Nowadays, more and more people are trying to eat healthy and pay increased attention to the quality of the products they eat. This is especially true for parents, since the child’s health directly depends on his diet.

In the wake of the popularity of the principles of a healthy lifestyle, so-called pure organic bioproducts have also become in great demand. The inscription on the packaging “non-GMO” has become a kind of sign of high quality, safety and naturalness.

What actually lies under this abbreviation GMO and how is it translated into simple human language? Are genetically modified foods really that bad for our health? We will try to answer these questions further.

What is GMO?

So, what is GMO and, as they say, “what do they eat it with”? Genetically modified organisms (hereinafter GMO) are organisms whose genome (DNA) has been purposefully changed (improved, supplemented) using genetic engineering methods (source - Wikipedia). It is important to note that changes specifically made by humans to genotype Such organisms would be impossible in living nature due to the mechanisms of natural recombination and reproduction.

This is due to the fact that most living organisms on Earth develop gradually, i.e. generation after generation, adapting to changing conditions of existence. That is why people have learned to influence the process of evolution of plants and animals in order to use the advanced achievements of genetic engineering for scientific as well as economic purposes.

In principle, the decoding of GMOs itself gives a minimal idea of ​​what a genetically modified product is.

In simple words, this is a product for the production of which genetically improved raw materials were used. For example, bread made from wheat that is resistant to temperature changes, products made from modified soybeans, and so on.

Currently, GMOs are produced using transgenes , i.e. specific pieces of DNA that scientists insert into the original genome of an organism. As a result we get transgenic organisms , which, by the way, are capable of passing on improved DNA to their offspring ( transgenesis ).

Genetic engineering has provided modern breeders with an advanced method for improving the DNA of plants and animals. This makes it possible to solve global food problems in those countries where people do not have enough food due to climatic conditions or other unfavorable conditions.

GMO creation process or editing genome consists of the following main steps:

• isolating isolated gene responsible for certain exceptional properties of the organism;
• introduction of genetic material into a nucleic acid molecule (DNA vector) for further transplantation into a cell of a new organism;
• transfer of the vector into the DNA-modified organism;
• cell transformation;
• sampling of GMOs and elimination of unsuccessfully modified organisms.

Genetically modified organisms use:

• In applied and fundamental scientific research. Few people know that thanks to GMOs, scientists are learning more and more every year about the mechanisms of regeneration and aging, about the work nervous system , as well as about such serious diseases as or .
• In pharmacology and medicine. Genetic engineering insulin person was registered in 1982. From that moment on, a new era began in the development of modern medicine. Thanks to breakthroughs in genetic engineering, there are now many life-saving drugs produced from recombinant human proteins, for example, vaccines .
• In agriculture and livestock breeding. Breeders use GMOs to create new varieties of plants that will produce greater yields while being resistant to diseases, climate change and other external factors. Improved animal DNA helps protect them from certain diseases. For example, genetically modified pigs do not become infected African swine fever .

There have been fierce debates over GMOs for a long time. The thing is that opponents of genetically modified products argued that they can cause irreparable harm to human health (provoke the development cancer , cause mutations ). In addition, the altered DNA of products will have a negative impact on the health of future generations, causing terrible diseases in such genetically modified people.

However, today proponents of genetic engineering have irrefutable evidence of the safety of products improved with transgenes. At the dawn of the development of selective agriculture, scientists such as Michurin tried to improve food plant species using various tricks.

If we talk about GMOs in a broad sense, then these are organisms of the future, obtained thanks to the ability of humans to influence the process of evolution. Scientists involved in genetic engineering set themselves noble goals - to provide people all over the earth with food in the required quantities.

And this is really not easy to do, because there are places where it is really very difficult to grow crops or raise livestock for food. So, we learned how the abbreviation GMO stands for, now let’s talk about the painful stuff.

Harm and benefits of GMOs

As we found out above, GMO products contain components of genetically modified organisms. It turns out that not only the fruits and vegetables themselves and grains (corn, potatoes, rye, wheat, soybeans, and so on) can be called GMO food, but also the products in which they are found.

