The rapidly increasing population of our planet has prompted scientists and manufacturers not only to intensify the cultivation of crops and livestock, but also to start looking for fundamentally new approaches to the development of the raw material base of the beginning of the century.

The best finding in solving this problem was the widespread use of genetic engineering, which ensured the creation of genetically modified food sources (GMI). To date, many plant varieties are known that have undergone genetic modification to increase resistance to herbicides and insects, increase oiliness, sugar content, iron and calcium content, increase volatility and reduce ripening rates.

GMOs are transgenic organisms whose genetic material has been genetically engineered to give them desired properties.

Despite the huge potential of genetic engineering and its already real achievements, the use of genetically modified food products is not unambiguously perceived in the world. Articles and reports about mutant products regularly appear in the media, while the consumer does not get a complete picture of the problem, rather, a feeling of fear of ignorance and misunderstanding begins to prevail.

There are two opposing sides. One of them is represented by a number of scientists and transnational corporations (TNCs) - manufacturers of GMF, which have their offices in many countries and sponsor expensive laboratories that receive commercial super profits, operating in the most important areas of human life: food, pharmacology and agriculture. GMP is a large and promising business. In the world, more than 60 million hectares are occupied by transgenic crops: 66% of them in the USA, 22% in Argentina. Today, 63% of soybeans, 24% of corn, 64% of cotton are transgenic. Laboratory tests have shown that about 60-75% of all food products imported by the Russian Federation contain GMO components. Forecasts for 2005 the world market of transgenic products will reach $8 billion, and by 2010 - $25 billion.

But proponents of bioengineering prefer to cite noble incentives for their activities. To date, GMOs are the cheapest and most economically safe (in their opinion) way to produce food. New technologies will solve the problem of food shortage, otherwise the population of the Earth will not survive. Today we are already 6 billion, and in 2020. WHO estimates that there will be 7 billion. There are 800 million hungry people in the world and 20,000 people die of hunger every day. Over the past 20 years, we have lost more than 15% of the soil layer, and most of the cultivable soils are already involved in agricultural production. At the same time, humanity lacks protein, its global deficit is 35-40 million tons / year and increases annually by 2-3%.

One of the solutions to the emerging global problem is genetic engineering, whose successes open up fundamentally new opportunities for increasing production productivity and reducing economic losses.

On the other hand, GMOs are opposed by numerous environmental organizations, the Association "Doctors and Scientists Against GMF", a number of religious organizations, manufacturers of agricultural fertilizers and pest control products.

Biotechnology is a relatively young field applied biology, which studies the possibilities of application and develops specific recommendations for the use of biological objects, tools and processes in practical activities, i.e. developing methods and schemes for obtaining practically valuable substances based on the cultivation of whole unicellular organisms and free-living cells, multicellular organisms (plants and animals).

Historically, biotechnology arose on the basis of traditional biomedical industries (

baking, winemaking, brewing, obtaining fermented milk products, food vinegar). Particularly rapid development of biotechnology is associated with the era of antibiotics, which came in 40-50s. The next milestone in development dates back to the 60s. – production of fodder yeast and amino acids. Biotechnology received a new impetus in the early 1970s. thanks to the emergence of such a branch as genetic engineering. Achievements in this area have not only expanded the spectrum of the microbiological industry, but have fundamentally changed the very methodology for the search and selection of microbial producers. The first genetically engineered product was human insulin produced by E. coli bacteria, as well as the manufacture of drugs, vitamins, enzymes, and vaccines. At the same time, cell engineering is developing vigorously. The microbial producer is replenished with a new source of useful substances - a culture of isolated cells and tissues of plants and animals. Fundamentally new methods of selection of eukaryotes are being developed on this basis. Particularly great success has been achieved in the field of micropropagation of plants and to obtain plants with new properties.

In fact, the use of mutations, i.e. selection, people began to engage long before Darwin and Mendel. In the second half of the 20th century, material for selection began to be prepared artificially, generating mutations on purpose, exposure to radiation or colchicine, and selecting randomly appeared positive traits.

In the 60s-70s of the XX century, the main methods of genetic engineering were developed - a branch of molecular biology, the main task of which is to construct in vitro (outside a living organism) new functionally active genetic structures (recombinant DNA) and create organisms with new properties.

Genetic engineering, in addition to theoretical problems - the study of the structural and functional organization of the genome of various organisms - solves many practical problems. This is how strains of bacterial yeasts, cultures of animal cells producing biologically active human proteins were obtained. And transgenic animals and plants containing and producing alien genetic information.

In 1983 Scientists, studying a soil bacterium that forms outgrowths on the trunks of trees and shrubs, found that it transfers a fragment of its own DNA to the nucleus of a plant cell, where it integrates into the chromosome and is recognized as its own. From the moment of this discovery, the history of plant genetic engineering began. The first, as a result of artificial manipulations with genes, turned out to be tobacco, invulnerable to pests, then a genetically modified tomato (in 1994 by Monsanto), then corn, soybeans, rapeseed, cucumber, potatoes, beets, apples and much more.

Now isolate and assemble genes into one construct, transfer them to the desired organism - root

other work. This is the same selection, only more progressive and more jewelry. Scientists have learned how to make the gene work in the right organs and tissues (roots, tubers, leaves, grains) and at the right time (in daylight); and a new transgenic variety can be obtained in 4–5 years, while breeding a new plant variety by the classical method (changing a wide group of genes using crossing, radiation or chemicals, hoping for random combinations of traits in the offspring and selecting plants with the desired properties) takes more than 10 years.

In general, the problem of transgenic products around the world remains very acute and discussions around GMOs will not subside for a long time, because. the advantage of their use is obvious, and the long-term consequences of their action, both on the environment and on human health, are less clear.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are now a favorite topic of journalists. Distribution on the territory of Russia of GMOs and products made from genetically modified animals and plants is under the constant sight of State Duma deputies. Every now and then some sharp-sighted legislator begins to sound the alarm about the fact that products from genetically modified organisms will harm people's health.

All of this would be funny if it weren't so sad. Because those fears and horrors that are told about genetically modified organisms are a manipulation of the public consciousness, which is done by interested parties, taking advantage of the fact that most people have a poor understanding of biology and genetics.

As you know, the basis of the cells that make up any living organism on our planet are DNA molecules, deoxyribonucleic acid. These polymeric (that is, very long) molecules are two protein chains, each of which is coiled into a spiral, located one relative to the other so that the spirals are, as it were, inserted one into the other. Sections of such a DNA molecule contain combinations of proteins that determine all the individual characteristics of an organism. These regions are called genes. They determine the size, physical, physiological and functional characteristics of organisms. The sequence of genes in the DNA of any organism is called the genome. Currently, biologists have deciphered the genomes of many organisms, that is, they know which gene is responsible for which properties of the organism. Such knowledge in itself is a great achievement.

But geneticists went further and began to apply this knowledge in practice. A technique has been developed that allows, figuratively speaking, to perform operations on genes. Geneticists have learned to isolate certain genes and transplant them from one DNA molecule to another. At the same time, since the DNA molecules of all organisms consist of the same components, nucleotides, it is possible to take the gene of one organism and “graft” it into another organism, purposefully changing the properties of this organism. Namely, this procedure of transgenic transplantation “boils the indignant mind” of the general public, which for some reason imagines that if a gene that was in the DNA of a sheep is transplanted into the hereditary apparatus, say, wheat, then this wheat will not only increase productivity, but also bleed. Won't fade!

Meanwhile, genetic engineering, which is engaged in a purposeful change in DNA, is no different from ordinary selection. Selection, that is, purposeful artificial selection, mankind has used since ancient times, changing the flora and fauna (as well as the genomes of plants and animals) towards maximum development. useful properties. This is how new varieties of plants and new breeds of animals were bred. At the same time, for some reason, no one was indignant at the fact that man, with all this artificial and purposeful selection, interferes with God's plan.

Genetic engineering makes it possible to speed up the selection process and achieve in a few years results that used to take decades to achieve. By crossing the genes of different species (and species that are very far apart from each other), biologists get new species that are distinguished by improved qualities.

Who is to blame for all this? The name of the "culprit" is known: an American biochemist Paul Naim Berg.

He was born in 1926 in Brooklyn, one of the districts of New York. Since childhood, Paul wanted to become a scientist, but before that he took part in the Second World War. He served in the Navy and on submarines. Demobilized in 1946, he studied biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 1959, P. Berg worked at the Faculty of Biochemistry at Stanford University in California. In the 1970s, he developed a technique for transplanting genes from the DNA of one bacterium into the DNA of another bacterium, thereby changing its genotype and actually creating a new organism with the desired properties.

In 1977, a breakthrough in genetic engineering occurred when, using the methods of Paul Berg, scientists learned how to transfer parts of the bacterial genome into plants and began to create plants with new, useful properties: fast ripening, more productive, resistant to pests and diseases.

In 1980, Paul Berg, along with Walter Gilbert and Frederick Singer, received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their fundamental research on nucleic acids, which became the basis of genetic engineering.

And in 1996, the first genetically modified plants appeared with new, previously unseen properties. Genetically modified soybeans, rice, cotton, corn and rapeseed ushered in an era of new varieties with higher yields. Then a larger potato was "made", which the Colorado potato beetle did not eat. All genetically modified products do not contain allergenic or toxic substances, they are distinguished by excellent taste and quality.

Those who are wary of genetically modified products and repeat the fiction about “foreign genes” can be reassured by the fact that in the process of digestion, our body does not break down food to the level of genes, but consumes only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, the quality of which is the same. , both in genetically modified and "natural" products. Which, as already mentioned, are also not created quite naturally, but as a result of targeted selection.

Moreover, DNA molecules containing genes taken from organisms of different types (they are called recombinant DNA molecules) are also formed in "natural" conditions. They are found in some types of living organisms.

Science not only solves the problems that today sets itself, but also prepares tomorrow for technology, medicine, agriculture, interstellar flights, and the conquest of nature.

Introduction

One of the most promising sciences is genetics, which studies the phenomena of heredity and variability of organisms. Heredity is one of the fundamental properties of life; it determines the reproduction of forms in each subsequent generation. And if we want to learn how to control the development of life forms, the formation of useful ones for us and the elimination of harmful ones, we must understand the essence of heredity and the reasons for the appearance of new hereditary properties in organisms.

This abstract discusses the main characteristics, problems and prospects of genetic engineering. Currently, this topic is very relevant. At the beginning of the 21st century, about 5 billion people live in the world. According to scientists, by the end of the 21st century, the world's population may increase to 10 billion. How to feed so many people with quality food, if even with 5 billion in some regions the population is starving? However, even if such a problem did not exist, then humanity, in order to solve its other problems, would strive to introduce the most productive biotechnologies into agriculture. One such technology is genetic engineering.

To write an abstract, material was collected, generalized and systematized, which was very difficult, because there are many disagreements in the sources, many points of view. Since genetic engineering has received great development in our days, there are still very few books published on this topic, and therefore the articles found on the Internet were used in the work.

History of genetic modification

The history of genetic modification began in 1972, when the American scientist Paul Berg first combined two genes isolated from different organisms (bacteria and an oncogenic monkey virus) in a test tube into a single whole. He got a recombination of DNA that could not be formed in nature. Such DNA was introduced into bacterial cells - the first transgenic organism was created.

This was followed by the creation of bacteria carrying the genes of Drosophila flies, rabbits, and humans.

Transgenic organisms have received various names: recombinant, living modified, genetically modified, genetically engineered, chimeric.

The emergence of new organisms has worried many scientists. They, including Berg, published a letter in the journal Science asking them to suspend work on genetic engineering until the safety of transgenic organisms was established and rules were developed for the safety of working with them. It has been suggested that human-made organisms can be dangerous to existing ones. Their appearance in nature can cause their uncontrolled reproduction, the displacement of their natural inhabitants. It is possible that transgenic organisms can cause epidemics of previously unknown plant, animal and human diseases, disrupt the balance in nature, and randomly transfer genes. There were discussions: moral, religious, ethical, political.

British journalists have dubbed genetically modified foods (derived from transgenic organisms) "Frankenstein food".

A short moratorium was imposed on genetic engineering work. After the creation of safety rules for working with genetically modified organisms, since 1976. the ban was lifted. Initial work was carried out under strict security conditions in special facilities. However, in 30 years of work, nothing dangerous was created, so gradually the precautions were reduced.

A new industry was born - transgenic technology. It is based on the design and use of transgenic organisms. There are over 2,500 companies in the US alone that use transgenic technologies. They employ highly qualified specialists who construct organisms based on viruses, fungi, plants and animals.

Developers of transgenic technologies consider the genetic engineering method of creating crops as an improved crossing, which significantly reduces the time for creating improved plant varieties. Opponents of transgenic technologies believe that traditional breeding is carried out between varieties of one or several closely related species, and transgenic methods move genes from one species to another, violating all the boundaries between living organisms established over a long period of time. This leads to the emergence of fundamentally new organisms with a modified program of heredity. Their pollen and seeds will inevitably penetrate the natural environment and cause irreversible changes, the consequences of which are unpredictable. In addition, transgenic technologies are not perfect enough. The process of inserting a new gene is not precise enough, i.e., it is impossible to predict the place of the new gene in the genome. The introduced gene can change the functions of the host cell genes, cause the synthesis of new substances, side effects associated with the pleiotropic (multiple) action of genes, etc.

It is assumed that transgenic plants are safe for the environment. Over the past 15 years, 25,000 transgenic crops have been field tested. The first commercial transgene was tomato variety "Flavr Savr" (Appendix 1) developed by Calgen. They appeared in 1994 in US supermarkets. However, problems with their production and transportation led to the fact that the variety was removed from sale. Then many varieties of various agricultural crops were obtained. The most common crop is soybeans. Commercial cultivation of its transgenes has been started since 1995. Corn is in second place, cotton is in third, and then oilseed rape, tobacco, potatoes, etc.

The advantage of transgenic plants is that they are grown without the use of chemicals. A type of insecticidal transgenic plants is widely used, which carry the gene of the bacterium Bacillus thuringienesis, which contributes to the defeat of pests of corn, potatoes and cotton. The insecticidal bacterial toxin synthesized by the plant is harmless to humans and animals. Therefore, the use of insecticidal transgenic plants can increase net income by 35% compared to unmodified plants. Of the modified plants tested, 40% are resistant to viruses, 25% are resistant to herbicides, and 25% are resistant to harmful insects.

Genetically modified plants have a number of advantages. They are less whimsical, more resistant to diseases, pests, pesticides, and have higher yields. The products obtained from them are stored longer, have a better presentation, have an increased nutritional value. For example, vegetable oil from transgenic corn, soybean rapeseed has a reduced amount of saturated fat. Transgenic potatoes and corn contain less water and more starch. From such potatoes, air chips, french fries are obtained. This requires less oil for frying. These foods are easier for the body to digest.

