Editorial – Page 3

First Public Results of GRACE Project

GMO is a fascinating subject and having in mind that it is a fairly recent phenomenon, there are so many researches that are underway at the moment of speaking. GMO managed to divide the scientific community so any breakthrough in the research is a front page news. We are still uncertain about the long-term effect GMO foods can have on human bodies and health. European Union is highly involved in regulating GMO foods. They have commissioned a team of researchers to take a closer look at both medium and long-term effects of GMO products. The team has made the preliminary results available to public in April of 2016 and here is what they found.

The researchers working on GRACE project have a clear goal – getting accurate information on both short term and long term effects of GMO foods on living organisms. Therefore, they began trial testing on rodents who were fed GMO foods. One group was given genetically modified corn for ninety days, and the other one will be consuming the said product for one year. On the other hand, the control group is fed standard and non-genetically modified corn in the same time frame.

The results from the short term test group was published in Archives of Toxicology and it clearly showed that there were absolutely no differences between the two groups of rodents. It means that genetically modified corn has the same effect on an organism as the standard crops. European Union’s food regulators require this type of testing before they can give a green light to genetically modified products, and even though they have the positive results from the ninety days trial, they will be waiting for the one year study before they allow the mass production and distribution of MON810 GM corn.

Following the European Union’s strict rules regarding genetically modified food, the GRACE Project will be releasing all the data they have collected in this study so far on their official web site. It will be accessible to anyone who is interested in this topic and they will not be holding back on any documentation. European Union is very involved in the research of GMO foods and the GRACE Project is not the only study they are working on at the moment. As a matter of fact, the findings from two more studies will be added to GRACE’s results once they are completed.

Projects G-TwYST and GMO90+, which are conducted by a group of French researchers have agreed to share the information, data, materials, and their findings with the scientists that are working on GRACE. This is done in order to help each other reach the accurate results that will have an impact on the future of GMO products in European Union. The things are looking good so far and it seems there should be no concern about the production of MON810 GM corn in Europe.

All in all, the results of the one year trial will be published in Archive of Toxicology once it reaches its end, as well as the collaborative results from the other trials. Until then, the researchers working on GRACE Project are inviting all of you to take a part in the public discussion about their latest findings. As we have previously mentioned, all the documents and findings will be on their website. So it doesn’t matter if you are a scientist who is heavily involved in this field of study or a regular person simply interested in the topic of genetically modified foods – you are free to comment and share your opinion on their findings.

The truth about GM crops

There are great truths that underlie the growth and the consumption of GMO plants and the food that are derived from them. In the major GMO-growing nationalities, there are growing concerns that continue to arise about the impact of the GM plants on the environment as well as social consequences. This is especially the case for the crops that demonstrate tolerance to pesticides as well as resistance to insects. This often happens in the Southern region of America where GM plants are grown for the global production of foods as well as the unique impact it has on biodiversity. Currently, the government in the US has launched an investigation into the results of monopolies in the GM seeds. However, in this article, we will focus on some truths about GM plants concerning pesticides, yields, soil carbon levels, and the threat of GM trees and agrofuels.

The rise in the use of pesticides on GM plants
According to research reports across the globe, there is a significant increase of pesticides that are being used on GM crops. This is because of the development of pesticide resistant weeds that increases the use a cocktail of herbicides applied on GM crops. This is the reason for increased levels of pollution on the environment as well as the impact on the human health. For instance, in the regions of Southern Cone, over 200 million liters of biocides were reported to be applied to soy plants and 350 million liters applied on GM soy.
Additionally, there has been an eruption of a controversial issue in Argentina regarding the effects of glyphosate use on the development of the embryo. The solution that is currently anticipated on the weed resistance is increased use of herbicides as they continue to develop more crops that are genetically engineered to confer tolerance to a wide range of herbicides. The increased planting of GMO plants is making it difficult for people to feed themselves in the future due to the eradication of indigenous.

