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Genetically modified (Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs) is the word refered to plants and animals with laboratory altered genetic material such that genes from another organism are incorporated. ie, Scientists, using genetics, change an organism's genes aiming to improve its properties, such as for example increased shelf-life, disease resistance, different color or taste.

Traditionally, farmers kept their best animals or plants, that is, the strongest or the ones with the most intense desired characteristics, in order to increase herd size or for sowing next year crop. With the advance of science, the effort began to create in the laboratory plant hybrids with the desirable characteristics, and this context the use of chemicals and radiation was introduced. So today there are rice hybrids with lower water requirements and wheat hybrids that give very high acreage yields. Couch genetic modification goes further and intervenes in the genetic material by introducing genes that carry the desired characteristics.

Examples of genetic modified foods:

The best known example is corn Roundup Ready, a corn variety developed by the company (Monsanto) and, with the addition of a bacterial gene, the corn is resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. So, farmers can use more of the herbicide in their corn crops. The chemical is produced by Monsanto. Other Roundup Ready items developed by Monsanto are soy, alfalfa, cotton, sorghum. In addition to chemical resistance the company has also modified species such as corn, soy, cotton to resist insect infections.

Other companies have developed genetic modified animals. As an example, AquAdvantage salmon, developed by AquaBounty Technologies resulted from genetic modification of Atlantic salmon using genes from other fish. So it can grow twice as fast as the original Atlantic salmon. This food has received approval in 2015 by USDA for sales in the USA.

The safety of genetically modified foods is questionable. While the manufacturers of such foods claim their safety, as do some governmental bodies, consumer groups disagree linking genetically modified foods to allergies and other potentially more serious health issues.

While the controversy over the benefits and risks of genetically modified foods holds up well, in conventional agriculture genetic modification is allowed, and studies claim that 70% at least of the processed foods that reach the consumer table contain genetically modified ingredients. All organic certified food is NOT allowed to contain genetically modified ingredients.

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