Introduction
"Currently 70-80 percent of the food we consume contain Genetically Modified Organisms" (Watsen). GMOs are plants or animals that have had their genetic code modified to fulfill a specific purpose. Many scientists have become concerned with GMOs and feel like they are not safe to consume. Although the government considers GMOs safe and legal, many Americans are calling foods that contain them to be labeled so people know what they are consuming. Many corporations, such as Monsanto, state that genetically modified organisms have been tested and proven safe so there is no need for labeling.
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Basic History of GMOs
Around the year 3000 BC, humans began to evolve from hunters and gathers to domesticated farmers. These farmers realized by breeding certain types of plants, they could have more control on the type of plant they produced. They could have corn with big kernels that were better for eating or healthier tomatoes. When Gergor Mendel began studying plant genetics, he used these methods on pea plants to produce plants with desired characteristics. In 1953 the discovery of DNA allowed scientists to look at specific plants and animals’ genes and what made them different from each other. Scientists used their knowledge of plants DNA and made a tomato that was unable to produce the chemical that allowed it to soften. These tomatoes had a longer shelf life and were approved by the FDA for consumption is 1992. The success of this tomato inspired scientists around the world to genetically modify plants and animals and revolutionize the food industry.