What are GMOs ?

The acronym GMO stands for genetically modified organism. Basically, a GMO is any living thing which has had its genetic material altered by humans.

The term is most commonly used talking about crops which are genetically modified in order to be more resistant to pesticides or to improve food quality. Practically speaking, it does increase yield and prevent pests from damaging crops. Maize and soybean are among the plants most commonly linked with GM crops.   

Of course, genetic engineering techniques can also be used on other kinds of organisms, such as yeasts, for example.

The main way of creating GMOs is through gene delivery, whereby foreign DNA material is introduced into host cells. At the end of the process, you get what we call transgenic products.

The debate around GMOs is raging among scientists and the general public. Some cite the benefits they offer, like creating new medicines like insulin, being able to harvest land which had previously been unusable, and helping to reduce world hunger. On the other hand, counter-arguments include warnings against overuse of herbicides, the impact on plant life and wildlife, potential health risks for humans and the increase in production costs for farmers.

In the United States, there is no particular federal legislation relating to GMOs. Instead, GMOs are regulated according to existing legislation on products. This is pretty favourable compared to other countries. The US is actually the world’s leading producer of genetically modified crops. And 75% of processed foods in the country contain GMO ingredients.

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