Genetically Engineered Foods
                     GENETICALLY 
ENGINEERED FOODS
INTRODUCTION
Genetically engineered (GE) foods 
have had their DNA changed using 
genes from other plants or animals. 
Scientists take the gene for a desired 
trait in one plant or animal, and they 
insert that gene into a cell of another 
plant or animal.
Source: medlineplus.gov
FUNCTION
Genetic engineering can be done with 
plants, animals, or bacteria and other very 
small organisms. Genetic engineering allows 
scientists to move desired genes from one 
plant or animal into another. Genes can also 
be moved from an animal to a plant or vice 
versa. Another name for this is genetically 
modified organisms, or GMOs.
Source: medlineplus.gov
PROCESS TO CREATE GE 
FOODS
The process to create GE foods is different 
than selective breeding. This involves 
selecting plants or animals with desired 
traits and breeding them. Over time, this 
results in offspring with those desired traits.
Source: medlineplus.gov
SELECTIVE BREEDING
One of the problems with selective breeding 
is that it can also result in traits that are not 
desired. Genetic engineering allows 
scientists to select one specific gene to 
implant. This avoids introducing other genes 
with undesirable traits. Genetic engineering 
also helps speed up the process of creating 
new foods with desired traits.
Source: medlineplus.gov
POSSIBLE BENEFITS
1. More nutritious food
2. Tastier food
3. Disease- and drought-resistant plants that require 
fewer environmental resources (such as water and 
fertilizer)
4. Less use of pesticides
5. Increased supply of food with reduced cost and longer 
shelf life
6. Faster growing plants and animals
7. Food with more desirable traits, such as potatoes that 
produce less of a cancer-causing substance when 
fried
8. Medicinal foods that could be used as vaccines or 
other medicines
Source: medlineplus.gov
CONCERNS ABOUT GE 
FOODS
1. Creation of foods that can cause an 
allergic or toxic reaction
2. Unexpected or harmful genetic changes
3. Inadvertent transfer of genes from one 
GM plant or animal to another plant or 
animal not intended for genetic 
modification
4. Foods that are less nutritious
Source: medlineplus.gov
BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology is providing us with a wide 
range of options for how we can use 
agricultural and commercial forestry lands. 
The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) 
crops on millions of hectares of lands and 
their injection into our food chain is a huge 
global genetic experiment involving all living 
beings.
Source: medlineplus.gov
RECOMBINANT DNA 
TECHNOLOGY 
The use of recombinant DNA technology has 
the potential to allow the creation of an 
organism which is desired and designed by 
human. Genetically Engineered Food (GEF) 
means any food containing or derived from a 
genetically engineered organism.
Source: medlineplus.gov
SOCIAL AND ETHICAL 
CONTRADICTIONS
The emergence of agricultural biotechnology 
has created social and ethical contradictions. 
The widespread debate exists as to how 
biotechnology can be used for planting high 
quality high yield crops while protecting eco-
system and human health.
Source: medlineplus.gov
RISK FACTOR
Seed companies argue that viruses have 
been engineered to be dormant in plant cells 
and therefore they are safe. Contrary to these 
claims, studies have shown that viruses, 
lacking the gene needed for movement, can 
easily gain it from neighboring genes
Source: medlineplus.gov