For example, soy sausages or liver sausage, baked goods, ketchup, sauces, mayonnaise, sweets, and so on. It is important to note that meat from cattle or poultry fed with GMO plants cannot be classified as genetically modified products.

It was previously assumed that altered cells of genetically modified foods are capable of integrating into the DNA of the organism that consumes them. However, as scientists have proven, this statement is false. Any food, even if it contains GMOs, under the influence of gastric juice and enzymes breaks down in the human body into fatty acid , sugar, amino acids And triglycerides .

This means that regular foods, like genetically modified ones, are equally digestible and do not cause harm to health. Another talk of the town about the connection between GMO products and the risk of development oncological diseases , and mutations at the DNA level has been debunked by the scientific community.

In 2005, domestic scientists conducted an experiment on mice and received sad results. As it turned out, the mortality rate of mice from cancer that ate genetically modified soybeans increased sharply. Similar experiments were carried out around the world.

Researchers were in a hurry to publish the sensational results of their observations, sometimes forgetting to double-check everything thoroughly. The media, in a constant state of pursuit of “fried facts,” relished this topic for several years and wrote exclusively about the possible harm of GMOs.

Indeed, only a few tried to understand the issue without emotions and get to the truth. As a result, mass hysteria about GMOs reached its apogee and hundreds of thousands of people around the world firmly believed that there was nothing more terrible in their lives than Genetically modified foods .

On forums on the Internet, at home in the kitchen, on the street and in the store, mothers shared their concerns about baby food, which contains ominous GMOs. Grandmothers could not sleep peacefully and thought only about the benefits and harms of Nesquik cocoa, chocolate and other sweets that their grandchildren love so much, and fathers and grandfathers lamented the “no longer the same” meat products and chemical bread.

In fact, recently scientists have not been able to find evidence that eating GMOs increases the risk of developing cancer or other diseases. And all previously conducted experiments could not resist comprehensive criticism and verification.

It turned out that the mice and rats that were used to conduct the experiments also died en masse both when GMOs and regular food were used in their diet. The problem was not with the fruits of genetic engineering, but with this particular species of rodents used in laboratory research. They are genetically more susceptible to cancer, regardless of diet.

According to the World Health Organization, talking about the dangers of GMO products can only be based on the results of specific studies of one type or another. Available worldwide, genetically modified products undergo rigorous quality and safety controls. They are consumed as food by entire isolated nations without any massive negative consequences, and therefore can be considered safe.

In fairness, it is worth talking about some, albeit not fatal, but still negative aspects associated with GMOs:

• It has been proven that where genetically modified plants once grew, conventional varieties will never be able to grow again. This is due to the fact that the soil where GMO plants grow is poisoned by pesticides, herbicides and other toxic compounds used in agriculture to combat pests and diseases. They kill conventional crops, but cannot harm genetically modified crops.
• GMO plants can accumulate toxic substances (pesticides, poisons).
• Due to changes in DNA structure, not only the positive, but also some negative properties of plants are enhanced. For example, GMO soybeans or potatoes can cause persistent.
• GMO plants displace other varieties of their species. This is due to the peculiarity of their pollination.
• GMO plant seeds are disposable material that does not produce offspring. This is an important point that is primarily related to commerce. When the state switches exclusively to GMO plants, abandoning its own crops, it automatically becomes dependent on seed producing companies.

List of GMO products

In 20016, more than a hundred world-famous scientists (chemists, biologists, doctors), including Nobel laureates, sent an open letter to the UN and Greenpeace with a request to stop the persecution of GMOs. Even devout Jews have recognized genetically modified products as kosher, Muslims that they are halal, and the Catholic Church says that it is GMOs that will help solve the food problem in the world.

However, if you still want to know what exactly you are eating, then below is a list of manufacturers who use GMOs and their trade names in their products.

