Pound Bye Pound: Genetic Modification of Food

Genetic modification of food is not new.

GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals.

For centuries, food crops and animals have been altered through selective breeding. While genes can be transferred during selective breeding, the scope for exchanging genetic material is much wider using genetic engineering. In theory, genetic engineering allows genetic material to be transferred between any organism, including between plants and animals. For example, the gene from a fish that lives in very cold seas has been inserted into a strawberry, allowing the fruit to be frost-tolerant.

By far the most common genetically modified (GM) organisms are crop plants. But the technology has now been applied to almost all forms of life, from pets that glow under UV light to bacteria which form HIV blocking "living condoms" and from pigs bearing spinach genes to goats that produce spider silk.

These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Are GMOs safe?

Are GMOs labele

How common are GMOs?

Listen to the show to find out the answer to these question and more sunday at 8pm on Pound Bye Pound

Pound bye Pound is a weight loss blog that will follow the journey of four women, all traveling different paths to get to their weight loss goals. Along the way we will be sharing our losses and victories, posting recipes and reaching out to each other for tips, tricks and support. We also invite you to listen to our BlogTalkRadio show which airs every Sunday night at 8pm EST.