GMO crops are fashioned to increase yield
Some of the claims that are made by the GM industry are that GM plants reduce pesticide use as opposed to the statements raised in the previous point above. Additionally, it is believed that GM plants increase yield. This means that they have a role to play in handling the situation of climate change. The biotechnology industry is therefore currently taking advantage of the climate change negotiations made by the UN to make sure that GM crops are considered as mitigation to the issues of climate change. However, what we have to realize is that none of the plants that have been developed this far can confer a trait that directs the increase of yield for the plant. Additionally, no existing evidence is in support of the claims that GMO plants possess the ability to metabolize carbon.

GMO plants storage of carbon in soil and reduces fertilizer consumption
There are wide ranges of arguments that are made by biotechnological industries concerning the ability of the GM crops to lessen the loss of carbon from the soil. This is through plowing of land where the crops will be planted. However, tilling of land is a traditional practice that was designed to enhance water and soil conservation. This was developed even before the existence of the genetically engineered crops. It is the introduction and use of herbicides tolerant plants that have undermined the sustainability of the land tillage system. This is due to increase of pesticides used and the compaction of the soil as a result of heavy farm machinery.
Recent research results indicate that no tilling method can sequester more carbon than the conventional methods of plowing. This means that biotechnology industries Holy Grail of nitrogen fixing plants that would significantly lead to a decline in the need for artificial fertilizers are not known yet. This is still a theory that is aimed at reducing the need for burning fossil fuel, and hence, a reduction amounting to greenhouse gas emissions. However, this progress is still in its infancy, and the FAO report (2005) states its technical difficulties.

GM trees stores carbon
Currently, there is evidence that GM trees have the ability to store carbon. However, the risk with this type of plant is the complexity that is associated with it and the fact that they occupy significant habitats. Additionally, these plants are characterized by a wide range of interactions. There is also evidence that demonstrates the possibility of cross contaminations taking place in the fields due to aspects of seed dispersal. Additionally, the issue of transgenic sterility proves to be an aspect that is not an option regarding occurrence. This means that the ability of the GM plants to cross the national borders is one of the factors that threaten federal regulations making them insufficient.
Another claim that is made by scientists and the biotechnology industries is that GM crops are the key to improving fuel production. This is an area of GM plant development that is in progress. This is because over 90 percent of the global GM crops grown is being used as animal feeds and fuel instead of food. Additionally, such crops as genetically engineered Roundup Ready soya contribute to high greenhouse gas emission that could hinder this usage as well as contributing to changes in the climatic patterns.

Conclusion
It is evident from this article that genetically modified crops are promising to offer people with the food for the future. However, there is still need for multinational organizations as well as scientists to disclose all the truths about GM plants. This is because, despite its contribution, there are also dangers that are associated with their usage to humans, animals, and to the environment. This is because they have been attributed to contributing to climate change. This means that farming practices have to change radically to meet the challenges of warming the atmosphere. This is not compromising with feeding the population, protection, and restoration of biodiversity, agrofuels as well as services of the ecosystem. The good news is that with the support that is required from the stakeholders, agroecology has so much more to offer!

GMO and the Impact on the Economy

Have you ever wondered about the general effect eliminating GMO foods in the US would have on the economy and the quality of life in that country? A group of scientists and professors had an idea to take a closer look at the consequences that would arise if all GMO seeds and products were eliminated from the States and reached a startling discovery.

Their results were presented to the fellow scientists at International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research in Italy and have reached the rest of the public a couple of weeks ago. Their goal wasn’t to convince anyone that GMO is either good or bad – they simply took a closer look at the aftermath we might be facing and the effect it would have on the country’s economy.

The researchers conducted a thorough examination of the numbers of GMO crops that were planted and produced in 2014. After double checking their numbers and making sure their data is accurate, they ran it through a calculator that is designed to deliver the results of hypothetical changes in agricultural production and the overall impact on the quality of life among US citizens.

The results should raise a concern because in case of eliminating all GMO crops, the general rate of food production would be majorly decreased. The amount of corn that is produced on a yearly basis would decline for 11%, meaning that in order to get the production to the previous level, more than 100,000 hectares of forest should be turned into pastures and corn fields. That would without a doubt have a huge impact on the environment and the surrounding nature.

