Final answer:
Genetically modified foods typically involve genetic engineering using recombinant DNA technology to introduce desirable traits into organisms. This process creates genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, such as 'golden rice' and 'Bt corn'. These modifications are closely regulated to ensure safety and ecological stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Genetic Engineering of Food
Genetically modified foods often go through a process called genetic engineering, which involves the alteration of an organism's genotype using recombinant DNA technology to modify an organism's DNA to achieve desirable traits. Such modifications include the introduction, turning on, turning off, duplicating, or removing specific genes, sometimes borrowing them from other species to create transgenic plants. This focus on agricultural organisms distinguishes traditional genetic modification from modern molecular techniques, which are highly specific and targeted, causing minimal disruption of non-target genes and features.
Some examples of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, include 'golden rice,' which has been genetically engineered to produce beta-carotene, and 'Bt corn,' which contains a gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that is toxic to certain insects. These advancements are part of the field of agricultural biotechnology, which includes both age-old breeding techniques and modern lab-based methods.
Government agencies closely monitor GMOs to ensure they are safe for human consumption and do not endanger other plant and animal life. With transgenic staples like soybeans, corn, and tomatoes, testing is conducted to ensure ecological stability before they are deemed fit for commercial use.