Gm Food

GM food

The genetically engineered foods or GM foods are those that were produced from a genetically modified organism by genetic engineering. Stated another way, that food is obtained from an organism which have incorporated other genes to produce desired characteristics. Today more present food from transgenic plants such as corn, barley or soybeans.
Genetic engineering or recombinant DNAtechnology is the science of manipulating DNA sequences (genes encoding normally) directly, enabling the extraction of a given biological taxon and its inclusion in another, and the modification or elimination of these genes. This differs from the classical improvement, which is the science that introduces DNA fragments (containing such genes in the previous case) indirectly, by crossingdirigidos.1 The first strategy, genetic engineering, is restricted in the discipline called plant biotechnology. Note that the insertion of gene clusters and other processes can be performed by plant biotechnology techniques are not considered genetically engineered and fusion can be protoplastos.2
The improvement of the species which are used as food has been a common motif in the history of mankind.Between 12,000 and 4,000 a. C. and an improvement was realized by artificial plant selection. After the discovery of sexual reproduction in plants, we performed the first cross intergeneric (ie between species of different genera) in 1876. In 1909 he made the first protoplast fusion, and in 1927 obtained mutants increased productivity by X-ray irradiation of seeds. In 1983 he produced the firsttransgenic plant. At this time, some biotechnologists able to isolate a gene and insert it into the genome of the bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli). Three years later, in 1986, Monsanto, a multinational company dedicated to biotechnology, created the first genetically modified plant. It was a snuff plant which was added to their genome a gene for resistance to the antibiotic kanamycin. Finally, in1994 approving the commercialization of the first genetically modified food, the Flavr Savr tomato, Calgene created, a company biotechnologist. These introduced gene are antisense to normal gene polygalacturonase enzyme inducing ripening tomato, so that mature endure longer and have a greater resistance. But a few years later, in 1996, the product had to be recalled introducing fresh produceunintended consequences as a soft skin, a strange taste and changes in its composition. Still, these tomatoes are used for tomato production elaborados.3
In 2007, GM crops extend 114.3 million hectares in 23 countries, of which 12 are countries development.4 In 2006 in the U.S., 89% of soybean plantations (or soybean) were the GM varieties and 83% cotton and 61% corn.
Benefits
The entered charactersspecies genetically engineered for the production of edible foods seek to increase productivity (for example, by improved resistance to pests) and the introduction of new quality characteristics. Due to the further development of genetic engineering in plants, all correspond to GM foods derived from plants. For example, a character is frequently used herbicide resistance, since it is therebypossible to employ only affecting the plant foreign to the crop. Note that the use of modified varieties resistant to herbicides and pollution has decreased because of these products in groundwater and soil, 6 although it does not require the use of these herbicides as harmful because they are high in glyphosate (GLY) glifosinado ammonium (GLU) in July if not planted these varieties, designed towithstand only those compuestos.
Insect pests are one of the most devastating agricultura.8 Therefore, the introduction of genes that cause the development of resistance to one or several orders of insects has been a common feature of many of the proprietary varieties. The advantages of this method involve less use of insecticides in fields planted with these varieties, 9 resulting in less impact on...