The product's name	Trade name
Chocolate	Hershey‘s, Fruit&Nut, Milky Way, Mars, M&M, Twix, Snickers, Cadbury, Ferrero, Nestle, M&M’S
Cocoa, tea, coffee, chocolate drinks	Cadbury, Nestle, Nesquik, Kraft, Lipton, Conversation, Brooke Bond
Soft drinks	Soca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Fanta, 7-up, Dr. Pepper, Kinley tonic, Mountain Dew, Fruittime, Fiesta
Cereals and breakfast cereals	Kellogg's, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, Smacks, Apple Jacks, Chocolate Chip, All-Bran, Raisin Bran Crunch, Honey Crunch Corn Flakes, Cracklin'Oat Bran
Cookies and sweets	Parmalat, Kraft, Yubileynoye, Hershey's products (Toblerone, Kit-Kat, Mini Kisses, Kisses, Milk Chocolate Chips, Semi-Sweet Baking Chips, Milk Chocolate Chips, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Strawberry Syrup, Chocolate Syrup, Special Dark syrups Chocolate Syrup), Pop Tarts, Crispix
Canned soups	Campbell
Rice	Uncle Bens
Sauces (ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings), seasonings, dry soups	Gallina Blanca, Knorr, Hellman's, Heinz, Ryaba, Vprok, Baltimore, Calve, Maggi
Meat and sausage products	Minced meat and pate from Mikoyanovsky Meat Processing Plant CJSC, minced meat from Cherkizovsky MPZ OJSC, pate from MK Gurman LLC, Klinsky Meat Processing Plant LLC, MLM-RA LLC, ROS Mari Ltf LLC, Bogatyr Sausage Plant LLC ", LLC "Daria - semi-finished products", LLC "Talosto-products", CJSC "Vichyunai", MPZ "KampoMos", MPZ "Tagansky".
Baby food	Similac, Hipp, Nestle, Kraft, Delmi Unilever
Canned vegetables	Bonduelle
Dairy	Danon, JSC "Lianozovsky Dairy Plant", Campina, Ehrmann
Ice cream	Algida
Butter, margarine, spread	Puffy, Delmi
Chips	Russian potatoes, Lays, Pringles

This is not an exhaustive list of trade names and manufacturers that use GMOs. Since many people have a very negative attitude towards genetically modified organisms, not all companies want to spoil their image and openly declare that they use the achievements of genetic engineering. And although the problem of GMOs is overblown, and the harm from such products is clearly exaggerated, only the person himself can decide for himself whether to eat them or not.

Ecology

The question of the benefits or harm of genetically modified products began to arise as soon as such products appeared in nature. Some defenders of such production began to say: "This is the only way to feed the poor! GM crops benefit farmers! GMO foods are safe!" and so on... However, opponents of the use of such products find many refutations.

We invite you to learn about 10 reasons why you should avoid genetically modified foods, which I talked about Jeffrey Smith from Institute for Responsible Technologies. An expert in the field of GMOs will talk about the dangers that lie behind products produced using genetically modified organisms.

1) GMOs are very unhealthy food

American Academy of Environmental Medicine calls on doctors to protect patients from consuming GMO products. They cite studies that such products harm organs, digestive and immune systems, accelerate the aging process and lead to infertility. Human studies show that such foods can leave a special material in the body that over a long period of time causes a variety of health problems. For example, genes that are introduced into soybeans can be transferred into the DNA of bacteria that live inside us. Toxic insecticides produced by genetically modified corn enter the bloodstream of pregnant women and fetuses.

A large number of diseases appeared after genetically modified foods began to be produced in 1996. In America, the number of people with three or more chronic diseases has increased from 7 to 13 percent in just 9 years. The number of food allergies and problems such as autism, reproductive disorders, digestive problems and others has skyrocketed. Although there have not yet been detailed studies that have confirmed that GMOs are to blame, Academy experts warn that we should not wait for these problems to come and should now protect our health, especially the health of children, who are at greatest risk.

