Genetically modified food

Five students of our class reported about this topic. First they explained what gene-manipulation is. An encyclopedia said that modifications and new combinations of genes are done and they are transported into living cells.

Since we did not understand that too well, the team gave us two examples. Normal maize rots after about a month. Gene manipulated maize keeps longer than a year. Moreover, the yield can be considerably increased by extending the maize by gene manipulation.

The second example referred to animals. Through the implantation of a special gene and the thereby modified cells, chickens lay three times as many eggs as before.

Nowadays fields with gene manipulated plants take already double the size of Austria and Switzerland. Thus plants especially build up resistance against disease-causing agents.

It is estimated that new hereditary factors are brought forth a thousand times faster than by the usual cultivation methods. As early as in the bronze age (1750 - 8000 a.D.) they tried to reproduce useful plants and working animals in a special way, so that as many positive features as possible were interbreeded. Nowadays we have the potatoe that cannot rot because it carries the gene of the silk moth. Strawberries are protected by the cold-resistance gene of the pollack

The great variety of modification possibilities also brings dangers for humans, the environment and our society. A TV report in Germany last week the “pomato“ (potatoe/tomato) was introduced. Experiments with labour rats showed that this genetically modified potato harmed the gastro-intestinal tract.

A year ago, a European-wide survey of an American company revealed that the majority of the population refuse genfood. In Germany the percentage was with 80% the highest. This is among other things surely also a result of the fright caused by the numerous food scandals,
e.g. BSE.

Dear GLOBE-students in the project “The main thing is it tastes nice“,

what is your opinion on gene manipulated food ? Would you eat them ? Our media present the USA as open to genetic engineering. Is that true ? Is genetic engineering a topic that you discuss in your country ?

We are already looking forward to many interesting replies,

the students of the sixth form (6c) at the Comprehensive School in Velbert, Germany