What are the benefits and harms of genetically modified foods? Caution: scientists are debunking the main myths about the dangers of GMOs.

The topic of this article: “GMOs: benefit or harm?” Let's try to understand this issue with an open mind. After all, it is precisely the lack of objectivity that plagues many materials today devoted to this controversial topic. Today, in many countries of the world (including Russia), the concept of GMO has begun to be used when talking about “products that cause tumors and mutations.” GMOs are being vilified from all sides for various reasons: they are tasteless, unsafe, and threaten the food independence of our country. But are they really that scary and what is it really? Let's answer these questions.

Decoding the concept

GMOs are genetically modified organisms, that is, altered using genetic engineering methods. This concept in a narrow sense also applies to plants. In the past, various plant breeders, like Michurin, achieved beneficial properties in plants using various tricks. These included, in particular, grafting cuttings from some trees onto others or choosing to sow seeds only with certain qualities. After this, it was necessary to wait a long time for results, which only appeared steadily after a couple of generations. Today, the desired gene can be transferred to the right place and thus quickly get what you want. That is, GMOs are the direction of evolution in the right direction, its acceleration.

The original purpose of breeding GMOs

Several techniques can be used to create a GMO plant. The most popular today is the transgene method. The necessary gene (for example, the drought resistance gene) for this purpose is isolated in its pure form from the DNA chain. After this, it is added to the DNA of the plant that needs to be modified.

Genes can be taken from related species. In this case, the process is called cisgenesis. Transgenesis occurs when a gene is taken from a distant species.

It is about the latter that there are terrible stories. Many, having learned that wheat today exists with the scorpion gene, begin to fantasize about whether those who eat it will grow claws and a tail. Numerous illiterate publications on forums and websites Today, the topic of GMOs, the benefits or harms of which are very actively discussed, has not lost its relevance. However, this is not the only way that “specialists” who are poorly acquainted with biochemistry and biology scare potential consumers of products containing GMOs.

Today, we have agreed to call such products everything that is genetically modified organisms or any products that contain components of these organisms. That is, GMO food will be not only genetically modified potatoes or corn, but also sausages, which contain, in addition to liver and GMO soy. But products made from the meat of a cow that was fed wheat containing GMOs will not be considered such a product.

Effect of GMOs on the human body

Journalists who do not understand topics such as genetic engineering and biotechnology, but understand the relevance and urgency of the GMO problem, launched the canard that, once they enter our intestines and stomach, the cells of the products containing them are absorbed into the bloodstream and then distributed to tissues and organs , in which they cause cancerous tumors and mutations.

It must be noted that this fantastic story is far from reality. Any food, without GMOs or with them, in the intestines and stomach breaks down under the influence of intestinal enzymes, pancreatic secretion and gastric juice into its component parts, and they are not genes or even proteins at all. These are amino acids, triglycerides, simple sugars and fatty acids. All this in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract is then absorbed into the bloodstream, after which it is spent for various purposes: to obtain energy (sugar), as a building material (amino acids), for energy reserves (fats).

For example, if you take a genetically modified organism (let’s say an ugly apple that looks like a cucumber), then it will be calmly chewed and broken down into its component parts in the same way as any other non-GMO apple.

Other GMO horror stories

Another story, no less chilling, concerns the fact that transgenes are inserted into them, which leads to terrible consequences such as infertility and cancer. For the first time in 2012, the French wrote about cancer in mice that were given genetically modified grain. In fact, a sample of 200 Sprague-Dawley rats was made by Gilles-Eric Séralini, the leader of the experiment. Of these, a third were fed GMO corn grain, another third were fed herbicide-treated genetically modified corn, and the last were fed regular grains. As a result, female rats that ate genetically modified organisms (GMOs) showed an 80% increase in tumors within two years. The males developed kidney and liver pathologies from such nutrition. It is characteristic that on a normal diet, a third of the animals also died from various tumors. This strain of rats is generally prone to the sudden appearance of tumors that are not related to the nature of their diet. Therefore, the purity of the experiment can be considered questionable, and it was recognized as untenable and unscientific.