In 1999, a transgenic "golden rice" with a high content of carotene was obtained. It serves to prevent blindness in children in developing countries, where it is a staple food.

The world leaders in the cultivation of transgenic plants are the USA, Argentina, Canada and China. For 12 years, 3.5 trillion were grown in the United States. tons of transgenic plants. Mass sowing of such plants in the EU and Russia is prohibited. EU countries against products obtained by genetic modification. Some modified products are imported into Russia and Ukraine: soybeans, corn, potatoes.

Genetically modified plants are widely used for the production of food and nutritional supplements. For example, soy lecithin (E322) is used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in the confectionery industry, and soybean skins are used in the production of cereals, snacks, and bran. Modified soy is widely used in the food industry as a cheap filler (included in products such as sausage, bread, chocolate, etc.). Modified potatoes and corn are used to make chips, as well as starch used as a thickener, gelling agent, gelling agents in the baking and confectionery industries. They are also used in the production of many ketchups, sauces, mayonnaises. Modified corn and rapeseed oils are used as additives in margarine, pastries, biscuits.

A promising direction is the use of transgenic products for immunoprophylaxis. So, tobacco has already been obtained, in the genetic code of which there is a human gene responsible for the production of antibodies against the measles virus. In the near future, plants with antiviral genes from animals and humans will be created.

Greenpeace specialists have prepared a list of products that may contain transgenic products, indicating the manufacturing companies. These include: Mars, Snickers, Twix chocolate products, Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi, Co-la soft drinks, Nesquik chocolate drink, Knorr sauces, Lipton tea, Stimorol chewing gum, etc. Any Internet user can see the list. .

The main issue for discussion remains the question of the safety of transgenic products for the body and the environment.

Transgenic products do not differ from natural products in terms of their main characteristics. Transgenic products are tested for toxicity and allergenicity. However, there are no completely reliable methods for testing for harmlessness. AT last years there was evidence of their negative impact on living organisms.

In April 1998, British professor Arpad Pusztai, who worked at the Rowett State Institute in Aberdeen, stated in a television interview that irreversible changes had occurred in the body of rats fed transgenic potatoes. Animals began to suffer from suppression of the immune system, various disturbances in the functioning of internal organs were observed. The scientist was fired allegedly for disseminating allegedly false information.

An independent group of 20 scientists studied the works of A. Pusztai. In February 1999, she published a conclusion in which she confirmed the reliability of her results. After that, the UK Department of Agriculture considered the issue of prohibiting the sale of genetically modified products without comprehensive research and licensing.

Around the same time, the York Nutrition Lab found that eating modified soy had worsened allergy and digestive problems over the past two years. Moreover, one of the varieties of soy is dangerous for people who are allergic to nuts. The seed company Pioneer Hybrid International introduced the brazil nut gene into soy DNA. its storage protein is rich in the amino acids cysteine ​​and methionine. The victims received compensation from the company, and the modification project was curtailed.

Transgenic products can also produce toxic substances. For example, after several years of using the food additive aspartame (E951), approved for use in the food and pharmaceutical industry in more than 100 countries, there are reports of serious side effects. Aspartame is 200 times sweeter than sugar, therefore it was used as a sweetener (but not a sweetener, which by its nature is a carbohydrate and has a high calorie content) alone or as part of mixtures of sweeteners ("Sladex", "Asparvit", "Slamix", etc.). ). By chemical structure is a methylated dipeptide, which consists of residues of two amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine). Aspartame was recommended to patients with diabetes mellitus, for the prevention of caries, it was used in the production of more than 5,000 products (dairy desserts, yogurts, chewing gum, etc.), especially those that do not require heat treatment.

With prolonged exposure to temperature, the components of aspartame are separated. Methanol turns into formaldehyde (poisonous, causes protein coagulation), and then into formic acid. Methanol toxicity causes symptoms similar to those of multiple sclerosis, but unlike the latter disease, it is fatal.

Phenylalanine, which is part of aspartame, according to the latest advances in medicine, can be effectively absorbed even by not all healthy people. The additional administration of phenylalanine significantly increases its level in the blood and poses a serious danger to brain function. Aspartame is contraindicated in patients with phenylketonuria (a hereditary disease). Popular newspapers in the US called aspartame "the sweet poison".

The movement of genes through transgenic products is a real threat. This is evidenced by experiments with the movement of genes that provide resistance to antibiotics, conducted by Harry Gilbert and colleagues at the University of Newcastle and published by the UK Food Safety Standards Agency. The experiment was carried out on volunteers (12 healthy and 7 with surgically removed colon). They were fed hamburgers and milkshakes containing modified soy. Analyzes of the experiments showed that in healthy people, the bacteria did not contain modified DNA, while the bacteria of volunteers with a removed colon had such DNA. Scientists have suggested that DNA is preserved in the small intestine, but is completely destroyed in the large intestine.

The use of genes that provide resistance to antibiotics (tomatoes resistant to kanamycin, corn to ampicillin) in modified products can lead to their entry into the genome of bacteria living in the intestines of humans and animals. With the feces, the bacteria will be brought out, and from there the genes will be transferred to pathogens. This will lead to the emergence of new microorganisms resistant to all available drugs.

According to the Biosafety Protocol to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the safety of genetically modified organisms must be proven and only then their suitability must be recognized. In many countries, there are regulations allowing only a certain small content of transgenic material in products (for example, in the EU countries - up to 1%). Despite bans, properly labeled and unlabeled genetically modified products are constantly entering the market. The possible danger of such products has not been finally identified, but may appear in the future.

Genetic engineering (genetic engineering) - a set of techniques, methods and technologies for obtaining recombinant RNA and DNA, isolating genes from an organism (cells), manipulating genes and introducing them into other organisms.
Genetic engineering is not a science in the broadest sense, but is a tool of biotechnology, using the methods of such biological sciences as molecular and cellular biology, cytology, genetics, microbiology, virology.

economic importance

Genetic engineering serves to obtain the desired qualities of a modified or genetically modified organism. Unlike traditional breeding, during which the genotype is only indirectly changed, genetic engineering allows you to directly interfere with the genetic apparatus, using the technique of molecular cloning. Examples of applications of genetic engineering are the production of new genetically modified varieties of crops, the production of human insulin using genetically modified bacteria, the production of erythropoietin in cell culture, or new breeds of experimental mice for scientific research.

The basis of the microbiological, biosynthetic industry is the bacterial cell. The cells necessary for industrial production are selected according to certain criteria, the most important of which is the ability to produce, synthesize, in the maximum possible quantities, a certain compound - an amino acid or an antibiotic, a steroid hormone or an organic acid. Sometimes it is necessary to have a microorganism that can, for example, use oil or wastewater as "food" and process them into biomass or even protein quite suitable for feed additives. Sometimes organisms are needed that can grow at elevated temperatures or in the presence of substances that are unquestionably lethal to other types of microorganisms.

The task of obtaining such industrial strains is very important; for their modification and selection, numerous methods of active influence on the cell have been developed - from treatment with highly effective poisons to radioactive irradiation. The purpose of these techniques is the same - to achieve a change in the hereditary, genetic apparatus of the cell. Their result is the production of numerous mutant microbes, from hundreds and thousands of which scientists then try to select the most suitable for a particular purpose. The development of techniques for chemical or radiation mutagenesis was an outstanding achievement in biology and is widely used in modern biotechnology.

But their capabilities are limited by the nature of the microorganisms themselves. They are not able to synthesize a number of valuable substances that accumulate in plants, primarily medicinal and essential oil. They cannot synthesize substances that are very important for the life of animals and humans, a number of enzymes, peptide hormones, immune proteins, interferons, and many more simply arranged compounds that are synthesized in animals and humans. Of course, the possibilities of microorganisms are far from being exhausted. Of the abundance of microorganisms, only a tiny fraction has been used by science, and especially by industry. For the purposes of selection of microorganisms, of great interest are, for example, anaerobic bacteria that can live in the absence of oxygen, phototrophs that use light energy like plants, chemoautotrophs, thermophilic bacteria that can live at a temperature, as it turned out recently, about 110 ° C, etc.

And yet the limitations of "natural material" are obvious. They tried and are trying to circumvent the restrictions with the help of cell cultures and tissues of plants and animals. This is a very important and promising way, which is also implemented in biotechnology. Over the past few decades, scientists have developed methods by which individual cells of a plant or animal tissue can be made to grow and multiply separately from the body, like bacterial cells. This was an important achievement - the resulting cell cultures are used for experiments and for the industrial production of certain substances that cannot be obtained using bacterial cultures.

History of development and achieved level of technology

In the second half of the twentieth century, several important discoveries and inventions were made that underlie genetic engineering. Many years of attempts to "read" the biological information that is "recorded" in the genes have been successfully completed. This work was started by the English scientist F. Sanger and the American scientist W. Gilbert (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1980). As you know, genes contain information-instruction for the synthesis of RNA molecules and proteins in the body, including enzymes. In order to force a cell to synthesize new, unusual substances for it, it is necessary that the corresponding sets of enzymes be synthesized in it. And for this it is necessary either to purposefully change the genes in it, or to introduce new, previously absent genes into it. Changes in genes in living cells are mutations. They occur under the influence of, for example, mutagens - chemical poisons or radiation. But such changes cannot be controlled or directed. Therefore, scientists have concentrated their efforts on trying to develop methods for introducing into the cell new, very specific genes that a person needs.

The main stages of solving the genetic engineering problem are as follows:

1. Obtaining an isolated gene.

2. Introduction of a gene into a vector for transfer to an organism.

3. Transfer of a vector with a gene into a modified organism.

4. Transformation of body cells.

5. Selection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and elimination of those that have not been successfully modified.

The process of gene synthesis is currently very well developed and even largely automated. There are special devices equipped with computers, in the memory of which programs for the synthesis of various nucleotide sequences are stored. Such an apparatus synthesizes DNA segments up to 100-120 nitrogenous bases in length (oligonucleotides). A technique has become widespread that allows the use of polymerase chain reaction for DNA synthesis, including mutant DNA. A thermostable enzyme, DNA polymerase, is used in it for template synthesis of DNA, which is used as a seed for artificially synthesized pieces of nucleic acid - oligonucleotides. The reverse transcriptase enzyme makes it possible to synthesize DNA using such primers (primers) on a matrix of RNA isolated from cells. DNA synthesized in this way is called complementary (RNA) or cDNA. An isolated, "chemically pure" gene can also be obtained from a phage library. This is the name of a bacteriophage preparation whose genome contains random fragments from the genome or cDNA, which are reproduced by the phage along with all its DNA.

To insert a gene into a vector, restriction enzymes and ligases are used, which are also useful tools for genetic engineering. With the help of restriction enzymes, the gene and the vector can be cut into pieces. With the help of ligases, such pieces can be “glued together”, connected in a different combination, constructing a new gene or enclosing it in a vector. For the discovery of restrictases, Werner Arber, Daniel Nathans and Hamilton Smith were also awarded the Nobel Prize (1978).

The technique of introducing genes into bacteria was developed after Frederick Griffith discovered the phenomenon of bacterial transformation. This phenomenon is based on a primitive sexual process, which in bacteria is accompanied by the exchange of small fragments of non-chromosomal DNA, plasmids. Plasmid technologies formed the basis for the introduction of artificial genes into bacterial cells.

Significant difficulties were associated with the introduction of a ready-made gene into the hereditary apparatus of plant and animal cells. However, in nature, there are cases when foreign DNA (of a virus or a bacteriophage) is included in the genetic apparatus of a cell and, with the help of its metabolic mechanisms, begins to synthesize its own protein. Scientists studied the features of the introduction of foreign DNA and used it as a principle for introducing genetic material into a cell. This process is called transfection.

If unicellular organisms or cultures of multicellular cells undergo modification, then cloning begins at this stage, that is, the selection of those organisms and their descendants (clones) that have undergone modification. When the task is set to obtain multicellular organisms, then cells with a changed genotype are used for vegetative reproduction of plants or injected into the blastocysts of a surrogate mother when it comes to animals. As a result, cubs with a changed or unchanged genotype are born, among which only those that show the expected changes are selected and crossed with each other.

Application in scientific research

Gene knockout. Gene knockout can be used to study the function of a particular gene. This is the name given to the technique of deleting one or more genes, which allows one to study the consequences of such a mutation. For knockout, the same gene or its fragment is synthesized, modified so that the gene product loses its function. To obtain knockout mice, the resulting genetically engineered construct is introduced into embryonic stem cells, where the construct undergoes somatic recombination and replaces the normal gene, and the altered cells are implanted into the surrogate mother's blastocyst. In the fruit fly, Drosophila initiates mutations in a large population, which is then searched for offspring with the desired mutation. Plants and microorganisms are knocked out in a similar way.

artificial expression. A logical addition to knockout is artificial expression, that is, the addition of a gene to the body that it did not have before. This genetic engineering method can also be used to study the function of genes. In essence, the process of introducing additional genes is the same as in a knockout, but the existing genes are not replaced or damaged.

Visualization of gene products. Used when the task is to study the localization of a gene product. One way of labeling is to replace the normal gene with a fusion with a reporter element, for example, with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. This protein, which fluoresces under blue light, is used to visualize the product of a genetic modification. Although this technique is convenient and useful, its side effects can be partial or complete loss of function of the protein under study. A more sophisticated, although not as convenient, method is to add smaller oligopeptides to the protein under study, which can be detected using specific antibodies.

Study of the mechanism of expression. In such experiments, the task is to study the conditions of gene expression. Expression features depend primarily on a small stretch of DNA located in front of the coding region, which is called a promoter and serves to bind transcription factors. This site is introduced into the body, after it is replaced by a reporter gene, for example, GFP or an enzyme that catalyzes an easily detectable reaction. In addition to the fact that the functioning of the promoter in various tissues at one time or another becomes clearly visible, such experiments make it possible to study the structure of the promoter by removing or adding DNA fragments to it, as well as to artificially enhance its functions.

Human genetic engineering

When applied to humans, genetic engineering could be used to treat hereditary diseases. However, technically, there is a significant difference between treating the patient himself and changing the genome of his descendants.

The task of changing the genome of an adult is somewhat more difficult than breeding new genetically engineered breeds of animals, because. in this case, it is required to change the genome of numerous cells of an already formed organism, and not just one egg-embryo. For this, it is proposed to use viral particles as a vector. Virus particles are able to penetrate into a significant percentage of adult cells, embedding their hereditary information into them; possible controlled reproduction of viral particles in the body. At the same time, to reduce side effects, scientists are trying to avoid the introduction of genetically engineered DNA into the cells of the genital organs and thereby avoid affecting the unborn offspring of the patient. It is also worth noting the significant criticism of this technology in the media: the development of genetically engineered viruses is perceived by some segments of the public as a threat to all of humanity.