American Health Association and American Association Nurses are also being warned that modified ruminant growth hormones increase levels of the hormone IGF-1 (insulin growth factor 1) in cow's milk, which has been linked to cancer.

2) GMOs are becoming more widespread

Genetically modified seeds are constantly spreading throughout the world naturally. It is impossible to completely purify our gene pool. Self-propagating GMOs can survive the challenges of global warming and the effects caused by nuclear waste. The potential impact of these organisms is very high, as they threaten subsequent generations. The spread of GMOs could cause economic losses, leaving organic farmers vulnerable as they struggle to protect their crops.

3) GMOs require more herbicide use

Most genetically modified crops are designed to be tolerant of weed killers. From 1996 to 2008, US farmers used approximately 174 thousand tons of herbicides for GMOs. The result was “superweeds” that were resistant to the chemicals used to kill them. Farmers are forced to use more and more herbicides every year. Not only is this harmful to the environment, but such products end up containing a high percentage of toxic chemicals that can lead to infertility, hormonal imbalances, birth defects and cancer.

4) Genetic engineering has dangerous side effects

By mixing the genes of completely unrelated species, genetic engineering entails a lot of unpleasant and unexpected consequences. Moreover, regardless of the types of genes that are introduced, the process of creating a genetically modified plant itself can lead to serious negative consequences, including toxins, carcinogens, allergies, and nutritional deficiencies.

5) The government turns a blind eye to dangerous consequences

Many of the health and environmental consequences of GMOs are ignored by government regulations and safety analyses. The reasons for this may be political motives. US Food and Drug Administration, for example, has not required a single study confirming the safety of GMOs, does not require appropriate labeling of products, and allows companies to send genetically modified products to markets without informing the government.

They justify themselves by saying that they do not have information that GM products are significantly different from conventional ones. However, this is a lie. Secret memos the agency receives from the public who file lawsuits show that most of the agency's scientists agree that GMOs can cause unpredictable effects that are difficult to detect. The White House has instructed the Office to continue working with biotechnologies.

6) The biotech industry is hiding facts about the dangers of GMOs

Some biotech companies try to prove that GMO foods are completely harmless using sketchy and falsified research data. Independent scientists have long refuted these claims, finding evidence that the situation is completely different. It is profitable for such companies to distort and deny information about the dangers of GMOs in order to avoid problems and stay afloat.

7) Independent research and reporting is criticized and suppressed

Scientists who uncover the truth about GMOs are criticized, silenced, set on fire, threatened, and denied funding. Attempts by the media to convey the truth about the issue to the public are censored.

8) GMOs are harmful to the environment

Genetically modified crops and related herbicides harm birds, insects, amphibians, marine life and organisms living underground. They reduce species diversity, pollute water, and are not environmentally friendly. For example, GM crops have displaced monarch butterflies, whose numbers have fallen by 50 percent in the United States.

Herbicides have been shown to cause birth defects in amphibians, embryonic death, endocrine gland disruption and organ damage in animals, even in very small doses. Genetically modified canola (a type of canola) has spread into the wild in North Dakota and California, threatening to spread herbicide resistance genes to other plants and weeds.

9) GMOs do not increase crop yields and cannot help fight hunger

While non-GMO, sustainable agricultural practices used in developing countries increased yields by 79 percent, GMO-based methods, on average, did not increase yields at all.

International Organization for the Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology Development, citing the opinion of 400 scientists and support from 58 countries, reported that the yield of genetically modified crops is "highly variable" and in some cases is even beginning to decline. She also confirmed that with the help of GMOs it is currently impossible to fight hunger and poverty, improve nutrition, health and livelihoods in rural areas, protect the environment, and promote social development.

GMOs use tools and resources that could be used to develop and use other safer methods and more reliable technologies.

10) By avoiding GMO foods, you can do your part to help reverse the negative consequences

Since GMOs do not provide any benefit to the consumer, many may refuse them, therefore, producing such products will become unprofitable and companies will stop offering them. In Europe, for example, back in 1999 they announced the dangers of GMOs, warning about the potential harm of these products.

