms) plants. Instead breeders can read an Nutrition GMO is a term regularly seen and organism’s genetic map and then heard in the news and on television. transfer or amend the specific gene or Amanda McWhirt, PhD However, many consumers have sequence responsible for that desirable characteristic in the crop. This process Assistant Professor ­ limited understanding of what it means for a food product to be GMO is capable of more precisely creating Horticulture and often have misconceptions or are plants with desirable characteristics not familiar with what research has and of producing characteristics that João Pedro Marinho been done on the safety of these might have otherwise been difficult or impossible to select for with traditional Guimarães products [1]. The following information will explain what GMOs are, why they breeding methods. Undergraduate Student ­ are used and what long­term research Crops produced using this Food Science regarding their safety has found. method, where genetic material has been altered or changed in a Ênela Rabelo Silva What Are GMOs? way that does not occur through Undergraduate Student ­ Historically, the creation of new mating/breeding and/or natural DNA Food Science varieties of crops has been done recombination, are referred to as through the selection and crossbreed­ genetically modified organisms or ing of plants that have characteristics GMOs [2,3]. The technology involved Brianna Gaines, MS the plant breeder desires in the crop. in making GMOs allows single genes Former Graduate Using this method, the plant breeder to be transferred from one organism of Research Assistant ­ relies on visible characteristics in the a species into another organism of Food Science plants to make choices about which that same species or may involve plants to cross and thereby alter the transfer of genes between nonrelated genetics of the next generation of the species. The process associated with crop. This method does not immedi­ producing GMOs is complicated scien­ ately or consistently produce the tifically, is expensive and requires desired results and, as a result, new long­term testing before a crop is varieties of crops may take 15 or more released for commercial production. years to develop. The United States Department Natural DNA recombination is of Agriculture (USDA) refers to the another possibility. For instance, creation of GMOs as a type of agri ­ natural DNA recombination happens cultural biotechnology [4]. Plants naturally over presumably even longer that have been produced using periods of time. In the past several genetic modification (GM) in this way Arkansas Is decades, scientists have developed are called genetically modified crops techniques to identify the gene or or GM/GMO crops. The food products Our Campus sequence of genes (DNA) associated that result from these crops are then with a desirable characteristic by look­ referred to as genetically modified ing at the molecular level of the plant’s foods, GMO foods or genetically genetic makeup (genome). This method engineered foods. The terms GMO Visit our web site at: s .uada http ://www.uaex .edu does not require plant breeders to wait and GE foods are often used University of Arkansas, United States Department of Agriculture, and County Governments Cooperating interchangeably; however, there is a difference. In fact, the GMO papaya helped to save papaya A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any production in Hawaii, where the papaya ringspot living thing that has different DNA than its virus (PRV) threatened to eliminate entire papaya parents. Genetically engineered foods are created plantations [13]. A more recent release is Artic in a laboratory. Apples that have been developed to not turn brown after they are cut, which is a characteristic desirable Why Are GMOs Produced? to consumers. GMO crops are developed because the crops have either some perceived advantage to the farmers who United States Legislation grow the crops or the resulting food product has qualities that are desirable to the consumer [3]. From Regarding GMOs The regulation of GM products is currently the grower’s perspective, GMO crops have been controlled by the following three agencies [5]: developed that have strong resistance to disease and insects or are resistant to certain herbicides, which • Food and Drug Administration (FDA; involved means the herbicide will kill competing weeds that with food consumption for humans and animals). reduce yields but not the crop [3]. The advantages • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; controls GMO crops may provide to protect the grower from crop loss due to insects and disease are the major the use of herbicides and pesticides). reasons for the development and widespread use of • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service GMO crops. However, on the consumer’s behalf, GM (APHIS; a branch of the United States Depart­ crops have also been produced that have higher ment of Agriculture (USDA) that evaluates the nutritional value and better shelf life [3]. safety of biotechnology techniques). Until recently, laws in the U.S. have been flexible Examples of GMOs on the Market and open to the release of new GM crops and foods The first GMO crops were planted in the United into the national food supply. In 2016, a bill was States in the early 1990s starting with canola, cotton, passed by the U.S. Congress corn and soybeans [5]. In 2012, in the United States that will establish national GMO versions of crops were used in about 88 percent standards for labeling food of corn, 94 percent of cotton and 93 percent of the soy­ products that contain ingredi­ beans produced [4]. It is estimated that the United ents which are GMO. This bill States accounts for 40 percent of the acreage of all requires food companies to dis­ genetically modified crops planted globally [5]. As of close whether their products early 2017, the genetically engineered crops grown in contain GMO ingredients, but the United States are apples, alfalfa, canola, cotton, they do not have to print this corn, potatoes, soybeans, sugar beets, summer squash information on the packaging and papaya. label [6]. Instead, this information can be made A majority of these crops are used as raw available through a QR code on the package that materials in processed food products, such as cotton consumers can scan while grocery shopping. The and soybeans for cottonseed oil and soybean oil, sugar USDA has two years to establish the details of the beets for sugar and corn for high fructose corn syrup. new labeling scheme. Other crops like alfalfa, field corn and soybeans are used predominately for livestock feed. What Are the Benefits of GM Crops The majority of the listed crops are grain and and Food Products? fiber crops. A major misconception among the public The benefits that farmers may receive from the is that most fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S. are use of GM crops include: produced from GMO crops. However, you will notice • A reduction in the use of pesticides due to that very few specialty crops are listed above. In fact, increased crop resistance to harmful insects and the majority of fruit and vegetable crops available for diseases [5]. purchase at your local grocery store or farmers’ market are not GMO. If you see an abnormally large • Ability to grow crops that previously were fruit or vegetable in your local store, it was likely threatened by viral pathogens [12]. developed through conventional methods of crop • Ability to more easily combat weeds that compete breeding and systems of production that precisely with crops through the development of crops that manage fertilizer and water inputs, not through are resistant to herbicides [5]. genetic modification. Papaya, summer squash and potato have GMO versions that were developed to be • Ability to grow in harsher environmental resistant to viruses that can devastate these crops. conditions, enabling increased global crop yield [8]. Some benefits that consumers may receive from risk due to consumption of GM foods [9]. The World GM food crops, include: Health Organization (WHO) has also concluded there is no conclusive risk for humans associated with the • Increased nutritional value of food products that consumption of GM food products [3]. There is some have higher micronutrient content [5, 7]. concern that GM crops might increase food allergies; – The main benefit to consumers is a potential however, the National Academy of Sciences [9] did not for increased micronutrient consumption and find a relationship between consumption of GM crops thus a healthier diet [9]. currently on the market and an increase in food aller­ – For example, Golden Rice is genetically gies. No scientifically rigorous studies have found engineered rice with an increased vitamin A correlations between the consumption of GMO food content [7], which could greatly increase crops and cancer incidence in animals or humans. vitamin A consumption and decrease vita­ min A deficiencies, which are more common While some animal­based studies have shown in developing countries and may result in adverse health effects on animals when they consumed blindness or high rates of child mortality. GM foods, the goal of these studies was to determine • Increased shelf life of food products [5]. at what level GM foods might become toxic to the ani­ mal and required the animals to consume high doses • Other potentially beneficial GM crops in of the food, far exceeding amounts normally consumed development include potato with altered fatty by humans. GM soybeans and corn are often fed to acid composition to reduce the production of trans livestock, and results of over 100 studies evaluating fats during processing and decrease acrylamide the effect of feeding genetically engineered crops to formation.