Currently, effective methods for modifying the human genome are under development and testing in primates. For a long time, the genetic engineering of monkeys faced serious difficulties, but in 2009 the experiments were crowned with success: a publication appeared in Nature about the successful use of genetically engineered viral vectors to treat an adult male monkey from color blindness. In the same year, the first genetically modified primate (grown from a modified egg) gave offspring - the common marmoset.

Albeit on a small scale, genetic engineering is already being used to give women with some types of infertility a chance to get pregnant. To do this, use the eggs of a healthy woman. The child as a result inherits the genotype from one father and two mothers.

With the help of genetic engineering, it is possible to obtain descendants with improved appearance, mental and physical abilities, character and behavior. With the help of gene therapy in the future, it is possible to improve the genome and current people. In principle, more serious changes can be created, but on the way to such transformations, humanity needs to solve many ethical problems.

genetically modified organism

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is a living organism whose genotype has been artificially altered using genetic engineering methods. Such changes are usually made for scientific or economic purposes. Genetic modification is characterized by a purposeful change in the genotype of an organism, in contrast to the random, characteristic of natural and artificial mutagenesis.

Goals of creating GMOs

The development of GMOs is considered by some scientists as a natural development of animal and plant breeding. Others, on the contrary, consider genetic engineering a complete departure from classical breeding, since GMOs are not a product of artificial selection, that is, the gradual breeding of a new variety (breed) of organisms through natural reproduction, but in fact a new species artificially synthesized in the laboratory. In many cases, the use of transgenic plants greatly increases yields. It is believed that with the current size of the world's population, only GMOs can save the world from the threat of hunger, since with the help of genetic modification it is possible to increase the yield and quality of food. Opponents of this opinion believe that with the current level of agricultural technology and mechanization of agricultural production, plant varieties and animal breeds already existing, obtained in the classical way, are able to fully provide the planet's population with high-quality food (the problem of a possible world famine is caused solely by socio-political reasons, and therefore can be solved not by geneticists, but by the political elites of states.)

The use of GMOs for scientific purposes

Currently, genetically modified organisms are widely used in fundamental and applied scientific research. With the help of GMOs, the patterns of development of certain diseases (Alzheimer's disease, cancer), the processes of aging and regeneration are studied, the functioning of the nervous system is studied, and a number of other urgent problems of biology and medicine are solved.

Use of GMOs for Medical Purposes

Genetically modified organisms have been used in applied medicine since 1982. This year, human insulin, produced using genetically modified bacteria, is registered as a drug.

Work is underway to create genetically modified plants that produce components of vaccines and drugs against dangerous infections (plague, HIV). Proinsulin, derived from genetically modified safflower, is at the stage of clinical trials. A drug against thrombosis based on protein from the milk of transgenic goats has been successfully tested and approved for use.

A new branch of medicine, gene therapy, is rapidly developing. It is based on the principles of creating GMOs, but the genome of human somatic cells acts as an object of modification. Currently, gene therapy is one of the main treatments for certain diseases. So, already in 1999, every fourth child suffering from SCID (severe combined immune deficiency) was treated with gene therapy. Gene therapy, in addition to being used in treatment, is also proposed to be used to slow down the aging process.

The use of GMOs in agriculture

Genetic engineering is used to create new varieties of plants that are resistant to adverse environmental conditions and pests, with better growth and taste qualities. New breeds of animals created are distinguished, in particular, by accelerated growth and productivity. Varieties and breeds have been created, the products of which have a high nutritional value and contain increased amounts of essential amino acids and vitamins.

Genetically modified varieties of forest species with a significant content of cellulose in wood and rapid growth are being tested.

Other uses

Genetically modified bacteria capable of producing environmentally friendly fuel are being developed.

In 2003, the GloFish was launched on the market, the first genetically modified organism created for aesthetic purposes, and the first pet of its kind. Thanks to genetic engineering, the popular aquarium fish Danio rerio has received several bright fluorescent colors.

In 2009, a genetically modified rose variety "Applause" with blue flowers goes on sale. Thus, the centuries-old dream of breeders who unsuccessfully tried to breed "blue roses" came true.

Conclusion

In my work, the history of selection in the context of new technologies is considered. Today it is necessary to introduce these methods into modern agriculture. But we are faced with a big problem of low development of these technologies in Russian Federation. In most cases, in our country, millet lacks funding to organize its production. Also, one of the most important problems in this area is imperfectly developed legislation.

I paid much attention to products obtained by genetic engineering, as I consider this problem to be urgent today. The scientific world currently working in this area is divided into two opposing sides - supporters of GM products and their opponents. Therefore, the term paper indicates the "Pros" and "Cons" of these methods.

I would like to note my ambiguous attitude towards products obtained by modern selection methods, and in particular by genetic engineering. Since the basics of the arguments of opponents and supporters, in my opinion, have not been studied enough, therefore, in the future it is worth paying great attention to the study of transgenic products on the human body.

Thus, in the abstract, the main characteristics of genetic engineering were considered: its advantages, what qualities are "grafted" on plants, where genetically modified plants are mainly grown, the disadvantages of genetic engineering, as well as its prospects.

Bibliography

1. E. Aspiz "Encyclopedic Dictionary of a Young Biologist"

2. Ilyashenko O.N. "Golden collection of abstracts" 2008

3. N.P. Dubinin "Essays on genetics"

4. N.P. Dubinin "Horizons of genetics"

5. Chirkov Yu.G. "Revived Chimeras". 1991, 239 s

genetic modification

GMOs are the man-made plague of the 21st century.

Look for the cause of your illness at the bottom of your plate, or how they kill us - 1:

Part 1. GMOs–man-made plague of the XXI century

We are gradually becoming hostages of cannibals, forcing us to eat poison, which they produce and sell to us at crazy prices (13). If we do not begin to actively resist, then we will not last long - we will die out cleanly ... (13).

The 21st century is expected to be the century of biotechnology. But modernization in this area does not always benefit people. Thus, in May 2009, members of the Academy of Environmental Medicine, the oldest in the United States, demanded a moratorium on the use of transgenes in the country and called on colleagues to monitor the impact of GMOs on the health of patients. Experts all over the world are sounding the alarm: further subordination of science to the selfish interests of transnational corporations can endanger the health of millions of people. Including in Russia… (13).

Russia has taken the path of a market economy, in which business plays the main role. Unfortunately, unscrupulous entrepreneurs often push low-quality products to make a profit. This is especially dangerous when products based on the use of poorly understood technologies enter the market. To avoid mistakes, strict control at the state level over their production and distribution is necessary. Lack of proper control can lead to serious errors and serious consequences, which happened when genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were used in food (13).

What is GMO?

Genetically modified organisms are organisms (bacteria, plants, animals) into which foreign genes are inserted in order to improve its useful properties, for example, to develop resistance to herbicides (weed control agents), pesticides (pesticides), to increase crop yields, etc. .d. For example, to breed a frost-resistant tomato, the Arctic flounder gene was inserted into its genes; to breed pigs with lean meat, they have inserted a spinach gene; to breed pest-resistant rice, a human liver gene was added to its genes, and to breed drought-resistant wheat varieties, scorpion genes were inserted into it.

It sounds scary, but it would seem that the goal is noble - to feed humanity! However, long-term agricultural practice shows that the cultivation of GM crops is more costly and less productive than varieties obtained through traditional breeding, and on the world market, GM grain is cheaper than usual only due to subsidies from the US budget (2, 50).

What is the difference between genetic engineering and breeding?

AT wild nature or such drastic gene mutations as described above are impossible with selection. In nature, new subspecies appear through natural selection, and during selection, new varieties are obtained by crossing two organisms of the same biological species. The selection itself is based on the laws of nature, and unlike genetic engineering, it does not interfere with the genotype of organisms and does not pollute the ecology of the planet.

Many scientists believe that the gigantic reserves of modern breeding methods have not yet been used, and there is no practical need for the development of GM crops, and there was not (2).

History of GMOs

Based on the development of biological weapons in 1983, the world's first GM plant was grown in the United States. Just ten years later, without proper human safety testing, the first GM products appeared on the global food market. A global uncontrolled experiment on humanity has begun. GMO products officially appeared on the Russian market in 1999 (2). According to Greenpeace Russia in 2005 in Moscow, about 50% of all food products contained GM ingredients (2). Now this number has grown.

The main countries growing GM agricultural crops today are the USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, China, India, South Africa (2, 3, 21). The main global seed producers of GM crops are Monsanto Corporation (USA), DuPont (USA), BASF (Germany), Syngenta Seeds S.A. (France), and Bayer Crop Science (Germany) (2, 6).

New GM crops are being developed today primarily in the US and largely by the same companies that specialized in bioweapons production for the Pentagon during the Cold War (2). For example, the Monsanto corporation even combined these two activities for a long time and only recently completely switched to the production of GMOs.

Why are GMOs dangerous?

Independently from each other, British, French, Italian, German, Australian and Russian scientists conducted their research, including: Arpad Pusztai, S. Ewen, M. Malatesta, W. Dofler, J. Smith, O.A. Monastyrsky, A.V. Yablokov, A.S. Baranov, V.V. Kuznetsov, A.M. Kulikov, I.V. Ermakova, A.G. Malygin, M.A. Konovalova, V.A. Blinov and many others (3). They studied changes in the organisms of laboratory animals when GM crops (GM potatoes, GM soybeans, GM peas, GM corn) were added to their feed (3). All these changes were pathological in nature and in most cases caused the death of animals (3). In 2000, an open letter to the governments of all countries with a request to impose a moratorium on the distribution of GMOs was signed by 828 scientists from 84 countries of the world, and over the past years the number of signatures under it has only increased (3, 9). [rice. "Tumors in a rat fed GM corn (46)"]

In Russia, a complete ban on GMOs is advocated not only by well-known scientists, but also by such organizations as the Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the CIS Alliance for Biosafety, the National Association for Genetic Safety, Greenpeace Russia, the Russian Regional Environmental Center, the Environmental Movement "For the Name of Life", the Association biological, ecological and food security, Russian Public Movement “Revival. Golden age" (2).

The scientific adviser to the government of Norway, Professor Terje Traavik, who has been engaged in genetic engineering for more than 20 years, has repeatedly spoken about the unpredictability of the action of genetically modified organisms. He states that the possible danger from GM structures is higher than from chemical compounds, since they are completely “unfamiliar” to the environment, they do not decay, but, on the contrary, are accepted by the cell, where they can multiply and mutate uncontrollably. He believes that independent research is needed, which would not be carried out with corporate funds from companies producing GMOs (13).

In 2008, the United Nations and the World Bank first spoke out against big business and genetically modified technologies (13). The report, which was prepared by about 400 scientists, condemned the use of GM technologies in agriculture because, firstly, they do not solve the problem of hunger, and, secondly, they pose a threat to public health and the future of the planet (13).

Scientists from around the world have proven that the use of GMOs in food leads to a decrease in immunity, oncological diseases (including cancer), infertility, toxicosis, allergies, nervous diseases, digestive disorders, inhibition of the intestinal microflora, pathological changes in the genome and heredity, and also causes a new disease associated with GMOs - morgelon (1, 3, 4, 13). Indeed, “look for the cause of your illness at the bottom of your plate” (Chinese proverb). Morgelon is a disease characterized by the appearance under the skin of a person of multi-colored threads a few millimeters long, which are formations from agrobacteria; a patient with morgelon experiences unbearable itching and becomes covered with non-healing wounds (3).

Cancer, infertility and allergies have become tragically widespread in Russia and the world in recent years, and many experts attribute this to GMOs (2). Many scientists directly say that GMOs are weapons of mass destruction (11).

GMOs are especially harmful to children (4). The child's body does not yet have all the protective functions that an adult has, and when using transgenes, they risk getting infertility, allergies, brain and digestive disorders. In 2007, about 70% of all baby food in Russia contained GMOs (2). In 2004, the European Union banned the use of GMOs in baby food intended for children under 4 years of age (2). But Russia, as you know, does not belong to the EU countries, and in our country the policy of increasing the content of GMOs in baby food (and not only in baby food) continues.

It should be noted that in addition to harm to human health, the agricultural use of GM crops leads to a sharp reduction in biodiversity and environmental degradation (13). Today, various bacteria, worms and insects are dying out in and around fields with transgenic crops (2). The mass extinction of bees in countries where transgenes are cultivated is also associated by specialists with the use of GMOs in agriculture, and bees play an important role in plant pollination (2). After eating in the fields sown with GMOs, the bee becomes ill, while it is known that any sick bee leaves the hive so as not to infect the rest, this is the reason for their mass death (11). In recent years, massive deaths of birds and fish have also been recorded around the world (19).

The use of GM crops resistant to herbicides in agriculture leads to a situation where the treatment of fields with a herbicide destroys weeds, but does not affect the GM crop, however, due to the fact that weeds have the ability to adapt, the herbicide dose has to be increased during subsequent treatment, and the herbicide meanwhile accumulates in GM plants to dangerous doses. It should be said that almost all herbicides that exist today are extremely dangerous for humans. Glyphosate herbicides, for example, are powerful carcinogens that cause lymphomas (a type of tumor) in humans (2). Glyphosates also include the well-known herbicide RoundUp from Monsanto (2). In addition to lymphomas, this herbicide has been shown to cause cancer, meningitis, DNA damage, decreased testosterone (a male hormone), hormonal disorders, and infertility (22) [rice. “Are you already using Roundup herbicide?”].

What is the reason for the toxicity of GMOs?

According to scientists, the main reason for the danger of GMOs is the imperfection of the technologies for obtaining a transgenic organism. The fact is that the technology itself for introducing foreign genes into a modified organism is still very imperfect and does not guarantee the safety of organisms created with their help. The gene must somehow be integrated into the DNA of the host organism. Viruses or bacterial plasmids (circular DNA) are usually used as a transport delivering a new gene to a modified organism, capable of penetrating into the cell of the host organism and then using cellular resources. to create multiple copies of yourself or insertion into the cellular genome. Generally, bacterial plasmids are easily transferred from bacteria to bacteria, but not to plants. Unfortunately, the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens was discovered, which "knows how to introduce" genes into plants and "force" them to synthesize the proteins it needs. After infection of a plant or animal, a certain part of the plasmid DNA (T-DNA) is integrated into the chromosomal DNA of the plant cell, becoming part of its hereditary material. The plant begins to produce the nutrients necessary for bacteria. Scientists have learned to replace the genes in the T-DNA of bacterial plasmids with the genes they need, which were supposed to be introduced into plants and animals. For example, the snowdrop gene responsible for frost resistance is placed in the T-DNA of bacterial plasmids and introduced into the chromosomal DNA of a tomato (in order to obtain a new frost-resistant variety). The trouble is that when using bacterial plasmids in the process of biotechnological procedures, the researcher a priori does not know which cell of the modified plant is being transformed, how many copies of T-DNA will be integrated into the genome and into which chromosomes, and is unable to control this, so the virus or plasmid changes DNA plants unpredictably. For this reason, while simultaneously modifying many plants of the same species, in fact, by the “poke method”, those regenerated plants are subsequently selected that, due to their new acquired properties, are of interest to researchers. The question remains, where do the “unused” plasmids with genes go? In addition, information has appeared that vector plasmids can enter mitochondrial DNA, being absorbed by mitochondria (the energy structure of the cell), disrupting their work. Subsequently, it was found that plasmids are able to introduce genes into animal cells (3).