Similar research was carried out earlier, in 2005, in our country. GMOs in Russia were studied by biologist Ermakova. She presented a report at a conference in Germany on the high mortality rate of mice fed GMO soy. The statement, confirmed in a scientific experiment, then began to spread throughout the world, driving young mothers into hysterics. After all, they had to feed their babies artificial formula. And they used GMO soybeans. Five Nature Biotechnology experts subsequently agreed that the results of the Russian experiment were ambiguous, and its reliability was not recognized.

I would like to add that even if a piece of foreign DNA ends up in a person’s bloodstream, this genetic information will in no way be integrated into the body and will not lead to anything. Of course, in nature there are cases of genome pieces being integrated into a foreign organism. In particular, some bacteria spoil the genetics of flies in this way. However, similar phenomena have not been described in higher animals. In addition, there is more than enough genetic information in non-GMO products. And if they have not been integrated into the human genetic material until now, then you can continue to calmly eat everything that the body assimilates, including those containing GMOs.

Benefit or harm?

Monsanto, an American company, introduced genetically modified products to the market in 1982: soybeans and cotton. She is also the author of the Roundup herbicide that kills all vegetation, with the exception of genetically modified vegetation.

In 1996, when Monsanto's products were dumped on the market, competing corporations began a large-scale campaign to save profits by limiting the circulation of GMO products. The first to mark the persecution was Arpad Pusztai, a British scientist. He fed GMO potatoes to rats. True, experts subsequently tore all the calculations of this scientist to smithereens.

Potential harm for Russians from GMO products

No one hides the fact that on lands sown with GMO grains, nothing but themselves ever grows again. This is due to the fact that varieties of cotton or soybeans that are resistant to herbicides are not stained by them. Thus, they can be sprayed, causing the extinction of all other vegetation.

Glyphosphate is the most common herbicide. It is generally sprayed even before the plants ripen and quickly decomposes in them without persisting in the soil. However, resistant GMO plants allow it to be used in huge quantities, which increases the risks of glyphosphate accumulation in GMO vegetation. This herbicide is also known to cause bone overgrowth and obesity. And in Latin America and the USA there are too many people who are overweight.

Many GMO seeds are designed for only one sowing. That is, what grows out of them will not produce offspring. Most likely, this is a commercial ploy, since this increases sales of GMO seeds. Modified plants that produce subsequent generations exist perfectly well.

Since artificial gene mutations (for example, in soy or potatoes) can increase the allergenic properties of products, it is often said that GMOs are powerful allergens. But some varieties of peanuts, deprived of the usual proteins, do not cause allergies even in those who previously suffered from allergies to this particular product.

Due to their characteristics, they may reduce the number of other varieties of their species. If regular wheat and GMO wheat are planted on two plots located nearby, there is a risk that the modified one will replace the regular one, pollinating it. However, it is unlikely that anyone would let them grow nearby.

By abandoning its own seed funds and using only GMO seeds, especially disposable ones, the state will ultimately find itself in food dependence on the companies that hold the seed fund.

Conferences with the participation of Rospotrebnadzor

After horror stories and tales about GMO products were repeatedly circulated in all media, Rospotrebnadzor took part in many conferences on this issue. At a conference in Italy in March 2014, his delegation participated in technical consultations on the low content of genetically modified organisms in Russian trade. Today, therefore, a policy has been adopted to almost completely prevent such products from entering the food market of our country. The use of GMO plants in agriculture was also delayed, although the use of GMO seeds was planned to begin in 2013 (government decree of September 23, 2013).

Barcode

The Ministry of Education and Science went even further. It proposed using a barcode to replace the “GMO-Free” label in Russia. It must contain all the information about the genetic modification contained in the product or its absence. A good start, but without a special device it will be impossible to read this barcode.

Genetically modified foods and the law

GMOs are regulated by law in some states. In Europe, for example, their content in products is not allowed to exceed 0.9%, in Japan - 9%, in the USA - 10%. In our country, products containing GMO content exceeding 0.9% are subject to mandatory labeling. For violating these laws, businesses face sanctions, including termination of operations.

Conclusion

The conclusion from all this can be drawn as follows: the problem of GMOs (the benefits or harm from the use of products containing them) today is clearly overblown. The real effects of long-term use of such products are unknown. To date, no authoritative scientific experiments have been conducted on this issue.