Besides the changes in the ecosystem of a given area, the gasses emitted in the process of organic production would damage the entire landscape. The greenhouse gas is a dangerous thing and people who are against cultivating and using GMO crops are usually against the greenhouse effect as well. However, you simply cannot have it both ways. Thanks to GMO crops, the emission of the greenhouse gas is much lower than it was a couple of decades ago or so.

If we completely eliminate GMO foods from production, the prices of food in general would skyrocket. The price of corn alone would go up for 28 percent, which is indeed pretty high. That would influence the prices of other products as well, making food more expensive. The cost of living would most certainly change in the United States that is for sure.

The same team of researchers will be continuing their examination of the same subject but in other areas of the world. The Purdue University will fund this project and they will closely inspect the economy of European Union and the possible changes in the identical conditions. GMO crops are not that widespread in Europe as they are in the United States, but we are sure that the results will be surprising.

After Europe, they will move to the Asian countries where GMO crops are more common. We are very excited to see their findings in the future since any research that involves exploration of the subject of GMO crops is thrilling to all of us interested in that field of study. There are so many trials and tests that are underway right now but they usually focus on the short term and long term effects GMO foods have on living organisms. This is the first study that is dealing with the impact on the economy and the quality of life. We are sure that the international research would give us plenty of interesting results that will make us rethink our perspectives.

GMO Plants as an important strategy to adapting climate-smart changes

One of the greatest worries about increased temperatures is the corn impact it has on Agricultural practices. This is because heat waves are perceived to have an impact on the atmospheric humidity through the creation of a drought condition. In the long-term, this extends into reducing the amount of water that is in the soil, rivers, and lakes among corn water sources. Another under worry about the high temperatures is that relating to the prospects of food crops bidding their natural habitats a good bye. According to expert agronomists, if the temperatures rise beyond a certain threshold, there will be anticipated a decline of yield significantly.

However, climate change is not a good thing as people may want to describe it. This is because of the problems that come along with it apart from the high temperatures that exceed the tolerant limits of various species of crops. The alteration in the normal patterns of the weather has a great impact on the systems of agriculture in certain areas. Similarly, variability in the climatic patterns may lead to draft that gives rise to floods during seasons that would otherwise be dry under normal conditions. This causes dryness during wet seasons and thus affects the crops that have been planted. This leads to the crippling of crops for long periods of time.

One of the ways in which this can be taken care of is through adaptation of the genetically engineered crops species that are tolerant to harsh environmental conditions. This means that GMO plants can be produced so that they can withstand drought, floods, extreme temperatures as well as novel breeds of pests. This serves as a promising area that can help in salvaging the extreme changes in the climatic patterns that hit hard the agriculturally productive regions across the globe. This requires employing biotechnology techniques that will help in promoting the crop adaptation.

GM crops in stress conditions
The effects of the alteration in the weather have been attributed as one of the leading causes of changes in the soil conditions. This often leads to toxic salt levels in the ground that are not favorable for crops. In Australia, a gene has been identified in Wheat to play a central role in marker-assisted breeding has promised to offer great avenues of taking care of the salt concentrations in the soil. This is by conferring salt tolerance traits in the GM crops. Based on a report given by the FAO (2010), there is a possibility that the use of biotechnology based techniques can lead to the salt tolerant crops through genetic engineering. This is after a long period of 10 years of genetic research utilizing transgenic plants to alter the salt tolerance. The value and success of this particular approach are anticipated in the filed experiments that are on-going in Australia. The success of this approach is one of the greatest techniques of GMO drought tolerant crops and thus promoting the climate-smart farming technology.