The danger of viruses and plasmids used to obtain genetically modified organisms lies in their exceptional viability. Supporters of GMOs argue that foreign inserts are completely destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans, often adding: “When you eat an apple, you don’t become an apple ?!”.

However, according to Russian geneticists, “... eating organisms by each other may underlie horizontal transfer, since it has been shown that DNA is not completely digested, and individual molecules can enter the cell from the intestine and into the nucleus, and then integrate into the chromosome” ( V.A. Gvozdev). As for the rings of plasmids, the circular form of DNA makes it more resistant to destruction (3). And, indeed, GM inserts are found both in milk and in the meat of animals fed with GM food (2, 3). Also, transgenic inserts were found in the saliva and intestinal microflora of a person who ate GMOs (2, 3). When conducting research by a group of British geneticists led by H. Gilbert, it turned out that DNA from the cells of genetically modified food is borrowed by the bacteria of the human intestinal microflora (3). The capture of genes and GM plasmids by the intestinal microflora was also indicated in the works of other researchers (3).

Summing up, we can say that any artificial manipulations with the genome lead to education new species plants or animals with unknown properties therefore genetically modified organisms, by definition, cannot be safe (21).

Why introduce GMOs?

In fact, genetic engineering is a crude and inept intervention in the most complex genetic mechanisms. Such interference inevitably gave rise to disturbances in the harmony of the DNA of plants, animals and people. Genetic engineering has created genetic deformities that nature has an automatic remedy for. The name of this protection is barrenness. When people crossed a horse with a donkey long before genetic engineering, they got a mule that has the speed of a horse and the endurance of a donkey. However, all mules are barren, as are barren and ligers - cats, obtained by crossing lions with tigresses. Nature does the same with all genetically modified organisms. The result of gross interference in DNA is the infertility of the experimental GM organism. But this is not so bad - a terrible consequence of eating GMOs in food is the gradual restructuring of the human genotype, ultimately causing infertility (2).

Obviously, now there is a global misanthropic program to sterilize the population of the Earth (20). And, as Richard Day (one of those initiated into the plan back in the 1960s) said, "People are too naive and don't ask the right questions" (14). GMOs are a real man-made plague of the 21st century.

On October 8, 2012, even a State Duma deputy from United Russia, head of the State Duma committee on taxes and fees, Evgeny Fedorov, announced the sterilization of the population (39). According to him, the sterilization of the population in Russia is carried out according to the plan and with US money, and that "in the coming years" Vladimir Putin will strongly oppose this state of affairs (39). True, Fedorov did not specify the methods of sterilization in his statement (39). It is known, for example, that infertility is caused not only by GMOs, but also by alcohol, cigarettes, and many vaccines, such as the tetanus vaccine and the cervical cancer vaccine (40, 41, 42). Personally, I have little hope that Putin will stop the GMO genocide “in the coming years”; it has been going on since 1999, and its pace is only growing.

It can be assumed that the second big goal of transnational biocorporations is the monopolization of the market for agricultural seeds (15). It has been proven that in the fields where GM crops grow, biodiversity disappears by 30%: worms, insects, bacteria die out, birds do not sing and grasshoppers do not chirp. These are the fields of death, over which there is a deathly silence. Genetically modified organisms, including agricultural GM crops, are not reproductive - after 1-2 generations they completely die out, and it is no longer possible to grow a healthy crop on the field where they grew, the field remains infected with transgenes for a long time. Thus, a country that has completely switched to growing GM crops is deprived of its own strategic stock of seeds and is forced to buy new seeds every year from transnational corporations that produce them (the largest of which is Monsanto, USA). Such countries, which have essentially lost some of their independence, are easily pressured by the threat of controlled famine (2). Few people know that in India, the introduction of GM seeds, with a ban on saving seeds for a new crop and an obligation to pay royalties to GM companies, led to a rise in debt, leaving many farmers bankrupt (18, 43). Out of desperation, more than 25,000 peasants in India committed suicide between 1997 and 2012 (18, 43).

GM crops are increasingly becoming an instrument of global politics (30). It is indicative that after the end of the last war in Iraq, the Americans brought into the country all genetically modified products (30). When in 2010 there was an abnormal heat wave in Russia and crops died, the Americans immediately received an offer to accept their grain, which was also all transgenic (30, 31). At that time, American supplies were avoided due to a temporary ban on the export of domestic grain (31).

Do not join the WTO, you will eat only GMOs!

In 2006, President Putin, during his speech at the international forum "Civil G8-2006" in Moscow, said: “I tell you without any exaggeration: here is one of the problems that we are now facing in the course of the negotiation process for Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, is that we are being forced to give up our right (I believe) to inform our own population in the trading network for products that are obtained using genetic engineering " (2, 11).

How did these negotiations end? Today it becomes clear that the negotiations ended with Russia's accession to the WTO and Russia's full acceptance of all the slavish obligations associated with this.

Here is how events developed further: in November 2006, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Russian Federation German Gref signed a letter to the US Trade Representative in which Russia committed itself to fulfill certain requirements to expand the range of genetically modified organisms that should be used in the Russian food industry. According to this letter, Russia undertook not only to issue certificates for all transgenic plants that were under consideration by the Ministry of Health at that time, but also to legalize the cultivation of genetically modified plants in Russia (2).

In February 2010, Russia abolished the mandatory certification of food products, instead of it, only a declaration of conformity to quality was introduced. According to the new law, the state can now check this compliance no more than once every three years! The law also provides for a fine for the sale of low-quality goods from one to two thousand rubles for individuals and up to 10,000 rubles for legal entities, which sounds like a mockery of common sense. Let me remind you that the now canceled law on mandatory certification was adopted in 1993, then it allowed to reduce the volume of low-quality and dangerous goods imported into the country from all over the world (6, 10).

In January 2012, a new menu was introduced in municipal kindergartens in Moscow and the Moscow Region, which immediately provoked a wave of protest from parents (17). The diet for preschoolers was cut, vegetables and fruits, natural juices, butter, yogurt, cottage cheese were excluded from the menu, portions of meat and fish were reduced, while sausages, frozen pancakes and other semi-finished products were added, soybean oil, instant vitamin drinks (with dyes, flavors and preservatives), bread with vitamin supplements, canned cucumbers, bottled melange instead of eggs (17). Many parents would bring their children to kindergarten with their own food, but this is not allowed (17).

At the end of March 2012, the Moscow Mayor's Office banned food labeling as "non-GMO" (8).

In June 2012, the chief sanitary doctor of Russia, the head of Rospotrebnadzor, Gennady Onishchenko, began to actively promote the idea of ​​starting the cultivation of agricultural GM crops in Russia (6). Rospotrebnadzor sent the corresponding proposals to the State Duma (11). According to Onishchenko, “in order to ensure the protection of public health, food and environmental security, it is necessary for Russian scientists to create lines of GMOs adapted for cultivation in Russia, as well as the introduction of GMOs into the agro-industrial sector of Russia” (11). The State Duma is currently discussing the relevant laws (6). It should be noted that these words of Onishchenko contrast sharply with the words of President Medvedev: On July 8, 2008, during the G8 summit, when asked which of the world's cuisines he likes best, Dmitry Medvedev answered: “I like good food. This is our cuisine, which is well prepared. And Japanese food can be delicious, European food can be delicious, the main thing is that it be done with high quality. To have good products, not genetically modified” (12).

In August 2012, Russia joined the WTO, and now, at the request of the United States, if Russia decides to issue a law restricting the use of GMOs in Russia, it is obliged to notify the United States and comment on its decision. In essence, this is a limitation of Russia's sovereignty (2). There is a great danger that now, in connection with Russia's accession to the WTO, the share of imported goods containing GMOs will increase (6).

Attention: Russia has just joined the WTO, and the fields in many regions of Russia have already been sown with GM seeds, despite the fact that it is not yet allowed at the legislative level! (16)

What foods contain GMOs?

How to navigate the food market for an ordinary person who does not want to eat GMO products and feed their loved ones with them?

First of all, it is necessary to announce the list of genetically modified organisms already existing in the world (for 2007), which is frightening in its diversity. The number of these crops is constantly growing, as are the areas under GM crops.

So, the list of crops that have their own GM counterpart in the world: alfalfa, wheat, rapeseed, cassava, cloves, cotton, flax, corn, rice, saffron, soybeans, sugar beet, sorghum, sugar cane, sunflower, barley.

Vegetables that have their GM counterpart: broccoli, zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, onion, peas, peppers, potatoes, spinach, pumpkin, tomato.

Fruits and berries that have a GM analogue: apple, banana, nutmeg, cherry, coconut, grapes, kiwi, mango, melon, papaya, pineapple, plum, raspberry, strawberry, watermelon.

Other agricultural crops that have their own GM counterpart in the world: chicory, cocoa, coffee, garlic, lupine, mustard, oil palm, poppy, olive, peanut, tobacco, eucalyptus.

In addition, today more than 15 fish species, including salmon, carp and tilapia, have their transgenic counterparts (2).

Many Russian food industry enterprises use imported GM raw materials (2). Currently in Russia, 5 GM plant crops are officially allowed for purchase, sale, use in food production and in the production of animal feed (but not for agricultural cultivation): soybeans, potatoes, corn, sugar beets and rice (5). However, this does not mean that other GM ingredients could not enter our market, because. their import into Russia is not controlled in any way, and GMOs entering Russia from abroad are not specially labeled in any way (2). For example, 50% of all papayas grown in Hawaii and Thailand are transgenic (2). In Russian stores, papaya can often be found in bags with a mixture of dried fruits and nuts. It is quite possible that this is um-papaya (2).

It is curious that the approval of these five GM crops (soybean, potato, corn, sugar beet and rice) as safe for humans occurred suspiciously quickly in Russia: the test was carried out by the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences on only one generation of rats, although sound scientific reason required a minimum test for five generations. Re-testing by independent researchers showed that the offspring of rats fed with gm-soy were born with deformities caused by gene mutations, and the third generation of rats could not be obtained at all, in other words, the rats became sterile (2).

Gm-soy has received the widest distribution in Russia. 95% of the world's soybeans today are genetically modified (11). Approximately the same situation with corn (11). Gm-soy is often added to sausages, sausages, sour cream, milk, other dairy products, candy, confectionery, and infant formula (1, 4). It happens that gm-soy is added to bread (4). GM soy is doubly harmful: both because it is genetically modified, and because any soy contains phytoestrogen (a female sex hormone of plant origin), which additionally negatively affects the human reproductive function and brain (1). If we are talking not even about GM soy, but about ordinary soy, then an adult is not recommended to eat more than 30 grams. soy per day (2), and children are advised not to eat it at all. Transgenic soybeans and corn are often added to foods as structurants, sweeteners, colorants, and protein enhancers (11). GM soy in the form of soybean oil is often used in sauces, spreads, cakes, and deep-fried foods (11). It is used to make tofu cheese.

GMOs can often be found in meat products: sausages, frankfurters, sausages, pates, minced meat, canned meat, empanadas, cutlets, dumplings (2). In cheap meat processing products, the content of GMOs can reach 70-90%. It is also possible to find gm-soy in chicken and raw meat, especially frozen ones, because. before freezing and shipping, solutions containing gm-soy are often added to them using syringes, which increase the weight of the product (2). Apparently, all meat supplied to Russia from Argentina contains gm-soy (2).

40% of all meat in Russia comes from abroad, and this is often the meat of livestock that is fattened with GM soy, which means that it also contains GMOs (7).

Often GMOs can also be found in the following products (1, 2, 4, 11):

children food,
chocolate, sweets, cookies, waffles, cakes, confectionery,
carbonated drinks,
ketchup, tomato paste, mayonnaise, sauces,
vegetable oils, corn, popcorn,
bananas, kiwi,
chips, puree fast food, starch, fructose,
yoghurts, glazed curds, milk, sour cream, other dairy products,
crab sticks,
instant soups, breakfast cereals, cereals,
bread, pastries.

GMOs are commonly found in baby food and yogurt as soy milk or soy isolate, in confectionery as soy flour, soy lecithin, in baked goods as cornmeal, in soda as sugar from gm beets and various additives (2).

Genetically modified tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, carrots and eggplants are also on the market (11, 4). As a rule, they are distinguished by the ability to be stored for a long time, an ideal presentation and a strange taste; for example, GM strawberries are not as sweet as natural strawberries (4). GM potatoes, on the contrary, are not able to be stored for a long time and rot after 3-4 months of storage (2). Therefore, it is used in the production of chips and starch, which is added to many products (2).

There are transgenic marrows and marrow caviar (11). Comes across gm-sugar beet and sugar made from it (11). There are also imported GM onions (onions, shallots, leeks) and imported GM rice (11).

Honey may contain gm oilseed rape (11). If the label says “imported honey” or “manufactured by several countries”, then it is better to refuse such honey (11).

Many varieties of dried fruits, including raisins and dates, can be coated with soy oil (11). Opt for dried fruits that don't list vegetable oil (11).

Avoid breakfast cereals (11). They can contain GMOs not only in the form of corn flakes, but also in the form of supplements and vitamins obtained using GMOs (11).

Make sure that the cheese and sour cream that you buy is exactly cheese and sour cream, and not “cheese product” and “sour cream product”.

Who supplies us with GM products?

