Genetic engineering in food refers to the process of altering the DNA of plants, animals, or microorganisms to produce desired traits. Scientists take the gene for a desired trait in one plant or animal and insert that gene into a cell of another plant or animal. This process allows scientists to move desired genes from one plant or animal into another, or from an animal to a plant or vice versa. Genetic engineering can be done with plants, animals, or bacteria and other very small organisms.
One of the benefits of genetic engineering is that it allows scientists to select one specific gene to implant, avoiding introducing other genes with undesirable traits. Genetic engineering also helps speed up the process of creating new foods with desired traits. The possible benefits of genetic engineering include more nutritious and tastier food. However, there are also potential risks associated with genetically engineered foods, such as the creation of foods that can cause an allergic or toxic reaction, unexpected or harmful genetic changes, and inadvertent transfer of genes from one genetically modified plant or animal to another plant or animal not intended for genetic modification.
The US Department of Agriculture has recently started requiring food manufacturers to disclose information about bioengineered foods and their ingredients. Many religious and cultural communities are against genetically modified foods because they see it as an unnatural way of producing foods. However, genetic engineering has the potential to solve many of the worlds hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
Overall, genetic engineering in food is a complex and controversial topic with both potential benefits and risks.