Genetically modified foods have been a hot topic of ongoing debate for the past few years. Opinions are divided, some say that these products pose a great danger to human health, others, on the contrary, argue that the harm of these products has not yet been proven by any research conducted. To eat or not to eat genetically modified foods?

What are genetically modified foods and how are they obtained?
Genetically modified (GMO) or transgenic organisms (plants) are those into whose genetic structure a “target gene” has been introduced from other plant or animal species in order to give them qualitatively new properties useful to humans. For example, to increase the yield of wheat, create a variety that is resistant to drought, to any pests, weeds, to improve the taste of plants, extend their shelf life, etc.

Work on breeding genetically modified plants is carried out in laboratory conditions. To do this, a gene is first isolated from a plant or animal needed for transplantation, and then it is introduced into the cell of the plant whose properties are required to be improved. All genetically modified plants, as a rule, undergo testing for food and biological safety.

There are about 50 plant species in the world produced using the achievements of genetic engineering, including soybeans, rice, eggplants, apples, rye, wheat, cabbage, rapeseed, strawberries, tobacco, cucumbers, corn, and cotton. Directly in Russia, a ban has been imposed on the production of genetically modified plants and, accordingly, products. However, there is no ban on the import of such products from abroad and their sale. The result is a variety of products on the shelves of our stores made from genetically modified plants, for example, soy: protein products for athletes, semi-finished meat products, soy milk powder, ice cream, cheese, and the like. In addition, there is permission to import one genetically modified variety of potato and two varieties of the same corn.

The benefits of genetically modified products.
Undoubtedly, there are benefits from genetically modified products, and they lie in economic benefits. They help in solving many issues related to supplying the population with agricultural products, including in case of famine or drought. The area of ​​arable land used for growing vegetables and grains not only does not correspond to the rate of population growth on the planet, it is also decreasing. Therefore, genetically modified plants and their cultivation can make it possible to increase crop yields several times even in small agricultural areas. In addition, growing genetically modified plants will help to significantly reduce production costs, which will affect the final cost of the product, which will be several times less. For example, a ton of “normal” wheat costs on average about three hundred dollars, and a ton of transgenic wheat costs only fifty dollars. There is a difference? What are the savings? Of course, the production of such plants is beneficial both to the producers themselves (due to low costs) and to the consumers of this “raw material”, from which several times more product can be made than from a “normal” one.

However, despite such positive aspects, most biologists say that it is unknown how the consumption of genetically modified foods will affect human health in the future, after several generations, since current research has not yet proven any negative impact. On the contrary, the cultivation of such plants may, over time, make it possible to get rid of various toxic substances (pesticides) used today in large quantities in the production of various agricultural plants. This, in turn, will reduce the number of immune disorders, chronic (allergic) diseases, etc.

Why are genetically modified foods dangerous?
As mentioned above, all genetically engineered plants must undergo safety testing. This is the crux of the problem. Nobody informs the public about the results of such studies. Therefore, a special institute of independent experts is needed that will establish the reliability of all research conducted. The need for such an institute is explained by the fact that many studies of this kind are carried out through the financing of manufacturing companies that benefit from a positive result, because genetically modified products will help not only recoup all costs, but also make huge profits. Therefore, various falsifications of research results arise. We won’t go far for an example. When checking the safety of one of the varieties of modified potatoes, it turned out that eating it can lead to changes in the composition of the blood and internal organs. And, despite this, the variety has been approved and is widely used by people for food. Big money has always been more important than the health of citizens.

Of course, the transgene itself, consumed by people, will not cause visible harm, since it will not be able to penetrate into the gene code of people. However, this gene will wander around the body and stimulate the synthesis of proteins that are not intended by nature for the human body. Therefore, what the result of such a synthesis will be in the future can only be guessed at. Many scientists talk about the possible dangers associated with the consumption of genetically modified products. Among them, food harm can be noted, namely, metabolic disorders, weakened immunity, and the appearance of various harmless allergic reactions. In addition, the result of consuming products containing genetically modified organisms may be a violation of the structure of the gastric mucosa and resistance of the intestinal microflora to antibiotics. It is also possible that health levels may decrease due to the accumulation of herbicides in the body, since genetically modified plants tend to accumulate them. Consumption of genetically engineered products can trigger the development of cancer.