GMO maize, MON87460 to feed people in droughts
There have been significant efforts put in place by the genetic engineers in converting crops so that they can efficiently use carbon dioxide and water. This means that significant conversion of the metabolism of the plants from carbon 3 to carbon four metabolisms has to occur. The carbon four plants that include maize, as well as sugarcane, have a more efficient way of using their water and carbon dioxide. This means that successful genetic engineering of drought tolerance genes has currently been found impossible because of the major changes that have to be made in the metabolic cycle.

In some parts of Africa, Australia, and Europe, there is evidence of plants growing in the absence of moisture after prolonged periods of droughts. Recently, there has been the release of maize that is tolerant to droughts by Monsanto. The maize is referred to as MON87460, and there is anticipation for the marketing consent release for this batch of corn. It is under conditions that have limited amounts of water that the grain yield for the corn loss was reduced significantly when compared to the conventional maize. However, just like the regular corn, MON87460 maize still suffers from loss of yield especially in conditions where the amount of water is limited. This often has been reported to happen during the stage of flowering and the grainfill period. This is because it is during this time that the yields of maize are greatly influenced by their sensitivity to stress conditions. Because of this, the kernel development is disrupted significantly.

Additionally, the maize grain yield of the MON87460 maize has the potential to reach zero level especially under conditions of severe water deficiency. The most important factor to note is that the information that is available from the Monsanto is not inclusive of the evidence that indeed the GMO maize MON87460 will thrive in conditions of limited water.

Currently, there are researches taking place in France on a wide range of crops that have the ability to withstand inhospitable climatic conditions. This includes research on Grapes that are designed to fight against common environmental viruses as well as the wheat in Australia striving to produce foods that have lower glycemic levels. Additionally, other studies are those focusing on cassavas that are resistant to ceratin viruses and bananas that contain high levels of iron. All these studies strive at ensuring that we have GM plants that are climate smart and can assure the future of food security.

Conclusion
A wide range of miracle GMO plants that are capable of thriving in marginal lands is the focus of most researches today. This is to ensure that there is the development of genetically engineered crops that are tolerant to abiotic stresses that include high salt concentrations, droughts among other factors. However, in as much as these promises are highly manipulative of the common farmers, the results of which are still at the level of mere speculations. If we have successful genetic engineering of pants that will confer drought resistance traits, then it will be a happy future for all the people across the globe. This is because it means sufficient food and thus food security. However, there is still the challenge of making significant alterations to the metabolism of the plant.

Issues associated with GMO plants

Introduction
It is within the mission set for 2017 that genetically modified crops have negative impacts on the ecosystem and the entire biodiversity. However, it is quite sad that most of the multinational organizations such as Monsanto do not have the best interests of humankind at heart. It is important to take note that other bodies such as the FDA ensure that the safety of the GM plants and the foods produced from them are safe for human consumption. This means that the foods that are generated from GMO plants have to possess a high standard of safety equal or greater than that we obtain from plants that are bred using the traditional techniques. However, despite all these efforts that have been put in place by safety bodies, there are still concerns involving GMO plants. These include:

– Contamination of farmlands and natural habitats
Genetically engineered plants have been reported to play a crucial role in threatening contamination of the surrounding farming areas as well as natural plant home. This is the central reason why there is low biodiversity among crops that are bred for food as well as the reason for monoculture. Genetically engineered plants often have the ability to adapt better to the environmental conditions and thus increasing their capacity to outcompete plants that occur naturally. The central mandate is not to contribute to loss but rather offer significant support to guided land and climate analysis to ensure that GMO plants are prevented with buffer zones across fields.

– Seed patenting
The issue of seed patenting of genetically modified plants is a growing problem in research as well as agriculture as a whole. This is because when a given formula is obtained for GMO plants, it is the multinational companies that patent and make this commercial. For example, when the strain of Bacillus thuringiensis cotton was produced, Monsanto patented this, and they had control over 95 % of the cotton marketed in India. This sort of monopoly has contributed to the dramatic increase in the prices of cotton leaving the farmers in debt and thus unsustainability of their livelihoods.