Names of some companies that supply GM raw materials to their customers in Russia or are producers themselves (2, 11, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 44):

• Monsanto Co, USA;
• «Central Soya Protein Group», Denmark;
• LLC "Biostar Trade", St. Petersburg;
• CJSC "Universal", Nizhny Novgorod;
• Protein Technologies International Moscow, Moscow;
• Agenda LLC, Moscow;
• CJSC "ADM-Food Products", Moscow;
• JSC "Gala", Moscow;
• CJSC Belok, Moscow;
• Dera Food Technology N.V., Moscow;
• Herbalife International of America, USA;
• Oy Finnsoypro Ltd, Finland;
• Salon Sport-Service LLC, Moscow;
• Intersoy, Moscow;
• Kraft Foods (trades under the brands: Halls lollipops, Dirol chewing gum, Stimorol, Jacobs coffee, Carte Noire, Maxwell House, Airy chocolate, Cadbury, Picnic, Milka, Toblerone, Alpen Gold, Estrella chips, Wonderful evening chocolates, Cote d' Or, cookies Bolshevik, Barney);
• PepsiCo (trades under the brands: drinks Pepsi, 7up, Montain Dew, Mirinda, Aqua Minerale, Rodniki Rossii, Adrenaline Rush, Frustyle, Ecotail Greetings, Lay's chips, Cheetos, Xpycteam, Tropicana juices, Lebedyansky, Ya, Tonus, Fruit Garden, Tusa Dzhusa, Dolka, Hello, J7, 100% Gold Premium, Favorite garden, Northern Berry fruit drinks, Miracle Berry, Lipton iced tea, Russian Dar kvass, dairy products House in the village, Cheerful milkman, Wimm-Bill-Dann, Miracle, Frugurt , BioMax, Prevention 120/80, 33 cows, Imunele, Kuban cow, Lamber cheese, Granfor, baby food Agusha, Zdrivery);
• The Coca-Cola Company (trades under the brands: drinks Coca-Cola, Bon Aqua, Fanta, Sprite, Fruittime, Burn, kvass Mug and barrel, Dobry juice, Moya Semya, Botaniq, Rich, Nico);
• Heinz (produces Picador ketchup, as well as Heinz ketchup, mayonnaise, sauces and baby food);
• Mars (confectionery A. Korkunov, M & M "s, Snickers, Mars, Dove, Milky Way, Skittles, Twix, Bounty, Celebrations, Starburst, Rondo, Tunes, Orbit chewing gum, Wrigley, Juicy Fruit);
• Hershey's (makes confectionery);
• Kellogg "s (produces Pringles chips, as well as breakfast cereals, crackers, toast, waffles, cereal products under the brands Kellogg's, Keebler, Cheez-It, Murray, Austin, Famous Amos);
• Unilever (trades under the brands: Lipton tea, Brooke Bond, Beseda, mayonnaise, ketchup and Calve sauces, Baltimore, Hellmann’s, Rama margarine, Pyshka, Delmi, Algida ice cream, Inmarko, Knorr seasoning, Creme Bonjour milk cream);
• Nestle (trades under the brands: Nescafe coffee, Nesquik drink, Nuts chocolate, Shock, KitKat, Russia - Generous Soul, Bon Pari sweets, Maggi seasoning, Bystrov porridge, Nestle, Gerber baby food, as well as ice cream, ready-made breakfasts, etc. under brand Nestle);
• Danone (produces dairy products Danone, Danissimo, Rastishka, Actimel, Activia, baby food NUTRICIA, Nutrilon, Danone, Malyutka, Malyutka);
• CJSC "DI-ECH-VI-S" (fast foods Rollton);
• CJSC "Viciunai" (crab sticks Vici);
• Chupa-Chups LLC (sweets);
• LLC "MLM-Ra" (frozen meat products of the trademarks "MLM", "Privet, obed", "Boyarin Myasoedov", "Weight products");
• JSC "Daria Semi-finished products" (frozen dumplings, dumplings, cutlets, pasties t.m. Daria);
• OJSC Talosto-Products (dumplings Sam Samych, Bogatyrsky, pancakes Masteritsa, cutlets Bogatyrsky, FIN FOOD, Varenushki dumplings, Talosto ice cream);
• MPZ "Kampomos" (sausages);
• ML "Mikoyanovsky" (sausages t.m. Mikoyan);
• JSC "Tsaritsyno" (sausages);
• JSC "Lianozovsky sausage factory" (sausage products of the Lianozovsky, Fomich trademarks);
• Cherkizovsky MPK (sausage products of Cherkizovsky trademarks, Meat Province);
• LLC "Meat-packing plant Klinskiy" (sausages);
• MPZ "Tagansky" (sausages);
• Ostankino MPK (sausages);
• Red October (confectionery);
• Babaevsky (confectionery);
• RotFront (confectionery);
• Similac (baby food);
• Friesland Nutrition (baby food);
• Kolinska (baby food);
• Semper (baby food);
• Valio (baby food).

Tips

The natural question of a Russian citizen is how to protect yourself and your children? Unfortunately, due to the weak state control over the quality of products and the lack of labeling "contains GMOs", it is certainly very difficult to exclude GMOs from the diet today, but some general advice can be given on how to minimize the use of GMOs.

Don't eat fast food, which can almost always contain GMOs and other harmful substances (11).

The fewer stages of industrial processing the product you buy has gone through, the more likely it is non-GMO. Favor whole, unprocessed foods (24). You should not buy cakes, pastries, cookies of industrial production, they often contain GMOs and almost always other harmful substances (11). Try to cook pastries and other products yourself. You can make bread in a bread maker, yogurt in a yogurt maker, juice in a juicer, you can make your own mayonnaise, sauces and more at home (11). It is advisable to bake bread at home without yeast, on sourdough in the oven or bread machine (24). When making bread at home, I recommend using flour from durum wheat (for example, Krasnodar or Altai Territory) (11).

Avoid meat products: sausages, sausages, sausages, etc. (24). An exception, perhaps, are the meat products of the companies Velcom, Dymov, Pelmeni Turakovskie (33, 34, 35, 36, 37). It's best to eat whole herbivore meat, with preference for locally-produced beef or lamb, which is easily distinguished by its brighter meat color and finer fibers (24).

Avoid eating liver (11). It has the ability to accumulate poisons obtained by animals with food (11).

I recommend eating seasonal plant products and better domestic ones: sorrel in the spring, cucumbers and tomatoes in July, apples and watermelons in August-September, then until spring - homemade preparations (home canning) (24). It is better to buy these seasonal products not in supermarkets (where they can be imported), but in the markets and from the villagers. Potatoes, garlic, onions, carrots, and beets are best bought from villagers in autumn (24). Potatoes should not be oval-correct, but embossed, i.e. natural form (24).

If fruits and vegetables in the market are gnawed and wormy by someone, that's good. If worms eat it, then we can too.

Don't buy food out of season. If you buy, for example, strawberries or tomatoes in the winter, the likelihood that they will be genetically modified is very high (11).

Milk should be bought imported from farms (preferably in barrels) (24).

Domestic eggs and chickens are more useful (the difference between a domestic chicken is tough meat, a hard bone that can only be broken with a hammer) (24).

Purchase baby food with extreme caution (11). It is best to prepare baby food at home (23).

In stores, look for products labeled “GMO-free”, “Soy-free”. However, as independent examinations show, such inscriptions are not a guarantee that the product does not contain GMOs (33, 34, 35, 36, 37).

Often, sour cream manufacturers replace animal protein with soy protein in it, but we do not feel this due to flavoring additives (45). To identify a fake, I recommend dissolving a teaspoon of sour cream in a glass of boiling water: the fake will precipitate, while the real one will completely dissolve (45).

GMOs are more commonly found in imported foods than in domestic ones (11). Products from the USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, China, India, Spain and Portugal should be especially wary, as GMO cultivation is widespread there.

GMOs are more likely to be found in foods with a long shelf life than in foods with a short shelf life.

GMOs are more commonly found in cheap foods than in expensive ones (11).

It is best to buy products not in chain supermarkets, but in markets (23).

In addition to markets, look for shops and stalls with names like Organic Foods, Organic Foods, Healthy Eating, Non-GMO Foods, Bio Market, etc. There are still very few such stores, but they are gradually becoming more and more.

Read the composition written on the label (11). It can be used to indirectly determine the probability of GMO content in the product (11). Often gm-soy is hidden behind such names of ingredients as "vegetable protein", "vegetable fat", "vegetable whey", "E322", "lecithin", "soy flour", and gm-corn behind the names "corn flour", "corn oil", "polenta" (11). Under the guise of starch, GM potatoes or GM corn may be contained in the product (11). In bakery products, GM ingredients may be referred to as “flour improver”, “dough impregnation agents”, “ascorbic acid” (11).

Consider other most common components, the transgenic origin of which is very likely:

Riboflafin (B2), otherwise E101 and E101A, can be produced from GM microorganisms. It is often added to cereals, soft drinks, baby food and weight loss products (11).

Caramel (E150) and xanthan (E415) can also be produced from GM grains (11).

Maltodextrin (other names are molasses, dextrinmaltose, E459) is a type of starch used as a stabilizer in baby food, powdered soups and powdered desserts, cookies and biscuits (11).

Glucose, or glucose syrup, is a sweetener often made from cornstarch (11). Found in drinks, desserts, and fast foods (11).

Dextrose is also a sweetener, often made from cornstarch (11). Found in cakes, chips and cookies to achieve brown color (11). Also used as a sweetener in sports drinks (11).

Aspartame (aka aspasvit, aspamix, E951) is a sweetener that is often produced using a GM bacterium (11). Has a lot of complaints from consumers in the US (11). Aspartame is found in sodas, gum, ketchup, and more (11).

Monosodium glutamate (E621), a very common flavor enhancer (11).

Other additives that may contain GM components:

E153 Vegetable charcoal,
E160d Lycopene,
E161c Cryptoxanthin,
E308 Synthetic gamma-tocopherol,
E309 Synthetic delta-tocopherol,
E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids,
E472a Esters of mono- and diglycerides of acetic fatty acids,
E473 Esters of sucrose and fatty acids,
E475 Esters of polyglycerides and fatty acids,
E476b,
E477 Propylene glycol fatty acid esters,
E479a Oxidized soybean oil,
E570 Fatty acids,
E572 Magnesium (calcium) stearate,
E573,
E620 Glutamic acid,
E622 Monosubstituted potassium glutamate,
E633 Calcium inosinate,
E624 Ammonium glutamate monosubstituted,
E625 Magnesium glutamate (11).

All products can be made either according to GOST (state standard) or according to TU (technical specifications). These letters are indicated on the product label. As a rule, products according to GOST are of higher quality in comparison with products according to TU. The absence of GMOs in the product is also more likely when it comes to products produced in accordance with GOST. Today, the legal situation in our country has developed in such a way that if the manufacturer incorrectly indicated the composition on the product, then it is impossible to hold him liable if the product is made according to TU, and there is little possibility of holding him liable if the product is made according to GOST.

With prolonged heat treatment of a product containing GMOs, its harm to humans is reduced, since foreign genes are partially destroyed (11).

Eat little, don't overeat (1). Eat either strictly on time, or when you are really hungry, then the most complete destruction of the food that comes to you occurs (1).

Listen to your body (1). If he does not perceive some product, discard it (1).
Try to grow food yourself in your summer cottages (23).

Track information about GMOs, fight for a ban on the use of GMOs, demand the introduction of mandatory labeling on products indicating the content of GMOs so that you have a choice!

Spread the knowledge about the dangers of GMOs among friends and acquaintances! The problem is that most people just don't know how bad GMOs are for them. Let them read this article, recommend watching a film by Galina Tsareva and reading a book by William Engdahl "Seeds of Destruction. The secret background of genetic manipulation ". Do not decide for people that they may not be interested. Do not be afraid that you will be misunderstood, you should not be afraid of this, but of the real consequences of the massive introduction of GMOs on the planet! No one will tell people the truth about GMOs for us. A person who understands how monstrously GMO destroys his body and all life on the planet will be more selective about the choice of food.

Today's Russian consumer, if he wants to survive, must face the fact that there is no longer a government that will take care of him so that only healthy food enters the market, and now he himself must arm himself with knowledge and be more selective about the choice of food.

To maintain health undermined by GMOs and other food poisons I recommend to use mushroom extracts Bio Resurse (eleven). Bio Resurse extracts remove GMOs and many poisons from the body! These extracts are a brilliant invention of an outstanding Russian scientist Nikolai Viktorovich Levashov . Thanks to the generator he developed, which is constantly turned on when growing mushrooms, Bio Resurse extracts have a strong ability to cleanse the body of various harmful substances, both chemically active (toxins, toxins, dead cells, any toxic substances, etc.), and biologically active (viruses, pathogenic bacteria and bacteriophages, foreign genes and plasmids, etc.). In addition, these extracts enhance human immunity and help get rid of various health problems.

You can track information about GMOs on the following resources:

www.gmo-net.info
www.rodvzv.ru
www.oagb.ru
www.irina-ermakova.ru
www.vk.com/antigmo
www.foodcontrol.ru

Part 2. Harmful chemistry on our table

Look for the cause of your illness at the bottom of your plate, or how they kill us - 2:

In addition to GMOs, they continue to poison us with various other poisons, some of which are discussed below.

Do Coca-Cola and Pepsi contain carcinogens that cause cancer?

The California government's decision in March 2012 to list 4-methylimidazole, which is used in caramel coloring for Coca-Cola and Pepsi drinks, as a carcinogen, prompted companies to reformulate these sodas (25). Otherwise, bottle labels will warn about the risk of cancer when drinking such drinks, reports the Associated Press (25). In one long-term, large-scale medical study, scientists were able to link 4-methylimidazole with the occurrence of cancer in mice and rats (25). Coca-Cola and PepsiCo said the new recipe will be used throughout the US (25). It turns out that Russian consumers will continue to drink Coca-Cola and Pepsi, made according to old recipes?

Why are we being made into cannibals?

In March 2012, US media reported that the US Federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had effectively authorized PepsiCo to launch a new flavor-enhancing soda based on human embryonic abortion cells (26). The food giant will be allowed to enter into a contract with Senomyx, which uses dead embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293 – Human Embryonic Kedney) to develop flavor enhancers (26). The purported introduction of a fetal cell-based flavor enhancer product to store shelves has drawn sharp criticism from ordinary Americans and, in particular, religious communities in the United States (26).

Hyperactivity syndrome in children is caused by dyes and preservatives

British scientists from the University of Southampton proved in 2007 that food coloring and preservatives can cause hyperactivity disorder in children (27, 28, 29). The hyperactivity syndrome is characterized by the inability of the child to concentrate, uncontrollability, unreasonable attacks of aggression (27, 28, 29). The syndrome adversely affects the mental development of the child (27, 28, 29).

The following additives were studied at the University of Southampton:

dye E102 (tartrazine),
dye E104 (quinoline yellow),
dye E110 (sunset yellow),
dye E122 (azorubine, carmoisine),
dye E124 (ponso 4R, crimson 4R),
dye E129 (charming red, allura red),
preservative E211 (sodium benzoate) (27, 28, 29).

These additives are often found in the following foods: carbonated and non-carbonated drinks, candy, confectionery, ice cream, fruit preserves, puddings, desserts, chips, snacks, milkshakes, children's cheeses, children's breakfasts, and a variety of fast foods (27, 28, 29 , fifty).

A sad example of the use of these products are American schoolchildren. They often eat similar foods at school and at fast food outlets. About 50% of all American schoolchildren are obese, most schoolchildren suffer from impaired concentration, and in the morning the school nurse, as a rule, distributes special pills to children so that they can concentrate and listen to the teacher. And it has become the norm. Many children also receive antidepressants from the school psychologist (50).