Many products now carry the “non-GMO” label, which raises not only the cost of the product by making it “organic”, but also our trust in it. We will tell you what GMOs are, whether you should believe all the myths, and whether they are really as dangerous as they try to present.

What is GMO?

The abbreviation GMO stands for genetically modified organism, which can be a living organism or a food product that is created using genetic engineering. What are the advantages of this notorious genetic engineering technology? The fact is that, for example, in agriculture, pests avoid treated plants, and a very large harvest can be harvested. They have a very long shelf life and an attractive appearance - glossy shine, large size, beautiful shape. They are all created like a carbon copy. That is, it is very profitable, but is it safe for human health?

There are several common opinions about what kind of harm GM foods can cause to the human body:

1. The likelihood of tumor formation increases.

2. The body loses its ability to be susceptible to antibiotics and pills.

3. The easiest outcome is simple food poisoning.

4. GM foods can cause an allergic reaction in the body.

But not all experts today can confirm the veracity of each of these arguments. For example, Pamela Ronald, who has been studying plant genes for many years, argues that there is nothing wrong with GMOs: “Genetic modifications are not something new. Almost everything we eat now has been genetically modified in one way or another." She says: “Genetic modifications, in the sense of gene transfer between species, have been used for more than 40 years in winemaking, medicine, plant breeding, and cheese making. During all this time, there has never been a case where harm was caused to humans or the environment.”

Indeed, the harm of genetically modified organisms has not been officially proven by any scientist, although many experiments and studies have been conducted. So the connection between GM products and the occurrence of tumors is nothing more than an assumption.

As for pill resistance, bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics by creating genes through natural mutation.

Most plants produce substances that are toxic to humans. However, many foods that people consume produce toxins at low enough levels that they do not cause any adverse health effects.

But if genetic engineering technology is added to this plant, it is likely that it will begin to produce toxins at a higher level, and this means a direct threat to humans.

Children are more susceptible to food allergies than adults (almost 2 times). Allergic reactions in the human body occur when a genetically modified protein enters the body and stimulates the immune system. This is a completely normal reaction of the body to new components that it encounters for the first time.

Another danger that GM products pose is that the beneficial substances and properties of a particular fruit, vegetable or berry may be of lower quality than the nutritional properties of its normal counterpart. Thus, the body simply does not perceive the nutrients it receives.

Since ancient times, man has studied the world around him, trying to find understandable explanations for the phenomena that occur. Belief in higher powers and numerous myths gave rise to religion, but then the time came for modern science, which provides detailed answers to the things that are happening - from the molecular level to the universal worlds. If you look at the alien race of the Zerg from the famous game StarCraft, a feature immediately catches your eye: they found the ability to “suck up” the genetic component of various organisms and then change their genome, easily adapting and adjusting to new environmental conditions. The invention of the game creators seems fantastic, but in fact, the natural capabilities of earthly living organisms are quite close to what the fictional zerg race can do.

Modern society still believes in the myths that cover many of the scientific achievements of the best minds on the planet, but in most cases this is caused by a simple lack of a colossal amount of knowledge to understand what we are actually talking about. Today, myths about the harmfulness of food additives, vaccinations, and of course GMOs, a strange and incomprehensible phrase, are actively spreading. Paranoia has reached its peak - “GMO-free” labels can even be found on paper napkins.

Let's calmly figure out what GMOs are, why they are needed, how dangerous they are to human health, and what are the benefits of them. Many people are concerned about whether there is scientific evidence of their safety and how true it is.

What is a gene and genotype

Today there is quite a lot of information about DNA - more than two million scientific works are devoted to this long molecule, consisting of two chains twisted into a spiral. Everyone knows that DNA is the carrier of hereditary information, or genome, which is located in any cell of the body and is responsible for the preservation of unique information about this organism. DNA is a huge molecule, reaching several centimeters when unfolded. It includes a sequence of genes that, along with the conditions of the external world (for development and growth), determine the phenotype, that is, what the organism will look like internally and externally. The features of the processes occurring inside the individual are also programmed. Each gene lays the code for the production of functional RNA or protein - it is they that then take part in the biochemical processes occurring in the body.