– Cross-contamination
This patenting and commercialization of the GMO plants has been the main reason for cross contamination of seeds and thus this problem is passed on to the farmers by selling those contaminated seeds. This means that if the farmer has the GMO plant in their possession and has not planted it but for some reason their field is contaminated, then the lawsuit will be on those that have the patent. However, in case the farmer steals the GMO crop patented, then they are subject to facing a lawsuit. This means that farmers have to be sensitized on aspects that relate to the cross-contamination of GMO plants. However, the current problem is that the multinational companies that are marketing the seeds ensure that the farmers do not keep the seeds for the following year, and this renders the farmers in debt. This is because they have to constantly increase their yield to afford the seeds for planting. A case study in India reveals that most farmers each year find themselves taking loans to provide the seeds that are sold at exorbitantly high prices.

– Destruction of seeds that once existed
The fact that most of the laws have illegalized farmers having seeds from their companies through the seed patenting and commercialization aspect, there is a significant issue of gradual destruction of the naturally occurring seeds. This is through the competition and cross-contamination of GM plants sold by the multinational companies. This is based on the fact that in case the crops that are of one genetic makeup are subjected to failure in a given agricultural year, then the yield goes down, and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers is threatened.

– Political and economic structures
The issues that I have discussed above concerning the GM plants are often influenced by political and economic problems that are linked to the creation, production and distribution of GM plants. Today, genetically engineered plants have not been very useful to small holder farmers. This is because the pressure that is exerted by biotechnological companies, as well as agribusinesses, is quickly killing the existence of small farms. This is because there is a threat that small farms produce more foods than large farms. Additionally, it is the small farms that have the ability of successfully introducing sustainable practices as opposed to the case of industrial farms. This is the reason why the mission set for 2017 is in support of biotech downscaling. This is geared towards encouraging the production as well as the distribution of a wide range of GMO plants that meets the needs of farmers across different ecosystems.

Conclusion
We require a healthy agricultural system that integrates GM plants, and laws have to be streamlined by the government to regulate the activities that are carried out by biotechnological companies. It is these regulations that serve as the hope hindering monopolies and abuse of farmers that are not to blame for issues of cross contaminations. Additionally, there is a need to alter legislations that are in support of industrial farming. For example, the New Deal made in the 1930s gave rise to a set of programs in the US that guaranteed fair pricing of corn instead of permitting free market pricing. This means that the poor farmers that have labored in the farm for their produce did not have the continually increase their yield to stay out of debt like the case today. This means that the system made sure that there was fairness in the pricing of their crops to encourage small farmers as well as promote biodiversity. If this political and economic structure were to be adopted today, then farmers would be encouraged to increase crop biodiversity. This will prevent farming practices that promote planting of a single strain of GMO plants in a huge truck of land. It is these policies that promise to benefit developing countries that rely on agriculture for the most parts of their economy and livelihoods.

The Importance of GMO Labeling

The products that have been genetically modified are vastly superior, scientists say. They benefit all levels of production and it is clear why they might be more profitable than the others. But of course, there is a certain percentage of consumers that oppose these positive aspects and claim that genetically modified organisms are dangerous to both people and the environment.

If we take a look at the broader picture, it is obvious that the advances in GMO technologies are extremely important and we are learning more and more every day on how to perfect them. But there is still so much we need to learn. However, we are not entirely clear on the issue of GMO food’s long term influence on people. There are plenty of researches we need to conduct and they should be done over a longer time period in order to get the most accurate results. The researchers from University Kebangsaan in Malaysia tackled the issue of GMO labeling in that country since the data that is currently available is simply not enough. Surely, this is an extensive research and the results so far have been partial.

The scientists who are advocating the positive sides of GMO products are certain that the biotechnology used in producing these foods are harmless and that the end result of the effect it has on humans is the same as in the non-GMO foods. However, having in mind the very size of GMO industry and the amount of money involved, not everyone is convinced. Many opponents of GMO technology are entirely sure that the scientists who claim that GMO products are safe for consumption are corrupted. Further research is required and we will not know the final outcome for quite some time.

