Posted February 2, 2011 at 3:50 PM
While reading Investigating Science Communication in the Information Age for class last week, my interest was piqued when genetically modified organisms were repeatedly brought up throughout my reading. Several questions were raised by the author on the topic such as: Is it safe? How safe? How safe is safe enough? Who decides what counts as safe? All of these questions, as well as many others, are very valid ones that we all should ask ourselves when it comes to genetically modified organisms.
What exactly are genetically modified organisms? GMOs are crop plants that are created using biotechnology to produce more produce for animal and human consumption. Several characteristics of the plant can be changed with this biotechnology that allow for greater produce to be produced, greater resistance to pests, diseases, and cold, and greater tolerance to drought-like conditions. Scientists view these changes and some others as beneficial to both humans and animals.
However, there are lots of people who see these changes as harmful to the environment and a potential risk to the humans and animals that consume these products. Some worry that introducing these modified plants into the wild will have a significant impact on other native plants. Another worry is that the modified plants will have an adverse effect on humans and animals.
The government has strict regulations on what is acceptable for public consumption, and GMOs are not exempt from this. Any GMOs are subject to meet governmental regulations, but what those regulations are is still an uncertainty. Certain types of produce, such as corn, are treated the same whether they are GMOs or natural crops while other types of crops are not.
Whenever I am faced with the option between a food that is genetically modified and one that isn’t, I usually pick the food that has not been modified. While I do know that in some cases I have no choice in the matter, I still prefer what is provided by nature to what is genetically altered by humans. Nature I trust, but humans are, well, human, and they make mistakes. There is also the issue that most food products don’t specify where ingredients came from or labels on foods don’t mention whether or not the product has GMOs in it. I guess the most important thing to do if you worry about such things like I do is to check the labels on whatever you buy.
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Recipe of the Day
Chicken Parmesan
Ingredients
¼ cup plus 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
½ cup olives, pitted
½ bunch fresh basil leaves
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
Pinch sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp water
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, water drained
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound spaghetti pasta, cooked
Directions
Coat a sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and bay leaves; cook while stirring for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add the tomatoes, cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, and cover.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about ½ inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the bread crumbs on a plate, season with salt and pepper.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once.
Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti.
The original recipe can be found here.
I don't know if you studied this in you NHV class or not, but there is (has been) a huge controversy about GMO gene contamination. Additionally, there is concern about herbacide resistant plants. Here's a link to a look at the controversy of the company Roundup Ready.
I don't think human health is a concern with GM foods considering the regulations and testing performed. I find it interesting that people have fear in these crops but don't mind all of the processed chemicals that go into most foods today, check the label. The real concern with GM foods is the effect they may have on the environment and potential creation of super weeds that are resistant to herbicides.
I like the idea of GMO's. It provides a fail safe in the event of drought or bug infestation or other unforseen disaster. I don't think they should be used in times where things are going well. They could also be used to foreign aid and oils production so the domestic crop production doesn't need to be sacrificed to help others.
Nice recipe of the day with directions as well
I disagree with Cold Steel--GMOs actually make us more vulnerable because they encourage monocropping--when we have less diversity, we're more vulnerable to plagues or pests that could wipe out substantial sources of our food supply. I'm also bothered that we don't really know if what we're eating is GMO or not--we haven't really been given a choice in the matter, and contamination is rife.
Chances are that the health risks are low, but I'm also bothered by this as a business practice. It drives a lot of small farms to depend on big corporations and to not be able to determine their own practices. Some small farmers are okay with this but a lot are not.
A complex issue. Love that you're getting into this debate.
I love your take on GMOs. I personally think they are dangerous and are now having a negative impact on the environment and humans. There has been an increase in kidney disease among other things. Our life spans are longer than the bugs that eat the corn and have their stomachs rupture in a short time vs our bodies having a build up of this in our systems. I think we are just now seeing the effects on us. I wish GMOs would get banned, but too much profit is involved and there is a revolving door from Monsanto into key positions of our government that isn't going to let that happen. The only way we can end it is with our spending power and even then it will be too late one day before people realize what's happening and that food is patented by one or a handful of corporations that have control of the world's food supply. Then we may not have a choice but to eat the poison they are spraying and genetically modifying into our food. Sadly we already have glyphosate (main ingredient in Round Up) in our bodies and water and now the USDA has just approved 2, 4-D Herbicide (main ingredient in Agent Orange) to be used mixed with Round Up (Duelist?) as the next pesticide/herbicide and to be genetically modified into our food. What I don't understand is why more people aren't fighting this. Even to get them labeled these corporations put out millions to mislead voters in scare tactics of just putting it on the label. In Europe they are labeled, but here in America it seems the people really just don't care what they are eating as long as it tastes good to them. Sadly, Round Up is already in our urine and water supply along with our food, so when they introduce a new version of Agent Orange what's that going to do to us and our water supply? It's just a scary thought. It's like they (our gov) could care less what Agent Orange did to so many in Vietnam. I just don't get it. I think we should go organic with our food, but the big bad corporations won't allow that to happen since it's no profit to them if they can't make you buy their chemicals. My opinion anyway.