There are a great many proteins in our body, and they all have their own purpose. DNA is different, because people are different from each other, but they tend to constantly change - this happens under the influence of external factors. Therefore, mutations occur in DNA - transformation of the molecule, changes in genes, their “stopping or starting”. According to evolutionary theory, successful mutations remain, and organisms that mutate unsuccessfully die or are eliminated. Positive mutations make it possible to survive in today's environmental conditions, but a person consolidates in animals and plants those properties that are beneficial to him and necessary to improve the quality of life and profitability - large fruits, cows that produce more milk. This is what genetic modification and selection are for.

Natural Engineering Methods

The principle of modifying plant genomes, similar to agrobacteria, forms the basis of the main means of genetic engineering used in growing vegetables and fruits. Agrobacteria live in the soil, whose genes are endowed with the ability to encode a number of special proteins that have the ability to “drag” a specific DNA molecule into the cell of any plant. The DNA is then inserted into the plant genome, causing it to produce beneficial substances that the bacteria need to feed and grow. Science adopted this development and began to actively apply it - the gene needed by bacteria was replaced with those that encode proteins needed in agricultural production. An example is Bt toxins, which are not dangerous to mammals, but are destructive to insect pests of a particular species. Or proteins that cause the plant to resist a particular herbicide.

Many bacteria, even those not from related groups, often change genes - it is for this reason that microbes resistant to penicillin came to light a couple of years after its active use. In modern medicine, the problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics is becoming urgent.

From viruses to organisms

Did you know that the process of natural “genetic engineering”, in addition to bacteria, is also subject to viruses. Some organisms, like humans, have a genome containing transposons - these are former viruses embedded in the host DNA, and in most cases, without causing any harm to it. Being in the genome, they are able to move to different places.

If we consider HIV (retrovirus), it has the ability to introduce its own genetic material directly into the genome of eukaryotic cells (for example, human cells). Adenovirus genes do not have to do the same, since they can integrate and function without inserting their genetic information into plant or animal genomes. A number of viruses have found active use in gene therapy - they help treat a wide range of inherited diseases.

Let's summarize: natural genetic engineering is used quite actively in the world around us and plays a significant role in the adaptation of organisms to a changing natural environment. The important point is that absolutely all living organisms regularly undergo random mutations, and their genomes undergo changes.

Let us conclude: any organism, when compared with its ancestors, is essentially a unique, dissimilar genetically modified organism. Its genome contains not only the latest mutations, but also altered combinations of pre-existing DNA variations. A newborn child has a genome with dozens of genetic variants that have nothing in common with the parents. Each generation that comes into the world has new combinations transformed on the basis of the parental genomes.

Safety of GMOs in numerous experiments

There is an active discussion in all media about a question that interests many - how safe are food products that contain GMOs or genetically modified organisms. It would be more correct to interpret the results of genetic engineering carried out by humanity as “genetically modernized organisms”, because this industry only accelerates natural processes at the genetic level, directing them in a direction beneficial to humanity.

The safety of GMOs has been tested through numerous experiments for several decades. More than 1,800 scientific papers devoted to the study of this issue were provided to the world. There was, of course, an exception - a Brazil nut gene inserted into a genetically modified soybean variety - its protein caused an allergy during the study of the blood serum reaction.

It is worth noting 12 experimental studies regarding the safety of eating GMOs, which were published in 2012 - experiments were carried out on animals over several generations. At the same time, 12 more papers were presented, the purpose of which was to study the consequences of consuming GMOs by animals over a long period of time: from 3 months to 2 years. A comparative analysis was carried out with similar non-GMO products and reasonable conclusions were made about the absence of any negative effects.

Before you believe all sorts of “horror stories” from television and newspapers running after “fictitious” sensations and revelations, take the trouble to find out what scientific minds are saying. Then you will draw the right conclusions about whether advanced scientific achievements are actually harmful. Or maybe they do not pose any danger to the health of you and your family, as the newspapers write?

The problem of finding new sources of food for humans in the modern world is more acute than ever. There are more and more people, and everyone needs fresh, high-quality and nutritious food. One solution to this problem is GMOs, products obtained through genetic engineering. But are they useful for humans?

