When was the first gmo created

Assessment of the safety of foods derived from genetically modified (GM) crops.

König A, Cockburn A, Crevel RW, Debruyne E, Grafstroem R, Hammerling U, Kimber I, Knudsen I, Kuiper HA, Peijnenburg AA, Penninks AH, Poulsen M, Schauzu M, Wal JM. König A, et al. Food Chem Toxicol. 2004 Jul;42(7):1047-88. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2004.02.019. Food Chem Toxicol. 2004. PMID: 15123382 Review.

Learn about the origins of agriculture, the evolution of crop modification and how we got the foods we eat today.

GMO History: Building on Genetic Diversity

Farmers have intentionally changed the genetic makeup of all the crops they have grown and the livestock they have raised since domestic agriculture began 10,000 years ago. Every fruit, vegetable and grain that is commercially available today has a history of genetic modification by human hands, including organic and heirloom seeds.

In the late 20th century, advances in technology have enabled us to expand the genetic diversity of crops. For years, university, government, and company scientists intensively researched and refined this process. A major result has been GM seeds that maintain or increase the yield of crops while requiring less land and fewer inputs, both of which lessen the impact of agriculture on the environment and reduce costs for farmers.

See how crops have evolved from ancient Egypt until today in this infographic from European Biotech Week, and then journey through the last 80 years of modern agriculture with Crop Life America.

GM Corn: Genetically Modified Corn History

Over the past century, corn has evolved with the availability of hybrid corn in the 1930s and the planting of GM crops in the mid-1990s. Due to the insect resistance and/or herbicide tolerance of GM corn, more and more of it was planted. Contrary to popular belief, the physical appearance of corn before GMO – or corn before selective breeding – is the same as corn after GMO. Its appearance has not changed with the development and increased usage of GM corn.

What has changed, due to modern plant breeding, is the corn’s size, consistency, seed performance, yield, the number of ears per stalk and the position of the ear and the leaves on the stalk. Currently, a plant has only one ear located about waist high (the height of a combined blade), and its leaves grow at a more upright angle to better catch sun rays and rain. A century ago, farmers planted about 8,000 corn plants per acre. Today they plant about four times as many plants per acre.

The History of GMO Crops

10,000 Years Ago: Humans begin crop domestication using selective breeding.

1700s: Farmers and scientists begin cross-breeding plants within a species.

1940s and 1950s: Breeders and researchers seek out additional means to introduce genetic variation into the gene pool of plants.

1980s: Researchers develop the more precise and controllable methods of genetic engineering to create plants with desirable traits.

1990s: The first GMOs are introduced into the marketplace.

When Were GMOs Introduced?

1995: Soy Beans 1995: Squash 1996: Corn 1996: Cotton 1997: Papaya 1999: Canola 2006: Alfalfa 2006: Sugar Beets 2013: Eggplant (Bangladesh only) 2016: Potatoes 2017: Apples 2018: Sugar Cane (Brazil)

2020: Pink Pineapple

To better understand why GMOs were initially created and the evolution of crop modification we encourage you to read more here.

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an animal, plant, or microbe whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering techniques.

For thousands of years, humans have used breeding methods to modify organisms. Corn, cattle, and even dogs have been selectively bred over generations to have certain desired traits. Within the last few decades, however, modern advances in biotechnology have allowed scientists to directly modify the DNA of microorganisms, crops, and animals.

Conventional methods of modifying plants and animals—selective breeding and crossbreeding—can take a long time. Moreover, selective breeding and crossbreeding often produce mixed results, with unwanted traits appearing alongside desired characteristics. The specific targeted modification of DNA using biotechnology has allowed scientists to avoid this problem and improve the genetic makeup of an organism without unwanted characteristics tagging along.

Most animals that are GMOs are produced for use in laboratory research. These animals are used as “models” to study the function of specific genes and, typically, how the genes relate to health and disease. Some GMO animals, however, are produced for human consumption. Salmon, for example, has been genetically engineered to mature faster, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has stated that these fish are safe to eat.