Consumers should be aware of both positive and negative sides of this argument and be able to decide for themselves whether they want to consume genetically modified foods and products, or not. But until we have concrete proof on the negative effects genetically modified organisms can pose on humans, animals, an environment, it is hard to say that these products are safe or unsafe. But what we can say is that the researchers are doing their best to reach that result and they think that putting labels on GMO products is the best approach we can take at the moment.

GMO labeling might add some extra costs to food production, but the researchers from University Kebangsaan in Malaysia are claiming that it is simply necessary at the given time, especially in that country. Educating the consumers is a must and putting a clear label on a GMO product can prevent the unwanted results in the future. Therefore, Malaysia’s strict labeling law is completely justified.

The safety of the consumers should be the primary goal and given the lack of evidence that will persuade us in either way, the labels should be obligatory. The research team at the Kebangsaan University has done an excellent job so far and they dived deep into all the documentation available from Europe, North America, and Asia. They covered the majority of important points such as regulations and general labeling laws that are enforced in various countries.

The conclusion is obvious – the labeling law in Malaysia is reasonable and can only benefit the consumers. Until we get the results from the long term researches that will finally put an end to the debate about the safety of GMO foods, putting a warning label and letting the consumer make a decision is the best approach we have available at the moment. Surely, we will see more and more advances in the field of biotechnology in the years to come and educating people about them is definitely a must.

Nestlé Removes GMO Ingredients from Their Ice Cream

The food manufacturing giants have recently announced that they will be removing GMO ingredients from a couple of their ice cream flavors. Nestlé are one of the biggest companies in the world today and the fact that they are actually listening to the demands of their customers who oppose GMO technology is a watershed moment for those who are putting an effort into removing GMO from the best-selling and well known food products.

A large number of consumers have contacted Nestlé demanding the removal of GMO ingredients from six ice cream products. Even though it has taken Nestlé some time to make a final decision, eventually they did reach the verdict and in order to keep their customers satisfied, GMO ingredients will be taken out of all of the requested products.

They released an official statement in which they pointed out that Nestlé Dreyer’s Ice Cream will be updating the ingredients of the following flavors: Edy’s 1, Häagen-Dazs, Outshine, Skinny Cow, Nestlé Ice Cream and Nestlé Drumstick. The focus will be on maintaining the well-known flavors with all new non-GMO ingredients. Therefore, the consumers will remain happy and get the healthiest possible version of their favorite ice cream product.

Nestlé will also closely examine a number of other products in order to determine if they need any modifications when it comes to ingredients. Their scientists will be inspecting over one hundred products and make a decision whether they need updates in terms of removing both GMO ingredients or artificial flavors and colors.

Their efforts should be praised because not many food manufacturers are ready to plunge into this so readily. They mostly ignore the critics and continue to use untested ingredients in their products anyway. Of course, there are plenty of research we need to complete in order to know exactly how GMO products influence our bodies and environment. But there are already so many people who oppose GMO technology and request that the big companies at least put a GMO label on their products.

As a matter of fact, other huge companies such as Kellogg’s and Mars made the announcements in March that they will be following Campbell’s’ steps and start putting GMO warning labels on the products that contain GMO ingredients. This seemed like a huge deal when it first came out, but Nestlé took it to a whole new level with the actual removal of GMO ingredients from their ice creams.

The labels appeared in April of 2016 all around the United States and that decision was rushed after a new GMO law was accepted in Vermont. The manufacturers have decided that it will be impossible to put the labels on their products in Vermont only, so they went big and nationwide and updated both the labels and the packaging of their products in all of the fifty states.

The bar was raised by Nestlé and we are eager to see what the other manufacturers will do in the future regarding the labels. The food production business is obviously very huge and they simply have to listen to the demands of their customers in order to keep them satisfied. If there is a request that an ingredient needs to be closely examined and revised, the large companies take the criticism very seriously and do their best to make further inquiry as soon as possible.

Knowing the ingredients that are in the food you consume is very important and we applaud Nestlé for listening to their customers. It is a big victory for the people who are not fans of GMO and we are sure that there will be more developments with this story in the future.