The definition of genetically modified organisms (this is what GMO stands for) is much broader than food products with new properties. In science, this term refers to any organism whose genetic code has been artificially changed in order to obtain specified properties for this organism.

Changes in the genetic code in living organisms in nature occur constantly and are called mutations, i.e. spontaneous change in genotype. Mutations can be beneficial, neutral, or harmful to an organism depending on whether they help the organism survive.

Most mutations are neutral in their effect and do not manifest themselves in any way or their manifestations are insignificant. Beneficial mutations form the basis for the future evolution of the species. Carriers of harmful mutations are most often not viable or cannot have offspring, which makes it possible to reduce the impact of harmful mutations on the species as a whole. It is believed that approximately one in a million genes on the planet contains a mutation.

Considering that the human genetic code includes more than two million genes, we can say that every person is a carrier of one or more mutations, usually neutral and asymptomatic.

Man has long interfered with the course of evolution in order to obtain organisms with the properties he needed. Artificial selection has made it possible to develop a huge number of breeds of domestic animals and varieties of agricultural and ornamental plants. In essence, selection is a method of indirect human intervention in the genetic code of living organisms. As a result of such selection, animals and plants appear with the properties that are necessary for humans.

GMOs are the next stage of artificial selection. Genetic engineering makes it possible to obtain organisms with desired properties already in the first generation, avoiding the appearance of individuals with undesirable characteristics and their culling. Processes that occur in nature and are adopted by humans can occur much faster in artificial conditions with the help of genetic engineering.

Thus, genetically modified is an organism that has undergone a deliberate change in its genotype. In a narrower sense, when it comes to the food industry, we mean organisms into whose genotype genes that are uncharacteristic for them have been artificially introduced. The term applies to animals, plants and microorganisms, and in no case to people, including because experiments in the field of human cloning are prohibited in most countries.

How GMO foods are produced

The most common way to obtain GMO products is through transgenic organisms. The essence of the method is that the sequence of genes characteristic of one of the organisms is introduced into the DNA of another species. In this way, organisms are obtained that have the properties of a different species (potatoes resistant to the Colorado potato beetle, microorganisms capable of synthesizing human insulin, etc.).

In the process of creating GMO products, there are the following stages:

• Isolation of an isolated gene in a donor organism;
• Creation of a vector - a biochemical construct that allows you to introduce a DNA sequence into a cell without destroying it;
• Transfer of the vector into the organism under study. The vector is the carrier of the necessary gene, the mechanism of its interaction with the main organism has common features with the penetration of the virus, but it would not be entirely correct to compare them with each other;
• The vector is inserted into the genetic code of the organism, causing its changes;
• The last stage is the selection of those organisms that have been successfully modified and the exclusion from reproduction of those that have not received new properties.

After all these procedures, those organisms that exhibit the specified properties are selected for further reproduction. Those individuals that are not affected by changes in most cases remain unchanged.

More complex genetic engineering technologies are currently not widely used in agriculture and the food industry. They are used mainly for research purposes to study and develop better genetic engineering methods.

However, since the technology is still new and its full implications and impact on later generations are not yet fully understood, mass use of GMOs is still a long way off.

Are GMO products harmful?

What should an ordinary person do - buy any products without fear, or prefer those whose producers do not use GMOs? There is still no clear answer to this question even among scientists. Research is being conducted to determine the dangers or safety of consuming GMO foods.

In modern science, the benefits and harms of GMOs are the subject of constant debate. Some researchers argue that throughout its evolution, humans have repeatedly encountered the fact that the genetic material of the foods they eat has changed dramatically, and this has not had a negative impact, therefore, GMOs are absolutely harmless.

The evidence is given the fact that in the digestive system all macromolecules break down into simpler compounds, which are the same for all living organisms. The individual nucleotides into which the DNA macromolecule breaks down cannot harm a person, since they are contained in his body in the same form.

In addition, the historical factor also serves as proof of the harmlessness of GMOs. Changing the diet, including species that had never been eaten before, the discovery of new lands with completely unusual animals and plants, which people also began to eat, did not bring any harm.

However, there are studies on mice that show that when consuming exclusively GMO foods after 3-4 generations, the risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and other metabolic diseases significantly increases.