The use of genetically modified plants also causes environmental harm, affecting variety formation. As a rule, one, sometimes two plant varieties are taken to work with genes. Therefore, there is a possibility of extinction of many plant species. Radical ecologists warn that the consumption of genetically modified products undermines the gene pool, which may result in the emergence of mutant genes and their carriers will also be mutants. One way or another, all the fears and warnings regarding the use of genetically modified foods will become clear no earlier than after half a century, when a generation of people eating transgenic food has changed.

What genetically modified products can be found on store shelves?
In most cases, stores stock genetically modified products from soybeans, corn, rapeseed, potatoes, as well as meat, vegetables, fruits, fish and some other products. Genetically modified plants can be included in baby food, sausages, chocolates, margarine, ice cream, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, bakery and confectionery products. These products are in no way inferior in taste to natural ones, only their cost is much lower. However, manufacturers do not always indicate on the labels of their products that they contain genetically modified organisms or that these products are genetically modified. In our country, the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards provide for the mandatory presence of information of this kind on the product if the composition of a genetically modified product contains GMOs of 0.9% or more of the total volume of the product. Despite this, such information is not always indicated on products.

To produce products, genetically modified plants and organisms are used as raw materials by such well-known companies as Nestlé (coffee, chocolate, baby food), Hershey's (soft drinks, chocolate), Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola (sweet carbonated drinks), McDonald's, Danone (dairy products, baby food), Similak (baby food) and some others.

Each person decides for himself whether to purchase genetically modified products or not. But still, I would not take risks and consume products whose effects have not yet been studied, especially giving them to children whose bodies have not yet formed. But this is just my opinion. The choice is yours.

In the third final reading, the law banning the cultivation and breeding of genetically modified plants and animals in Russia. Now the Code of Administrative Offenses will be supplemented by an article on violations in the field of genetic engineering activities. The fine for officials under it will be from 10 to 50 thousand rubles, for legal entities - from 100 to 500 thousand rubles. The deputies also proposed registering genetically modified organisms imported into the country and products obtained with their use. The Russian government will monitor the impact of these organisms and products on humans and the environment. The law will come into force on July 1, 2017.

We decided to find out from the experts whether genetically modified foods are really dangerous, and at the same time we remembered other common myths about the benefits and harms of certain products and cooking methods.

Alan Skaev

technologist

GMOs are genetically modified organisms, that is, organisms (animals, plants, bacteria) whose genetic code has been artificially changed. All this is a product of genetic engineering, a method of targeted selection, which today mainly affects plants in order to increase their resistance to negative factors, and, consequently, to increase the efficiency of agriculture.

In most cases, the “Non-GMO” label is simply speculation and a marketing ploy. Even those products that cannot contain GMOs in principle are labeled with the inscription “No GMOs”. In this way, the manufacturer is trying to attract the attention of fans of eco-products. In our country there are clear rules for labeling products containing GMOs, but the labeling of products without GMOs is not regulated in any way. The spread of these myths was facilitated by man’s completely natural fear of the unknown.

Opponents of GMOs focus solely on the risks that these foods could potentially pose, citing a number of failed experiments with GMOs and studies that lack scientific merit. Those who sow panic do not need to back up their words with facts; they only need to cite a few frightening examples, albeit unfounded, in order to forever turn GMOs into a horror story, which, in fact, is what was done. In fact, the safety of GMOs has been studied for the past 25 years. First of all, these are soybeans and corn and products made from them. There are lines of genetically modified potatoes, tomatoes, sugar beets, rice and some others, but in our country only these six crops are allowed to be used. Soy is often used in the manufacture of meat products and processed foods; these products may contain GMOs. The same goes for confectionery and canned goods. Officially, we have about 60 such products in our country.