GMOs are perhaps most visible in the produce section. The first genetically engineered plants to be produced for human consumption were introduced in the mid-1990s. Today, approximately 90 percent of the corn, soybeans, and sugar beets on the market are GMOs. Genetically engineered crops produce higher yields, have a longer shelf life, are resistant to diseases and pests, and even taste better. These benefits are a plus for both farmers and consumers. For example, higher yields and longer shelf life may lead to lower prices for consumers, and pest-resistant crops means that farmers don’t need to buy and use as many pesticides to grow quality crops. GMO crops can thus be kinder to the environment than conventionally grown crops.

Genetically modified foods do cause controversy, however. Genetic engineering typically changes an organism in a way that would not occur naturally. It is even common for scientists to insert genes into an organism from an entirely different organism. This raises the possible risk of unexpected allergic reactions to some GMO foods. Other concerns include the possibility of the genetically engineered foreign DNA spreading to non-GMO plants and animals. So far, none of the GMOs approved for consumption have caused any of these problems, and GMO food sources are subject to regulations and rigorous safety assessments.

In the future, GMOs are likely to continue playing an important role in biomedical research. GMO foods may provide better nutrition and perhaps even be engineered to contain medicinal compounds to enhance human health. If GMOs can be shown to be both safe and healthful, consumer resistance to these products will most likely diminish.

GMO has been a slowly creeping threat for a while, but it’s ramped up lately. (Rosebud Magazine)

Originally published by Rosebud by GL Woolsey September 13, 2012

Source article

GMO foods are such an embedded part of our food system these days, but it's not difficult to think back to a time when food was simpler and healthier. How did we get to the point that genetically modified organisms infiltrate so much of what we eat? In a recent issue of Rosebud Magazine, GMO expert GL Woolsey took a look at the history of GMOs. We present that for you here now.

1935 - DNA Discovered
Russian scientist Andrei Nikolaevitch Belozersky isolates pure DNA.

1973 - Recombinant DNA Created
The idea for man-made DNA, or rDNA, comes from a grad student at Stanford University Medical School. Professor Herbert Boyer and a few of his biologist colleagues run with it.

1975 - Asilomar Conference
A group of biologists get together with a few lawyers and doctors to create guidelines for the safe use of genetically engineered DNA.

1980 - First GMO Patent Issued
A 1980 court case between a genetics engineer at General Electric and the U.S. Patent Office is settled by a 5-to-4 Supreme Court ruling, allowing for the first patent on a living organism. The GMO in question is a bacterium with an appetite for crude oil, ready to gobble up spills.

1982 - FDA Approves First GMO
Humulin, insulin produced by genetically engineered E. coli bacteria, appears on the market.

1994 - GMO Hits Grocery Stores
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the Flavr Savr tomato for sale on grocery store shelves. The delayed-ripening tomato has a longer shelf life than conventional tomatoes.

1996 - GMO-Resistant Weeds
Weeds resistant to glyphosate, the herbicide used with many GMO crops, are detected in Australia. Research shows that the super weeds are seven to 11 times more resistant to glyphosate than the standard susceptible population.

1997 - Mandatory Labels
The European Union rules in favor of mandatory labeling on all GMO food products, including animal feed.

1999 - GMO Food Crops Dominate
Over 100 million acres worldwide are planted with genetically engineered seeds. The marketplace begins embracing GMO technology at an alarming rate.

2003 - GMO-Resistant Pests
In 2003, a Bt-toxin-resistant caterpillar-cum-moth, Helicoverpa zea, is found feasting on GMO Bt cotton crops in the southern United States. In less than a decade, the bugs have adapted to the genetically engineered toxin produced by the modified plants.

2011 - Bt Toxin in Humans
Research in eastern Quebec finds Bt toxins in the blood of pregnant women and shows evidence that the toxin is passed to fetuses.

2012 - Farmer Wins Court Battle
French farmer Paul Francois sues Monsanto for chemical poisoning he claims was caused by its pesticide Lasso, part of the Roundup Ready line of products. Francois wins and sets a new precedent for future cases.

2014 - GMO Patent Expires
Monsanto’s patent on the Roundup Ready line of genetically engineered seeds will end in two years. In 2009, Monsanto introduced Roundup 2 with a new patent set to make the first-generation seed obsolete.