From scientists who support GMOs, such studies are sharply criticized, since the set of products used in them corresponded to the diet of a person, not a rodent, which could serve as an additional provoking factor.

The two camps of scientists are quite firmly in their positions, bringing ever new evidence of their correctness, analyzing the pros and cons of GMOs. The results of research and the competence of its implementation are always questioned by supporters of the opposite idea. However, convincing evidence clearly confirming the benefits or harm of GMOs has not yet been obtained. Therefore, whether or not to buy products that contain them remains a personal choice of the consumer, and the manufacturer is obliged to indicate on the packaging the presence or absence of GMOs.

GMOs in Russia today

In our country, the attitude towards GMOs is ambiguous, as well as all over the world. Since their harm or benefit has not been clearly proven, manufacturers and importers of food products are required to mark the GMO content on the product packaging. This is necessary so that the consumer can decide for himself whether he wants to eat food that is not always healthy.

In 2016, the State Duma adopted a resolution banning the cultivation of GMO products in Russia. Given the import substitution policy, it has become difficult to see modified food products on store shelves.

The question of the appropriateness of such a measure remains open. If GMOs are truly harmful to the health of future generations, then it is necessary to protect people from them until technology makes them safe. If GMOs do not in fact pose any danger, then our country may have deprived itself of the opportunity to avoid a food crisis in the future.

According to sociological surveys, the attitude towards GMOs in Russia is rather negative - more than 2/3 of the population would not buy genetically modified products. However, one should not deny the low level of knowledge in the field of biology, and especially genetics, among the adult population of our country, so it was wrong to consider public opinion authoritative.

How can GMOs be useful?

Genetic engineering technologies make it possible to significantly speed up the selection process and obtain individuals with the necessary characteristics already in the first generation, which is extremely rarely achieved with conventional selection. In addition, the percentage of culling individuals that do not have the necessary characteristics is significantly reduced. This allows you to reduce the costs of selecting and breeding new varieties and breeds, therefore, the final price of the product will be slightly lower.

Genetic engineering techniques open up new possibilities for breeders, such as transferring genes between species that cannot interbreed. This makes it possible to create fundamentally new varieties of plants and breeds of animals that would be impossible to breed in any other way. For example, such species include potato varieties that are resistant to the Colorado potato beetle, and many other agricultural plants that are not susceptible to pests.

According to statistics collected for 2014, the yield of genetically modified plants is up to two times higher only due to resistance to pests. Growing GMO crops can significantly reduce the cost of insecticides, as well as losses from pests and unfavorable climatic conditions.

A large harvest makes food cheaper and more accessible. In developing countries, this makes it possible to provide a sufficient amount of food to the entire population; in developed countries, it is possible to reduce food costs and make food more varied.

Work is underway to create plant varieties that produce increased yields and are also able to tolerate unusual climates (cold-resistant forms of fruit). This will make many fruits and vegetables more accessible, reducing the cost of their transportation and the inevitable loss of product.

Raising GMO animals is much more complex and there is much less research in this area. In nature, the frequency of viable mutations among animals, especially mammals and birds, is much lower than among plants. Therefore, work related to genetic modifications gives much less results. Therefore, the problems facing livestock breeders are mainly solved through conventional selection, which is still far from becoming a thing of the past.

A few words about the non-food use of GMOs. Tree species with a high cellulose content have found their use in forestry. This allows the use of wood in much smaller quantities, reducing deforestation while maintaining the volume of production of paper and other cellulose products.

The pharmaceutical industry uses soil bacteria with an additional gene that allows them to synthesize human insulin. This is how the closest analogue of insulin is obtained for patients with diabetes. Its bioavailability is much higher than that of pork or bovine, it is hypoallergenic and much more effective.

In addition to insulin, other recombinant human proteins have been created - interferons, hormones of the endocrine glands. Before the advent of GMOs, they could only be obtained from donor blood, which created a risk of drug contamination, or use similar substances obtained from animal blood, which have very limited compatibility with human tissues.

Using examples of modified organisms, the patterns of various processes in the human body are studied, which will help in the future to find drugs that slow down aging, cures for chronic diseases that are now considered incurable.