Psychologists say that parents take their children to the fast food system for one simple reason - they are just too lazy to take care of their children, it is much easier for them to take the child to some place where they can celebrate a birthday or sit on a day off than cook food themselves (fifty).

Carcinogen acrylamide in snacks(47)

Chips, crackers and french fries contain a large amount of carcinogens produced in the process of frying in vegetable oil. They also contain the dangerous carcinogen acrylamide, a substance that, according to oncologists, causes genetic mutations and the formation of tumors in the abdominal cavity.

Especially a lot of carcinogens are formed due to prolonged frying or the repeated use of the same vegetable oil in the frying process.

These carcinogens are formed, albeit in smaller quantities, and during home frying. That is why doctors recommend boiling meat and steaming vegetables, so that useful substances are better preserved, and carcinogens are not formed.

About the microwave and steamer(56, 57)

Academician N.V. Levashov claims that the microwave radiation that occurs during the operation of a microwave has a destructive effect on vitamins and other beneficial substances contained in foods. In addition, microwave radiation extends beyond the microwave, and also negatively affects the brains of people nearby. In order to neutralize the microwave radiation coming from the microwave, it is necessary that its walls be made of lead 10-20 cm thick. In this regard, N.V. Levashov advises to completely abandon the use of microwaves.

In 1976, microwave ovens were banned in the USSR due to their harmful effects on human health, since many studies were carried out on them. The ban was lifted in the early 1990s. after the collapse of the USSR.

Unlike microwaves, a steamer has many advantages. In a modern kitchen, it, in fact, performs the function of a Russian stove. Steamed dishes, unlike those that are boiled, fried and stewed, retain a maximum of vitamins and nutrients and do not acquire extra calories. During normal cooking, about 80% of all vitamins are destroyed in vegetables, and only about 15% in a double boiler. Due to the careful preservation of all vitamins and other useful substances, food in a double boiler turns out to be much tastier. Fish and vegetables are especially delicious in a double boiler.

On a double boiler, you can not only cook food, but also warm it up, defrost it. Hot steam can be used to sterilize baby bottles and canning lids. Important advantages are the cheapness of double boilers (about 2000 rubles in 2012) and their ease of use.

trans fats(47)

Trans fats are man-made isomers of fatty acids. Trans fats are obtained by passing hydrogen through vegetable fat. From the obtained hardened vegetable trans fats, for example, mayonnaise is made. Trans fats tend not to spoil, and the products that are made from them do not deteriorate with them. Trans fats are found in chips, crackers, pastries, cakes. Trans fats cause obesity, heart disease and cancer.

Monosodium glutamate (47, 48, 49)

Monosodium glutamate (E621) is an extremely dangerous food additive, a common flavor enhancer found in seasonings, sauces, fast food, canned food, frozen convenience foods, chips, crackers, sausage, McDonald's products and many other products. Monosodium glutamate tends to accumulate in the body and cause asthma attacks, Alzheimer's disease, and depression. Monosodium glutamate negatively affects the child's brain, causing hyperactivity syndrome.

methanol in soda (47, 50, 52)

The artificial sweetener aspartame (E951) is very often added to carbonated drinks, ketchup, kvass, juice, yogurt, sweets, chewing gum and ice cream. Doctors say it is high time to ban it, especially in the production of products for children. They also warn that aspartame, even in small doses, harms the developing embryo. The reason for the danger of aspartame is that if the product containing it is heated to 30 gr. Celsius, then aspartame in it decomposes into phenylalanine and methanol. Phenylalanine is not a dangerous amino acid, but methanol is a toxic substance. Frequent consumption of foods containing aspartame can cause depression, anger, and tumors, including lymphomas and cancer.

On the packaging of some products they write: “contains phenylalanine, the product is contraindicated in those suffering from phenylketonuria”; remember products with this inscription, they contain aspartame.

Some other soda facts:

• Indian farmers use ordinary carbonated drinks to spray plants from an airplane - it works like pesticides!
• If you put chicken liver in a glass of Coca-Cola, it will completely dissolve in 12 hours. You can imagine what a blow is inflicted on a child's stomach when drinking Coca-Cola.

Carcinogen nitrosamine in sausage(50)

In sausages, the main harmful substances are nitrates, which are added to preserve the presentation. Nitrates, entering the stomach, combine with amines, which are contained in meat, and form nitrosamines in the stomach. Nitrosamine is the most dangerous carcinogen that can provoke the appearance of a malignant tumor.

Milk in aseptic packaging(50)

Why can factory milk be stored for 12 months at room temperature? It's all about preservatives and aseptic packaging. An aseptic package is a package impregnated with either an antibiotic or a strong disinfectant, but milk, being in this package, will naturally acquire the properties of these substances, because no one canceled the solubility of poisons! Therefore, all aseptic packaging is hazardous to health.

Processing dried fruits with liquid haze(45, 50, 51)

If the dried apricots on the counter have a perfect even appearance, then this indicates that it was dried using liquid haze - carcinogenic chemical compounds that are used to process dried fruits in a high-voltage electrostatic field, this is done to speed up the drying process. If dried apricots dry naturally in the sun, then it will have a very unpresentable appearance, but it will retain all amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins.

Formaldehyde in salted herring (50)

In light-salted herring, so that it does not deteriorate, they add camping fuel, also called urotropin, which in itself is not deadly for humans, but it does not preserve herring for a long time. In this regard, the manufacturer often adds vinegar to the product, due to which the shelf life of lightly salted herring increases and a side effect appears - the synthesis of urotropine and vinegar gives rise to formaldehyde, a deadly carcinogen. In order not to get poisoned, herring lovers are advised to buy heavily salted fish and soak it in water.

Jar of Condensed Bacteria (54)

At the majority of Russian enterprises for the production of condensed milk, production technologies and sanitary conditions are far from ideal today. Do not be surprised if after eating condensed milk you feel unwell or poisoned.

In March 2007, the National Association for Genetic Safety (NAGB) conducted another inspection as part of public monitoring of the Russian food market. During the audit, condensed milk from the Seventh Continent, Perekrestok retail chains and convenience stores was examined.

The purchased product samples were transferred for research to the laboratory of ANO "Soyuzexpertiza" and to the Research Laboratory Center "Prodex".

Checking 12 samples of condensed milk showed that only 4 (!) of them met the quality requirements.

Of the non-conforming products, 5 contained bacteria that are dangerous to health and cause fatal diseases: Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that causes botulism (1 sample) and E. coli bacteria.

"The poison of the microbe that causes botulism is considered one of the strongest in the world", - commented on the situation, the president of the OAGB, Alexander Baranov. - “No less alarming is the presence in food of bacteria of the Escherichia coli group (E. coli), which lead to malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract. In young children, infection with this germ is often fatal.".

In 40% of the studied samples, a discrepancy between the products and the dairy class was also revealed. The analysis revealed their combined composition with the replacement of milk fat with vegetable fats, which is a gross violation of the law "On the Protection of Consumer Rights", since this information is not on the label.

Samples of condensed milk that did not meet quality requirements and are hazardous to health:

• Condensed milk "Glavprodukt" produced by CJSC "Verkhovsky Milk Canning Plant". Result: the causative agent of botulism was identified and the presence of bacteria of the Escherichia coli group was detected.
• Condensed milk "On fructose" produced by CJSC "Protein". Result: the presence of bacteria of the Escherichia coli group was detected.
• Condensed milk "Vologda Summer" produced by JSC "Sukhon Dairy Plant". Result: an increased number of mesophilic microorganisms was found.
• Condensed milk "House in the village" produced by OJSC "Glubokoe Milk Canning Plant". Result: an increased number of mesophilic microorganisms was found.
• Condensed milk "Merry Milkman" produced by OJSC "Anninskoye Moloko". Result: the presence of bacteria of the Escherichia coli group was detected.
• Condensed milk "Perekryostok" produced by CJSC "Alekseevsky Milk Canning Plant". Result: spore-forming, thermophilic microorganisms and mold were found.
• Condensed milk "Dairy Country" produced by LLC "Concord". Result: spore-forming, thermophilic microorganisms and mold were found.
• Condensed milk produced by OAO Belgorod Dairy Products. Result: spore-forming, thermophilic microorganisms and mold were found.

Samples of condensed milk that met the quality requirements:

• Condensed milk "Alekseevskoye" produced by CJSC "Alekseevsky Milk Canning Plant".
• Condensed milk "Rogachev" produced by Rogachev MKK.
• Condensed milk "Shepherd" produced by LLC "Venevsky Canning and Dairy Plant".
• Condensed milk "Ostankinskoe" produced by OJSC "Ostankino Dairy Plant".

In conclusion, I would like to recommend that lovers of condensed milk cook it for 2.5 hours before opening the can. The result is additional heat treatment and delicious boiled condensed milk, unlike boiled condensed milk with vegetable additives sold in stores.

Chocolate

Few people know that the recommended dose of chocolate for children by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences is no more than 4 grams. in a day. And we are talking about natural chocolate. In the event that chocolate contains genetically modified additives - soy lecithin or soy flour, it is better to refuse it altogether.

Beware the salt!(45, 53)

Tireless enemies, poisoning almost all our food, got to the salt. Yes, ordinary salt has now also been turned into a serious poison. Therefore, we need to be doubly careful when choosing products in stores, including carefully reading labels.

“Salt is white death” – this phrase has been scaring us since childhood, all and sundry – both ignorant doctors and no less ignorant gurus from a “healthy” lifestyle, who claim the unconditional benefits of a salt-free diet.

But this diet can seriously harm your health. The fact is that as soon as salt ceases to enter the body in the required amount, then a failure occurs in the so-called. potassium sodium pump. This is a special mechanism of cellular metabolism, in which the cell absorbs potassium and releases sodium, and which protects blood vessels from constriction and spasms. In other words, salty food in the optimal amount helps prevent thrombosis, that is, salt reduces the risk of developing a heart attack. However, this applies to normal salt. I foresee the question: “What, is there an abnormal one?” Alas, there is.

Recently in Russia, anti-caking agent E535 / 536 began to be added to salt. Dishes cooked with this salt have a subtle bitter taste. In a product of the widest application, which people have used for centuries without any "improvements" and "decorations", naturally Poisons added! See for yourself.

E535- sodium ferrocyanide. Anti-caking agent, brightener. Yellow crystals or crystalline powder. It is obtained from the waste mass after gas purification at gas plants by chemical synthesis. As the name suggests, the substance contains cyanide compounds. Salt with the addition of E535 is DANGEROUS TO LIFE, because. such salt begins to slow down the movement of blood in the body. The action of this salt is very slow and destructive. It can take many months before the waterslicker realizes that something is wrong with him. One of the early signs may be a feeling of coldness in the fingers. This salt is widely distributed. Even sometimes there is no mark on the package with salt about the content of the E535 additive in it. Usually such salt is slightly darker and whiter than regular salt. And it tastes worse.

E536- potassium ferrocyanide. Potassium cyanide derivative or otherwise potassium cyanide, a known instant poison. Potassium ferrocyanide is registered as food additive E536, which prevents caking and clumping of products. Toxic. Its production produces additional cyanides, including hydrocyanic acid(depending on the method of obtaining E536).

More and more new methods are being sought for adding poisons to all normal products, and new, artificial ones are being invented, which, at a minimum, do not bring any benefit, and in most cases harm.

Yeast(55)

According to academician A.M. Savelov-Deryabin, for the first time baker's yeast was created in Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union adopted this technology from defeated Germany in 1945. Before that, bread in Russia was always made with sourdough, not yeast. This was done, obviously, with the best of intentions - after all, there is more bread with yeast, it became possible to cope with hunger. How correct was this decision? Academician Savelov-Deryabin claims that in mold fungi (and these include baker's yeast, and yeast added to kefir, kvass and beer) the most favorable environment for a cancer cell is created, it has been noticed that in such an environment a cancer cell multiplies by 2-2 .5 times faster than usual, and viruses and microbes are thousands of times faster. In addition, mold fungi enhance the process of fermentation and the accumulation of alcohols, i.e. mold fungi are the most pathogenic environment for the human body.

More and more people in Russia are learning about the dangers of yeast bread, and now many stores and bread stalls are already selling yeast-free bread. In addition, many themselves began to bake sourdough bread at home in the oven or bread machine.

Vegetarian children (58, 59, 61)

Vegetarian adults often make their children vegetarian from birth, making the choice for them. Studies of thousands of children from vegetarian families have shown that if a child does not receive animal protein, then there is a high probability of a delay in his mental and physical development, including a children's vegetarian diet can cause rickets and degeneration. Especially important in the diet of children are meat and butter.

Probably, adults can organize for themselves a full-fledged safe vegetarian diet, but it is obviously impossible to do this for children.

Part 3. A new threat to life - the poison bromide

Look for the cause of your illness at the bottom of your plate, or how they kill us - 3:

The enemies of Russia are constantly trying to expand the range of hidden weapons for the genocide of our people. And a new terrible threat - bromide poison. Below I want to quote in full the article by Eva Merkacheva “Poison is the head of everything”, published in Moskovsky Komsomolets No. 26023 of August 24, 2012:

“Grain and flour in Russia may begin to be treated with a toxic gas that causes mutations.

The poisonous gas bromide, which killed many agricultural workers during the Soviet era, has returned to modern Russia. Now, to the dismay of experts, they are again officially allowed to process grain, flour and cereals: it is included in the state catalog of pesticides. The scientists who once developed methyl bromide and won its use outlawed consider it a triple-action weapon. First, the gas can accumulate in the grain, and the bread becomes not just poisonous, but "food" for mutations. Secondly, it destroys the ozone layer, which is why it was banned for use worldwide by the Montreal Protocol. Thirdly, he kills those who work with him. Who needed to let the genie out of the bottle - in the investigation of the MK special correspondent.

Methyl bromide, or metabromine (as it is called when used as a pesticide), is a volatile gas, a pesticide of the first hazard class. Scientists unanimously say: a terrible thing. But once, in the Soviet years, they made big bets on it as a pesticide that kills pests in grain, flour, cereals and animal feed.

I participated in the "birth" of methyl bromide in our country, - says the head of the laboratory of the All-Russian Research Institute of Grain, Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences Gennady Zakladnoy. – We have developed several technologies for fumigation (destruction of pests) with this poison. He bribed with the fact that he was cheap and killed all kinds of insects. But since the early 90s, as soon as alternatives to methyl bromide appeared, I personally and my colleagues opposed it. We did this for one simple reason - many people died because of its use. I myself, as an expert, took part in the investigation of deaths at mills, bakeries and warehouses. Here, for example, carried out fumigation at the mill. The time has passed, during which the gas should have completely disappeared, the instruments showed that the air is normal. But methyl bromide ended up in the drawers of the desk. The mill worker came in the morning, began to rummage through it and died on the spot. There was a case in Moscow in the 80s, in the capital's fumigation detachment. The employee was carrying a cylinder that was leaking fractions of milligrams of gas because the valve was not completely turned on. At the Sklifosovsky Research Institute, where he was taken the next day, the man was given antidotes, but it was too late. Or here is the most ridiculous case in the 90s in Sokolniki. They fumigated the warehouse with methyl bromide, and a couple of guys climbed over the fence - they wanted to steal two bags of flour. It was Sunday, they knew that no one was there. So they remained lying there... I still remember how we buried in Cherepovets an acquaintance of a worker of a bakery who died unexpectedly. He was only 42 years old. I asked for a blood test for methyl bromide, and my suspicions were confirmed: the poison was many times higher than normal.