The latest revelation: Vitamin C in Supplements Is Made From GMO Corn

Having in mind that the modern life is fast and that we are definitely not getting enough vitamins and nutrients from the foods we consume, taking different supplements became a common occurrence. Yes, it is great that you are taking care of yourself and thinking about your health, but are you really aware of the origin of the substances you are consuming? If the answer is no, you will be very surprised.

The majority of companies that manufacture supplements are very loud when it comes to advertising and they are prone to making sensational claims. Mike Adams, a notable scientist and an author of the book called Food Forensics told Natural News that not all supplements are created equal and the fact that the word “pure” or “natural” is printed on the packaging does not guarantee that you will be getting an organic and healthy supplement that is ridden of all chemicals or toxins.

He was particularly vocal about vitamin C supplements you can buy in stores all around the country and made a revelation that the said vitamin C is derived from GMO corn. Vitamin C is extracted from ascorbic acid and it is in almost every case obtained from the genetically modified corn. If you want to purchase completely organic vitamin C supplement, you will need to do so from Europe because their GMO laws are very strict and the supplements go through plenty of tests before they are approved for mass production and distribution.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the genetically modified corn is toxic or dangerous. However, if the manufacturers of the said supplement are advertising it as an immunity booster that will help you fight or prevent the common cold, you will have more luck if you go for the supplement that extracts the vitamin C from a pure and natural source. Natural vitamin C has a lot more benefits than the synthetic one because you will be getting additional enzymes that will help your body use vitamin C in the best possible way.

Sure enough, there are plenty of scientists who oppose this finding and their main argument is that vitamin C is simply a chemical and that it doesn’t matter where it comes from as long as it does its work and achieve the same final result. As we have previously mentioned, GMO corn seems to be completely safe for human consumption and there are no recorded complications, but of course, we cannot say that for certain until we have some scientific results that examined the long term effect on humans. We simply need more solid scientific proof.

The production of organic and clean vitamin C in the US is demanding and there are not many manufacturers who want to get into it. It costs a lot of money and requires a number of regulations and permits. However, there are a couple of companies who are trying to launch their own productions at the moment.

All in all, it is impossible to tell if vitamin C derived from GMO corn is completely different from the organic vitamin C without extensive long term research. Luckily, there are plenty of ongoing trials right now that will very likely give us more information about the effects of genetically modified foods and plants in the near future.

Food production technology is constantly evolving. As a consumer, you should definitely be more involved into knowing exactly what you consume because not everything is very transparent. Check the labels and ingredients regularly, especially on the store bought supplements. The fine print is there for a reason and you should always keep that in mind.

Bill Nye and the Changing Opinions on GMO Products

Bill Nye, the science guy is a well-known face all around the globe and he is the most famous tv researcher who made his career through educating generations and generations of children through his tv show. He wrote numerous books and still appears on television and various talk shows. As a matter of fact, he made his new startling revelation on Bill Maher’s HBO show.

The science guy was very vocal on criticizing GMO and Monsanto in both his written works and tv appearances. However, he told Bill Maher that he has completely changed his views on this issue. After visiting Monsanto and their research facilities, Bill was extremely impressed by the amount of care with which the scientists approach this field of study and now he claims that GMO foods are completely safe for consumption.

He even told Bill Maher that he will revise all of the chapters in his books that criticize GMO and update and rewrite them using his newly acquired knowledge on the topic. Nye spent a lot of time with the researchers at Monsanto laboratories and he absolutely loved what he saw there. He is certain that GMO foods are the future for the mankind and that the rest of the world will see the benefits very soon.

However, recent polls have discovered that the opinions on the safety of GMO foods vary in terms of the education. We are already familiar with the information that around 88% of world’s scientists say that GMO foods are not harmful to human bodies or the environment and that they can only benefit the population.