Currently, the development of research in the field of genetic engineering is significantly slowed down by debates about the dangers or benefits of GMOs. Laws that prohibit the cultivation of GMOs have been adopted not only in our country. By protecting the public from the possible harmful effects of modified foods, such laws limit the ability to make GMO foods safer.

Pros and cons

So far, most of the arguments for and against GMOs remain in the realm of speculative conclusions. It takes time to obtain accurate evidence of the benefits or harm of genetically engineered products for humans, and it will be possible to put an end to this dispute only after several generations. At the moment, it is premature to talk about the clear need to grow GMOs or the dangers of such products. Now attention should be paid to increasing the level of biological knowledge among the population.

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When buying food, we increasingly pay attention to the presence or absence of GMOs in them. Today there is no clear opinion about their impact on the human body; transgenes have both their adherents and their opponents. We will try to figure out what GMOs are and what effect they have on our body.

What is GMO?

GMOs are genetically modified organisms that have been modified using genetic engineering methods to speed up evolution and direct it in the necessary direction. In other words, this is an organism in whose DNA another foreign gene has been introduced, which is not intended for it by nature, in order to acquire new properties.
Their use is most common in agriculture, where new plant varieties are created and grown that are resistant to environmental influences and, as a result, produce high yields. In livestock farming, this makes it possible to raise more productive animals, which are characterized by accelerated growth. This made it possible to solve the food problem, which was acute in many countries.
Such products are divided into the following groups:

• Products of processing of transgenic raw materials. These are: cottage cheese, syrups, crackers, tomato paste, condensed milk, soy milk, flour, starch, chips, cereal, carbonated drinks, wheat.
• Transgenic vegetables and fruits;
• GM ingredients that are used as sweeteners, coloring and structuring agents. These mainly include corn and soybeans.
• Animal products. These are various canned foods, sausages and semi-finished products (dumplings, pancakes, manti, pasties, etc.)

The gene production process has now been established and automated in special laboratories.

GMO production consists of the following stages:

• growing the genes that are required;
• introduction of the grown gene into the DNA of the donor organism;
• transfer of DNA with an integrated gene into the desired organism;
• subsequent process of engraftment in the body;
• screening out those GMOs that failed to undergo the modification process.

This technology can significantly reduce the cost of growing products, increase their viability, and also increase their competitiveness.

Harm and benefits of GMOs

GMOs today are considered potentially dangerous. No one can confidently say that they are harmful. Research and experiments have not been carried out in this area, therefore there is no evidence of their harmlessness. Therefore, two opposing camps emerged among scientists. Some claim that GMOs can solve important humanitarian problems and transgenes do not cause any harm, because they are not integrated into human genes and, accordingly, cannot influence the synthesis of proteins in our body. However, this cannot be stated unequivocally due to the lack of relevant research - this is rightly pointed out by scientists from another camp

Why are GMOs dangerous? Many scientists claim that they cause the following problems:

• reduce immunity;
• cause cancer;
• lead to mutations and infertility;
• cause death;
• allergic diseases appear;
• lead to the body's resistance to antibiotics.

The harmful effects of GMOs were discovered during experiments on rats. The experimental subjects showed destructive processes in the liver and a decrease in brain volume. It is also known that the fields where GMOs are grown are treated with herbicides, which contain a very toxic element that kills all living things. This leads to a decrease in the insect population and an imbalance in nature.


It will take about fifty years to identify the consequences of consuming GMOs. Therefore, it is important to be careful in choosing food so as not to harm your health.

How to choose the right products

Whether or not to buy a product with transgenes is up to everyone to decide for themselves. When you go shopping, remember that up to 45% of the products in our stores today contain GMOs. They are mainly included in sausages (up to 85%), semi-finished products (pancakes, dumplings, pasties, etc.), confectionery, baby food, carbonated drinks, tea and coffee.
Products with GMOs are always cheaper and do not spoil for a long time - this mainly applies to bakery products, fruits and vegetables. Insects are also not interested in them, they always have the same size, even when cut they do not change shape and do not release juice. Even if manufacturers and sellers label the product with the appropriate inscription, this, in fact, does not necessarily mean the absence of transgenes. To protect yourself, simply prepare homemade food yourself instead of processed foods, and replace soda with compotes, jelly and natural herbal teas.