Worst of all, even a gas mask cannot guarantee absolute protection. There were cases of fatal poisoning when ... one hair from the head got under the locking petal of a gas mask! This tiny gap was enough for a person to die in terrible agony.

Insidious killer

The problem is that methyl bromide is colorless and odorless. Suspecting its leak is virtually unrealistic. The only way to determine its presence in the air is indicator halide burners. But they begin to slightly change the color of the flame only at a bromide concentration of more than 50 mg / m3 in a cube, and the maximum allowable rate is 1. That is, if the burner showed, then it's time to run after white slippers, since intoxication has already occurred. Scientists understood that the real number of deaths from gas could not even be calculated. There are no obvious signs of poisoning. And who would think of checking the level of some kind of bromomethyl in the blood of every dead person?

In fact, much worse is the fact that methyl bromide is the only fumigant that enters sorption with grain elements and remains in it. Even in the Soviet years, the permissible residual amount of gas was approved. But the problem is that it is very difficult to control it. Scientific studies were carried out at the Research Institute, which showed that even if fumigation is carried out in one mode (the amount of gas and the exposure time are standard), then in some case there may be an excess of metabromine in the grain.

Meanwhile, getting into the body with bread, cereals, the poison will slowly accumulate in it. And experiments on rats have shown that exceeding the minimum dose can lead to serious disturbances in brain activity, kidney function, and even mutations.

What's the point of taking that risk when there are so many safe pesticides out there? - exclaims Mortgage. - A dozen of them, for example, are based on phosphine gas only. This is also a highly poisonous gas, but, firstly, it does not enter into chemical sorption with grain at all, and secondly, even with the slightest leak, you can immediately smell it (it emits a nasty smell of rotten fish that pierces even through a gas mask) and escape . So everyone breathed a sigh of relief when bromide stopped being used.

Wait, don't ruin

In 2006, merchants tried to include methyl bromide in the State Catalog of Pesticides and Agrochemicals Allowed for Use on the Territory of the Russian Federation. Then the All-Russian Research Institute of Grain and the Federal Scientific Center for Hygiene. F. Erisman. I quote the conclusion signed by four leading experts: "... we do not consider it possible to register the drug metabrom as a fumigant for the treatment of cereal grains, legume seeds, cereals, mixed fodder ..." Experts even required to conduct studies to register it as a soil fumigant in greenhouses (to indicate whether methyl bromide could then be found in lettuce, eggplant, peppers, parsley, dill and celery grown on such land).

And now, after 5 years, they managed to legalize gas under the trade name "metabrom". It was included in the list of pesticides for 2012. This time, it was not some commercial firm that did it, but the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Federal Republican Fumigation Detachment”. I note that it is subordinate to the Rosselkhoznadzor and its main task is to protect our country from the penetration of quarantine objects into it. But in addition to, so to speak, the main work, the detachment is also engaged in “side work”. Namely, it processes grain and flour from simple (non-quarantine) pests for money. And what is interesting, since it was he who registered the metabrom, now he has a monopoly on its use throughout the country.

By the way, elevators and flour mills are obligated to conclude a contract for decontamination with the fumigation unit (as a state office), and not with someone else. On this occasion, the FAS was “excited”, there were several courts. The Supreme Court sided with the enterprises. In his ruling dated May 28, 2012, he confirmed: the paragraph of the Procedure for organizing work on disinfection by the gassing method, which stipulates that enterprises subordinate to Rosselkhoz should do this, has become invalid.

But back to metabrom. What does fumigation with this substance look like? Imagine an ordinary warehouse filled with about 3,000 tons of grain. Gas is brought in cylinders (it is in a liquid state under pressure), the valve is opened, and it evaporates. At the same time, the warehouse must be perfectly sealed, and the workers must not only wear gas masks, but also in protective suits, since methyl bromide enters the body, including through the skin.

But in the Soviet years, at least there were people who knew how to work with gas, - experts of the All-Russian Center for Plant Quarantine say. “Now many of them are either dead or retired. We need the latest instruments that would show the concentration of the drug in the air, training courses, etc.

There is none of this,” says Vasily Yatlenko, a member of the expert council of the Mir Security magazine. – In the meantime, there is information that the Republican Fumigation Squad wants to register the metabrom for 2013 as well. According to our data, the drug began to be actively used in various areas of agriculture. While it should be in Russia not only for grain processing, but generally banned!

The fact is that Russia signed the Montreal Protocol, designed to protect the Earth's ozone layer. And in accordance with the protocol, all countries had to come to zero production and use of methyl bromide back in 2010, because it is the strongest ozone destroyer. The protocol makes exceptions only for quarantine treatments. And there is a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, which states that all substances that destroy the ozone layer can be imported and exported from the country only in cases provided for by the exception of the Montreal Protocol. Of course, the usual processing of grain does not fit in there at all.

"Gas will still serve ..."

Therefore, it is surprising where the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Federal Republican Fumigation Detachment" takes metabrom, which is banned by the world community. To produce it stopped, according to scientists, all countries except Israel. But even from there, judging by the documents, he did not enter Russia. Here is what they answered at the Belgorod customs office, through which, in theory, he should have gone: “The export and import of ozone-depleting substances to the states that are parties to the Montreal Protocol is carried out on the basis of a license issued by the authorized body of the state. For the period from 2011 to the present, customs declaration of methyl bromide has not been carried out.”

Meanwhile, on the Internet they offer wholesale metabrom in batches of at least 5 tons. But from where? Stocks from Soviet times? Smuggling? Dealing with this is the direct responsibility of the investigating authorities.

By the way, in the Astrakhan region, the metabrom scandal erupted at the end of last year. True, it was not about grain, but about wood.

Enterprises could not supply timber to Iran because they were not given permission, the Astrakhan Chamber of Commerce and Industry says. – Before sending it must be processed. So the Republican Fumigation Squad, which carries out disinfection, does it exclusively with methyl bromide. We are categorically against it. Such fumigation is extremely dangerous for humans and the environment, and requires special conditions. And our berths are all located in the residential area. Yes, and this is a direct violation of international norms that prohibit the use of this poison.

Every month, 60-70 thousand cubic meters of wood were sent from Astrakhan, and fumigation of one costs 100 rubles. That is 6-7 million rubles of net profit. There is something to fight for. In general, fumigation, according to some reports, earns in Russia several tens of millions of dollars a year.

The Fumigation Squad thinks the scientists who just made a fuss are almost crazy. They assure that the poison is not so dangerous and that there is no need to worry at all. Rosselkhoznadzor is on the side of its “wards”. Officials say this to experts - do not discredit, they say, gas, it will still serve ... Whom exactly? Scientists are sure that if it is used everywhere (which officials insist on), it will lead to disaster. And if he falls into the hands of criminals, and he will get rid of unnecessary people with his help? It's almost the perfect murder weapon. He sprayed a small can on the street and the quarter died out... It is no coincidence that the extremists became so interested in gas.

Why did the gas banned by the Montreal Protocol begin to be used for grain processing?
How and where does poisonous gas come from to Russia?
How can producers ensure that a poison that causes mutations does not remain in the grain, if even scientists are not sure of this?
Will they write on the packages of bread that it is baked from raw materials treated with methyl bromide?

By the way, in 2010, a former employee of the Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for monitoring the use of hazardous pesticides, was arrested in Israel. The official authorized the illegal sale of tens of tons of methyl bromide. Part of the poisonous gas was later found in farm warehouses. A few years earlier, criminals stole 6 tons of methyl bromide from a warehouse in southern Israel. According to investigators, Palestinian extremists were most likely involved in the theft, who could have conceived a major terrorist attack using this poisonous gas. Given the harmful effects that it has on the ozone layer, the production and use of methyl bromide is prohibited in many countries, so the version of the theft of the substance for commercial purposes - selling it abroad is not excluded.(60)

Sources:

1. Doctor of Biological Sciences Ermakova I.V., interview doc. film "Transgenization is a genetic bomb"(dir. Galina Tsareva, 2007).

2. D / f "Transgenization is a genetic bomb", dir. Galina Tsareva, 2007 The film was made with the help of Greenpeace Russia and the CIS Alliance for Biosafety.

3. Doctor of Biological Sciences Ermakova I.V. "GMO - Weapon or Mistake?", magazine "Peace and Security" No. 4, 2009.

4. Doctor of Medical Sciences, head. department of allergology of the Institute. Mechnikova Gervazieva V.B., interview doc. to the film"FAS supported the decision of the capital's mayor's office to abolish the label "Won't contain GMOs"

29. Candidate of Medical Sciences Alexander Telegin "Food coloring makes kids crazy", portal of the publishing house "World of News".

30. Speech by Doctor of Biological Sciences Ermakova I.V. at the Fifth meeting of the Permanent Conference of the National Patriotic Forces of Russia on September 25, 2012.

31. Interview with Academician N.V. Levashov newspaper "President", articles "Anti-Russian Anticyclone" and "Anti-Russian anticyclone 2", 2010

32. Film "Poison from the Elite: Biological Weapons", dir. Galina Tsareva, 2010 The results of the study of meat products

conducted by the National Association for Genetic Safety in November-December 2005.

38. Findings from the Baby Food Study conducted by the National Association for Genetic Security in May 2004.

39. Video meeting of the State Duma deputy from United Russia Yevgeny Fedorov with the activists of the KPE party 08.10.2012.

41. open statement Chairman of the Russian Charitable Society Alexander Goncharov, 10/22/2010.

42. Reporting of the First Channel of Russian TV, aired on 10/31/2011.

43. Official website of the CIS Alliance for Biosafety, article “If we join the WTO, we will eat GMOs!”, political scientist A. Zhdanovskaya.

44. NaturalNews.com, article "It"s not the bugs in Similac that make me sick - let"s recall the other ingredients (opinion)", Mike Adams, 09/27/2010.

45. Russian News Agency, article "Be careful, salt!" “Professor V.G. Zhdanov visiting Academician A.M. Savyolova-Deryabin» .

56. Academician N.V. Levashov at a meeting with readers, video answering the question about the dangers of microwaves.

57. Portal Your Figure, article "Steamer: Health Benefits", Elena Nechaenko, 09/13/2011.

58. Academician N.V. Levashov at a meeting with readers, video answering the question about proper nutrition and vegetarianism.

59. Medical scientific and practical journal "Attending Doctor", article "Vegetarianism in children: pediatric and neurological aspects", V.M. Studenikin, S.Sh. Tursunkhuzhaeva, T.E. Borovik, N.G. Zvonkova, V.I. Shelkovsky, 06/29/2012.

60. Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper No. 26023 of August 24, 2012, article "Poison is the head", Eva Merkacheva.

61. Portal Membrana, "Nutriticians demand that children eat meat" , 22.02.2005.

Definition of GMOs

Goals of creating GMOs

Methods for creating GMOs

Application of GMOs

GMOs - arguments for and against

GMO laboratory research

Consequences of eating GM foods for human health

GMO Safety Research

How is the production and sale of GMOs regulated in the world?

Conclusion

List of used literature

Definition of GMOs

genetically modified organisms are organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that is impossible in nature. GMOs can contain DNA fragments from any other living organisms.

The purpose of obtaining genetically modified organisms– improving the useful characteristics of the original donor organism (resistance to pests, frost resistance, yield, calorie content, etc.) to reduce the cost of products. As a result, there are now potatoes that contain the genes of an earthen bacterium that kills the Colorado potato beetle, drought-resistant wheat that has been implanted with the scorpion gene, tomatoes that have genes for sea flounder, soybeans and strawberries that have genes for bacteria.

Transgenic (genetically modified) can be called those types of plants in which the gene (or genes) transplanted from other plant or animal species successfully functions. This is done in order for the recipient plant to acquire new properties that are convenient for humans, increased resistance to viruses, herbicides, pests and plant diseases. Foods derived from these genetically engineered crops may taste better, look better, and last longer.

Also often such plants give a richer and more stable harvest than their natural counterparts.

genetically modified product- this is when a gene isolated in the laboratory of one organism is transplanted into the cell of another. Here are examples from American practice: to make tomatoes and strawberries more frost-resistant, they are "implanted" with the genes of northern fish; to keep corn from being eaten by pests, it can be "grafted" with a very active gene derived from snake venom.

By the way, do not confuse the terms " modified" and "genetically modified". For example, modified starch, which is part of most yogurts, ketchups and mayonnaises, has nothing to do with GMO products. Modified starches are starches that man has modified for his needs. This can be done either physically (exposure to temperature, pressure, humidity, radiation) or chemically. In the second case, chemicals are used that are approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation as food additives.

Goals of creating GMOs

The development of GMOs is considered by some scientists as a natural development of animal and plant breeding. Others, on the contrary, consider genetic engineering a complete departure from classical breeding, since GMOs are not a product of artificial selection, that is, the gradual breeding of a new variety (breed) of organisms through natural reproduction, but in fact a new species artificially synthesized in the laboratory.

In many cases, the use of transgenic plants greatly increases yields. It is believed that with the current size of the world's population, only GMOs can save the world from the threat of hunger, since with the help of genetic modification it is possible to increase the yield and quality of food.

Opponents of this opinion believe that with the current level of agricultural technology and mechanization of agricultural production, plant varieties and animal breeds already existing, obtained in the classical way, are able to fully provide the planet's population with high-quality food (the problem of a possible world famine is caused solely by socio-political reasons, and therefore can be solved not by geneticists, but by the political elites of states.

Types of GMOs

The origins of plant genetic engineering lie in the 1977 discovery that allowed the soil microorganism Agrobacterium tumefaciens to be used as a tool to introduce potentially useful foreign genes into other plants.

The first field trials of genetically modified agricultural plants, which resulted in the development of a tomato resistant to viral diseases, were carried out in 1987.

In 1992, China began growing tobacco that was "not afraid" of harmful insects. In 1993, genetically modified products were allowed on the shelves of the world's stores. But the beginning of the mass production of modified products was laid in 1994, when tomatoes appeared in the United States that did not deteriorate during transportation.

To date, GMO products occupy more than 80 million hectares of agricultural land and are grown in more than 20 countries around the world.

