People often express concerns regarding genetically engineered food products. Since this technology is relatively new and research is in its infancy, questions surrounding its safety remain.
GMO crops are most often used to provide animal feed, but some also contribute to our daily diets as we consume products like cornstarch and canola oil.
1. Soybeans
Soybeans are a food staple across much of the globe, serving as the foundation for delicious dishes such as soy milk, tofu, TVP (textured vegetable protein) textured vegetable protein (TVP), soy sauce and tempeh.
Soybean products are widely enjoyed across the US. They’re an important source of high-oleic soybean oil used for fried food and other culinary applications.
Soybeans engineered to be resistant to herbicides have created risks to biodiversity and may pose other environmental impacts.
2. Corn
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops have their DNA modified in a laboratory to produce certain traits that enable faster growth, increased pest and disease resistance and other desirable characteristics.
Corn is one of the most ubiquitous genetically modified (GM) crops found on store shelves, engineered to resist herbicides and produce its own insecticide.
Shopping for genetically modified (GM) foods requires due diligence. When looking for “no GMOs” or “100% organic” labels, ensure your items meet this criteria.
3. Alfalfa
Alfalfa is one of the four primary crops grown in the US, and an essential element of organic farms. Used as livestock fodder and part of organic crop rotation plans in Northern states.
Alfalfa was originally grown as feed for livestock, but today its flowers serve as food sources for pollinators insects and anti-inflammatory and cholesterol lowering properties in humans have also been demonstrated.
Controversy has arisen surrounding Roundup Ready (RR) genetically modified alfalfa. Engineered to withstand glyphosate herbicide, which is increasingly being used across the country, these plants are being engineered specifically for resistance against it.
4. Canola
Canola oil is widely utilized throughout the food industry and found in virtually all processed food items. Furthermore, canola can also be found as an ingredient in many meat and dairy products.
Canola plants are part of the Brassicaceae family, along with cabbage, beets and mustard plants. Cultivation began over four millennia ago in Asia.
Canadian scientists began using traditional plant breeding in the 1960s to make rapeseed (the seed from a rapeseed plant) more nutritious for humans and animals alike, by eliminating two undesirable components from its oil and meal (erucic acid and glucosinolates, respectively).
5. Cotton
Cotton is one of the world’s most profitable crops, providing income to millions of farmers around the globe. Yet its environmental footprint is substantial due to its water requirements for growth as well as dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for its cultivation.
Genetically Modified (GM) seeds have become a staple component of cotton production, along with herbicide resistant crops like Bt corn and soy. Over the years, these GM products have been linked with thousands of cotton farmers’ deaths as well as being responsible for bankruptcies due to their exorbitant prices.
6. Eggplant
Eggplant is an important crop across Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean region; however its yield tends to be significantly lower in these areas compared with developed countries (Table 1).
Climate fluctuations negatively impact eggplant production and quality. Heat and drought stress limits plant growth, causes fruit drop off, wilting, rotting and reduces quality significantly.
In order to increase productivity and quality, breeding efforts for eggplant have focused on exploiting hybrid vigor, insect pest resistance and disease tolerance, and stress tolerance through various transgenic technologies. These traits have proven vital in terms of productivity.
7. Papaya
Papaya is an incredibly nutritious tropical fruit, known for its many uses. It’s an excellent source of Vitamin C – ideal for relieving swelling – as well as antioxidants which may help combat premature skin aging and skin damage.
Papaya ringspot virus nearly destroyed global papaya production during the 1980s and 1990s, but researchers developed a GMO papaya variety that is resistant to it.
Unfortunately, despite all its advantages, this variety is not being widely grown due to being unsuitable for farmers in developing nations and pollination issues with potentially organic papayas which could pose health concerns.