If genetic modifications undergo proper control at the stage of creation and research of a new product, they are not dangerous. Today there is no scientific data indicating that GMOs are harmful in relation to anything: cancer, allergies, infertility, and so on. It is the need to control the quality and safety of genetic modifications that to a certain extent hinders the development of this industry and the production of new products.

Andrey Mosov

Head of Expertise at NP Roskontrol

Experts all over the world discuss the potential danger of GMOs for the biosphere and come to the conclusion that there is no danger. The safety of using herbicides in tandem with GMOs is also widely discussed - and here experts are also inclined to believe that possible residual amounts of herbicides (for example, Roundup) do not pose a danger to human health. As for the possible harm of GMO products themselves for consumers, here all scientists are unanimous: even theoretically there can be no harm, especially taking into account the strict regime of mandatory research that is carried out in relation to all transgenic products newly introduced to the market. At the same time, crops obtained through traditional selection do not undergo such thorough testing.

Since there is a lot of hype around GMOs and one can even talk about GMO-phobia, then, of course, it is easier for the manufacturer to write “No GMOs” in order to remove their product from suspicion. But if the consumer, for some reason, does not want to eat products with GMOs, palm oil, or E additives, this is his legal right, and the manufacturer is obliged to honestly indicate the composition on the packaging. Although often the inscription “Does not contain GMOs” is a marketing ploy so that the buyer perceives the product as more natural.

Now comes the fun part. There are no or virtually no GMO products on the Russian food market. Numerous inspections carried out by various government agencies do not detect such products: GMO markers were found in only 0.14% of food samples tested by Rospotrebnadzor (despite the fact that only those products in which the likelihood of detecting GMOs was the highest were specifically examined). Roskontrol also tested many products for GMO content - no GMO markers were found in any of them.

Anton Alekseev

nutritionist

At the moment, several types of genetically modified plants are allowed for sale and consumption. There is no genetically modified meat or fish, although such experiments are being conducted. But in general, there is a growing interest in environmentally friendly, safe products in the world - as a rule, consumers are willing to overpay for products that do not contain GMOs, and manufacturers skillfully take advantage of this.

Some consider them progress, others - a global conspiracy against humanity. Few ordinary buyers take the trouble to figure out what genetically modified products actually are, but almost everyone has heard at least once in their life that they cause infertility, cancer and allergies. This is where the fear of GMOs arises; people try not to take risks, just in case.

Today, the world produces genetically modified varieties of tomatoes, potatoes, corn, sugar beets, rice, soybeans, wheat and some other agricultural plants. GMOs are not produced in Russia, all products with GMOs are imported, their market share is decreasing from year to year, and turnover is becoming stricter.

The only harm proven today is caused not so much to a person by products, but by the volumes in which he consumes them. For example, sausages. In addition to soy, which in most cases is actually genetically modified, sausage contains phosphates, an excess of which in the body leads to the development of osteoporosis, and nitrites, which can cause the development of oncology. If there is no soy in the sausage, there will almost always be a so-called protein component - processed animal skins and cartilage, which are essentially inedible, their nutritional value is minimal. Therefore, even sausage that does not contain GMOs (and in most cases it does contain them) is not the healthiest product. The situation is similar with vegetables: the beetle does not eat genetically modified potatoes, but let’s remember how much poison needs to be treated with regular potatoes in order to get a harvest.

But the fact that GMOs can cause food allergies actually causes concern among doctors. Most allergies are caused by protein. When a protein is genetically modified, it is quite difficult to predict an allergic reaction to it in a certain number of consumers.

And a few more common myths
about the benefits and harms of foods and cooking methods:

Images: cover – tashka2000 - stock.adobe.com, 1,2 – Nastya Grigorieva, 3 – Olya Volk, 4 – Katya Baklushina

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 today plagues many materials 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 have 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.