That certainly can be true because we have already encountered plenty of obstacles in the organic production of various foods, and using GMO seeds vastly improves the production rates and the quality of the crops. The newest data shows that people who are more educated are less likely to have a sense of distrust when it comes to GMO products. The general opinion is changing and we are showing more and more support towards the GMO research and production.

Just like Bill Nye, the people are seeing why it is a good thing and why we need to invest our knowledge and resources into developing GMO foods even further. The fact that we are capable of modifying a living plant tells a lot about the level of technological advancement we have reached so far and even though we have to test the effects further, it is already a huge step forward in the food production.

The criticism of GMO and claims that the effects it has on humans are severe and dangerous mostly come from the people who are not well versed in the science, or haven’t attended college or post graduate programs. Perhaps their beliefs come from the lack of information or they are simply conservative and not ready to accept new technologies.

Having in mind that Bill Nye was skeptical about GMO but managed to change his mind completely and rethink his previous claims shows that we are taking a huge step forward when it comes to GMO and biotechnology. Sure, we still need various GMO laws and guidelines until we can say for sure that GMO production is not harming humans, animals, or the environment. But until then, we have to keep an open mind and allow the research to be done.

Monsanto’s scientists are doing their best to explore and test the GMO products they are working on. Bill Nye is most certainly convinced by their efforts. We simply need to give them some space and time to further improve their discoveries.

Papaya and the Use of Genetic Viral Protection

The Papaya plant may seem exotic to most mainlanders, but it is actually a very important fruit grown in the islands of Hawaii. While a large part of agricultural life on the island, Hawaiians faced a growing threat to their livelihood in the form of a devastating virus known as Papaya Ringspot Virus. Gmocompass describes the effects of prv in its article “Papayas” as stunting to the trees, causing them to take on an unhealthy, naked look as they are shorter than regular papaya trees and have less leaves covering their tops (2016).

The process undertaken to protect the papaya trees is highly reminiscent of the way immunities are developed in humans through vaccinations. The article describes how certain types of viral proteins are inserted into the genes of the papayas which causes the papaya to fight back and develop a more powerful immune response to the viruses of that type. This results in the papaya plants getting total protection from the papaya ringspot virus, as they are better equipped to fight off the affliction with their genes. This development has allowed cultivators in Hawaii to plant the gm papayas in widespread locations and have them thrive even while prv is running rampant around their crops. There are actually pictures of natural and modified papaya trees planted parallel to each other, showing how the prv in the area is devastating the natural trees, while the modified papaya trees are as strong and healthy as if there were no viruses around whatsoever.

The modified papayas first appeared in 1999 but have over time become the dominant form of papaya grown in Hawaii. The total cultivated space covers 3/4ths the entire papaya crop area with little sign of the adoption rates changing. As far as world acceptance, there is growing research and development into the process used to combat the papaya ringspot virus by other Asian countries who want to alter the crop themselves to combat the viral strains it would face being grown in their local areas. Both the United States and Canada have approved the consumption of GM papaya in their territories and serve as the largest customers of the crop.

Meanwhile, the European Union has not approved the consumption or import of gm papaya, and because there have been no proposals to the EU for approval, it may be a while before their status gets reviewed. For now, it is illegal to import and market the modified papayas in any of the member states of the EU.

While many genetic modifications of plants tend to increase resistance to herbicide and pesticide use, and maintain the aesthetic appeal of the crop by eliminating brown spots from bruising and cutting, the modification of papayas presents a unique appeal of modification that cannot as of yet be managed by anything else. There are no pills or medicines that can be given to plants that are already sick, and so genetic modifications of the plant so as to provide it a defense against debilitating pathogens have proved to be one of the best ways to preserve yields and growth of successful fields. However, for many people the dangers of genetic modification still outweighs the benefits of it, and even the rarity of overcoming the problem through other means still doesn’t provide enough of a justification to promote the acceptance and use of gm plants. For the papaya there are hopeful signs with the widespread adoption already seen in North America, but the approval of the EU on using the crop will be integral to seeing a more widespread acceptance of what the technology offers.

Source: Gmocompass. (2016). Papayas. Gmo-compass.