How does genetic modification of organisms work? The risks and benefits of plants subjected to genetic modification

GMOs, or genetically modified foods, are organisms in which the genetic material has been altered in an unusual way. Modification involves inserting a DNA fragment from another organism into the genome of the modified organism that is responsible for that trait, or modifying or removing it completely from the organism.

In Poland there is a ban on the cultivation of GMO foods, which does not mean that we do not have genetically modified products in supermarkets. Each year Poland imports from the USA, Argentina and other parts of the world about 2.5 million tonnes of cereals (soy, corn, rapeseed).

The biggest danger of genetically modified foods is that they can have harmful effects on the human body. It is believed that eating genetically engineered foods can cause diseases that are resistant to antibiotics. This food is a new invention, so little is known about its long-term effects on humans. Its health effects are unknown, so many people prefer to avoid them. Genetically modifiable products can pose a food hazard due to a decrease in the value of nutrients, nutrition and bioavailability of ingredients.

Transgenic tomato Flavr Savr in 1994 was the first GMO to be marketed with the colour of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis in its soil. However, the main requirement of the genetically modified tomato was to reduce the activity of the plant itself, which is responsible for the process of ripening and softening the tomato. This modified tomato tolerates transport and maintains freshness for longer. Cotton Bt is produced by introducing a synthetic version of the GMO gene that naturally occurs in the soil of the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. The key requirement was that the plant should also have its own toxicity Bt, so as to destroy the plant's poisonous genes. The genetically engineered tomatoes are more resistant to crops than the crop crops produced during the growing season.