GMOs include three groups of organisms:

genetically modified microorganisms (GMM);

genetically modified animals (GMF);

genetically modified plants (GMPs) are the most common group.

Today, there are several dozen lines of GM crops in the world: soybeans, potatoes, corn, sugar beet, rice, tomatoes, rapeseed, wheat, melon, chicory, papaya, squash, cotton, flax and alfalfa. Massively grown GM soybeans, which in the United States has already replaced conventional soybeans, corn, rapeseed and cotton. Plantings of transgenic plants are constantly increasing. In 1996, 1.7 million hectares were sown with transgenic plant varieties in the world, in 2002 this figure reached 52.6 million hectares (of which 35.7 million there were already 91.2 million hectares of crops, in 2006 - 102 million hectares.

In 2006, GM crops were grown in 22 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Spain, and the USA. The main world producers of products containing GMOs are the USA (68%), Argentina (11.8%), Canada (6%), China (3%). More than 30% of all soybeans grown in the world, more than 16% of cotton, 11% of canola (an oil plant) and 7% of corn are produced using the achievements of genetic engineering.

On the territory of the Russian Federation there is not a single hectare that would be sown with transgenes.

Methods for creating GMOs

The main stages of the creation of GMOs:

1. Obtaining an isolated gene.

2. Introduction of a gene into a vector for transfer to an organism.

3. Transfer of a vector with a gene into a modified organism.

4. Transformation of body cells.

5. Selection of genetically modified organisms and elimination of those that have not been successfully modified.

The process of gene synthesis is currently very well developed and even largely automated. There are special devices equipped with computers, in the memory of which programs for the synthesis of various nucleotide sequences are stored. Such an apparatus synthesizes DNA segments up to 100-120 nitrogenous bases in length (oligonucleotides).

Restriction enzymes and ligases are used to insert a gene into a vector. With the help of restriction enzymes, the gene and the vector can be cut into pieces. With the help of ligases, such pieces can be “glued together”, connected in a different combination, constructing a new gene or enclosing it in a vector.

The technique of introducing genes into bacteria was developed after Frederick Griffith discovered the phenomenon of bacterial transformation. This phenomenon is based on a primitive sexual process, which in bacteria is accompanied by the exchange of small fragments of non-chromosomal DNA, plasmids. Plasmid technologies formed the basis for the introduction of artificial genes into bacterial cells. The process of transfection is used to introduce the prepared gene into the hereditary apparatus of plant and animal cells.

If unicellular organisms or cultures of multicellular cells undergo modification, then cloning begins at this stage, that is, the selection of those organisms and their descendants (clones) that have undergone modification. When the task is to obtain multicellular organisms, then cells with a changed genotype are used for vegetative propagation of plants or injected into the blastocysts of a surrogate mother when it comes to animals. As a result, cubs with a changed or unchanged genotype are born, among which only those that show the expected changes are selected and crossed with each other.

Application of GMOs

The use of GMOs for scientific purposes.

Currently, genetically modified organisms are widely used in fundamental and applied scientific research. With the help of GMOs, the patterns of development of certain diseases (Alzheimer's disease, cancer), the processes of aging and regeneration are studied, the functioning of the nervous system is studied, and a number of other urgent problems of biology and medicine are solved.

The use of GMOs for medical purposes.

Genetically modified organisms have been used in applied medicine since 1982. This year, human insulin, produced using genetically modified bacteria, is registered as a drug.

Work is underway to create genetically modified plants that produce components of vaccines and drugs against dangerous infections (plague, HIV). Proinsulin, derived from genetically modified safflower, is at the stage of clinical trials. A drug against thrombosis based on protein from the milk of transgenic goats has been successfully tested and approved for use.

A new branch of medicine, gene therapy, is rapidly developing. It is based on the principles of creating GMOs, but the genome of human somatic cells acts as an object of modification. Currently, gene therapy is one of the main treatments for certain diseases. So, already in 1999, every fourth child suffering from SCID (severe combined immune deficiency) was treated with gene therapy. Gene therapy, in addition to being used in treatment, is also proposed to be used to slow down the aging process.

The use of GMOs in agriculture.

Genetic engineering is used to create new varieties of plants that are resistant to adverse environmental conditions and pests, with better growth and taste qualities. New breeds of animals created are distinguished, in particular, by accelerated growth and productivity. Varieties and breeds have been created, the products of which have a high nutritional value and contain increased amounts of essential amino acids and vitamins.

Genetically modified varieties of forest species with a significant content of cellulose in wood and rapid growth are being tested.

Other directions of use.

GloFish, the first genetically modified pet

Developed genetically modified bacteria capable of producing environmentally friendly fuel

In 2003, the GloFish was launched on the market, the first genetically modified organism created for aesthetic purposes, and the first pet of its kind. Thanks to genetic engineering, the popular aquarium fish Danio rerio has received several bright fluorescent colors.

In 2009, the GM rose cultivar "Applause" with blue flowers went on sale. Thus, the centuries-old dream of breeders who unsuccessfully tried to breed "blue roses" came true (for more details, see en: Blue rose).

GMOs - arguments for and against

Advantages of genetically modified organisms

Defenders of genetically modified organisms argue that GMOs are the only salvation for mankind from hunger. According to scientists' forecasts, the population of the Earth by 2050 may reach 9-11 billion people, naturally there is a need to double or even triple the world agricultural production.

For this purpose, genetically modified plant varieties are excellent - they are resistant to diseases and weather, ripen faster and last longer, and are able to independently produce insecticides against pests. GMO plants are able to grow and produce good crops where old varieties simply could not survive due to certain weather conditions.

But interesting fact: GMOs are positioned as a panacea for hunger to save African and Asian countries. But for some reason, African countries have not allowed the import of products with GM components into their territory for the past 5 years. Isn't it strange?

Genetic engineering can provide real help in solving food and health problems. Proper application of its methods will become a solid foundation for the future of mankind.

The harmful effect of transgenic products on the human body has not yet been identified. Doctors are seriously considering genetically modified foods as the basis of special diets. Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of diseases. Scientists assure that genetically modified foods will enable people with diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular and oncological diseases, diseases of the liver and intestines to expand their diet.

The production of drugs by genetic engineering methods is successfully practiced all over the world.

Eating curry not only does not increase the production of insulin in the blood, but also lowers the production of glucose in the body. If the curry gene is used for medical purposes, then pharmacologists will receive an additional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, and patients will be able to treat themselves to sweets.

With the help of synthesized genes, interferon and hormones are obtained. Interferon, a protein produced by the body in response to a viral infection, is now being studied as a possible treatment for cancer and AIDS. It would take thousands of liters of human blood to produce the amount of interferon that just one liter of bacterial culture produces. The benefit from the mass production of this protein is very large.

Microbiological synthesis produces insulin, which is necessary for the treatment of diabetes. A number of vaccines have been genetically engineered and are being tested to test their effectiveness against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS. With the help of recombinant DNA, human growth hormone is also obtained in sufficient quantities, the only cure for a rare childhood disease - pituitary dwarfism.

Gene therapy is in the experimental stage. To fight malignant tumors, a constructed copy of a gene encoding a powerful antitumor enzyme is introduced into the body. It is planned to treat hereditary disorders with gene therapy methods.

An interesting discovery by American geneticists will find an important application. In mice, a gene was found that is activated only during exercise. Scientists have achieved its smooth operation. Now rodents run twice as fast and longer than their relatives. The researchers argue that such a process is possible in the human body. If they are right, then soon the problem of excess weight will be solved at the genetic level.

One of the most important areas of genetic engineering is providing patients with organs for transplantation. The transgenic pig will become a profitable donor of the liver, kidneys, heart, blood vessels and skin for humans. In terms of organ size and physiology, it is closest to humans. Previously, pig organ transplants were not successful for humans - the body rejected foreign sugars produced by enzymes. Three years ago, five piglets were born in Virginia, from the genetic apparatus of which the “extra” gene was removed. The problem with the transplantation of organs from a pig to a person is now solved.

Genetic engineering opens up huge opportunities for us. Of course, there is always risk. Once in the hands of a power-hungry fanatic, it can become a formidable weapon against humanity. But it has always been like this: a hydrogen bomb, computer viruses, envelopes with anthrax spores, radioactive waste from space activities ... Skillfully managing knowledge is an art. It is they who need to be mastered to perfection in order to avoid a fatal mistake.

The danger of genetically modified organisms

Anti-GMO experts argue that they pose three main threats:

o Threat to the human body- allergic diseases, metabolic disorders, the appearance of gastric microflora resistant to antibiotics, carcinogenic and mutagenic effects.

o Threat to the environment– the emergence of vegetative weeds, pollution of research sites, chemical pollution, reduction of genetic plasma, etc.

o Global risks– activation of critical viruses, economic security.

Scientists note numerous dangers associated with genetic engineering products.

1. Food harm

Weakened immunity, the occurrence of allergic reactions as a result of direct exposure to transgenic proteins. The impact of the new proteins that the inserted genes produce is unknown. Health disorders associated with the accumulation of herbicides in the body, since GM plants tend to accumulate them. Possibility of distant carcinogenic effects (development of oncological diseases).

2. Environmental harm

The use of genetically modified plants has a negative impact on varietal diversity. For genetic modifications, one or two varieties are taken, with which they work. There is a danger of extinction of many plant species.

Some radical ecologists warn that the impact of biotechnology may exceed the consequences of a nuclear explosion: the use of genetically modified products leads to a loosening of the gene pool, resulting in the emergence of mutant genes and their mutant carriers.

Doctors believe that the impact of genetically modified foods on humans will become apparent only after half a century, when at least one generation of people fed on transgenic food will be replaced.

Imaginary dangers

Some radical ecologists warn that many of the steps in biotechnology may surpass the consequences of a nuclear explosion in terms of their possible impact: allegedly, the use of genetically modified products leads to a loosening of the gene pool, leading to the appearance of mutant genes and their mutant carriers.

However, genetically speaking, we are all mutants. In any highly organized organisms, a certain percentage of genes is mutated. Moreover, most mutations are completely safe and do not affect the vital functions of their carriers.

As for dangerous mutations that cause genetically determined diseases, they are relatively well studied. These diseases have nothing to do with genetically modified products, and most of them have been accompanying mankind since the dawn of its appearance.

GMO laboratory research

The results of experiments on mice and rats that used GMOs are deplorable for animals.

Almost all studies in the field of GMO safety are funded by customers - foreign corporations Monsanto, Bayer, etc. It is on the basis of such studies that GMO lobbyists claim that GM products are safe for humans.

However, according to experts, studies of the consequences of eating GM foods, conducted on several dozen rats, mice or rabbits over several months, cannot be considered sufficient. Although the results of even such tests are not always unambiguous.

o The first human safety pre-marketing study of GM plants in the US in 1994 on a GM tomato served as the basis for not only allowing it to be sold in stores, but also for "facilitated" testing of subsequent GM crops. However, the "positive" results of this study are criticized by many independent experts. In addition to numerous complaints about the testing methodology and the results obtained, he also has such a “flaw” - within two weeks after it was carried out, 7 of 40 experimental rats died, and the cause of their death is unknown.

o According to an internal Monsanto report released with the scandal in June 2005, in experimental rats fed with GM corn of the new variety MON 863, there were changes in the circulatory and immune systems.

Since the end of 1998, there has been a particularly active talk about the insecurity of transgenic crops. British immunologist Armand Putztai, in a television interview, said that immunity was reduced in rats fed modified potatoes. Also "thanks" to the menu, consisting of GM foods, experimental rats found a decrease in brain volume, destruction of the liver and immune suppression.

According to a 1998 report by the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, in rats that received transgenic potatoes from the Monsanto company, both after a month and after six months of the experiment, the following were observed: a statistically significant decrease in body weight, anemia, and dystrophic changes in liver cells.

But do not forget that animal testing is only the first step, and not an alternative to human research. If manufacturers of GM foods claim they are safe, this must be confirmed by human volunteer studies using double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, similar to drug trials.

Judging by the lack of publications in the peer-reviewed scientific literature, human clinical trials of GM foods have never been conducted. Most attempts to establish the safety of GM foods are circumstantial, but they are thought provoking.

In 2002, a comparative analysis of the frequency of diseases associated with food quality was carried out in the USA and in the Scandinavian countries. The population of the compared countries has a fairly high standard of living, a similar food basket, and comparable medical services. It turned out that within a few years of the widespread introduction of GMOs into the market, 3-5 times more foodborne illnesses were recorded in the USA than, in particular, in Sweden .

The only significant difference in the quality of nutrition is the active consumption of GM foods by the US population and their virtual absence in the diet of the Swedes.

In 1998, the International Society of Physicians and Scientists for the Responsible Application of Science and Technology (PSRAST) adopted a Declaration stating the need to declare a worldwide moratorium on the release of GMOs and products into the environment. from them until sufficient knowledge has been accumulated to determine whether the operation of this technology is justified and how harmless it is to health and the environment.

As of July 2005, 800 scientists from 82 countries have signed the document. In March 2005, the Declaration was widely circulated in the form of an open letter calling on world governments to stop the use of GMOs, as they "pose a threat and do not contribute to the environmentally sustainable use of resources."

Consequences of eating GM foods for human health

Scientists identify the following main risks of eating genetically modified foods:

1. Immune suppression, allergic reactions and metabolic disorders, as a result of the direct action of transgenic proteins.

The impact of the new proteins that are produced by the genes inserted into GMOs is unknown. A person has never used them before and therefore it is not clear whether they are allergens.

An illustrative example is the attempt to cross the genes of the Brazil nut with the genes of soybeans - in order to increase the nutritional value of the latter, their protein content was increased. However, as it turned out later, the combination turned out to be a strong allergen, and it had to be withdrawn from further production.

In Sweden, where transgenes are banned, 7% of the population suffer from allergies, and in the US, where they are sold even without labeling, 70.5%.

Also, according to one version, the meningitis epidemic among English children was caused by a weakened immune system as a result of the use of GM-containing milk chocolate and waffle biscuits.

2. Various health disorders as a result of the appearance in GMOs of new, unplanned proteins or metabolic products toxic to humans.

There is already convincing evidence of a violation of the stability of the plant genome when a foreign gene is inserted into it. All this can cause a change in the chemical composition of GMOs and the emergence of unexpected properties, including toxic ones.

For example, for the production of the food additive tryptophan in the United States in the late 80s. In the 20th century, the GMH bacterium was created. However, along with the usual tryptophan, for an unknown reason, she began to produce ethylene-bis-tryptophan. As a result of its use, 5 thousand people fell ill, of which 37 people died, 1,500 became disabled.

Independent experts claim that genetically modified crops emit 1020 times more toxins than conventional organisms.

3. The emergence of resistance of human pathogenic microflora to antibiotics.

When obtaining GMOs, antibiotic resistance marker genes are still used, which can pass into the intestinal microflora, which has been shown in relevant experiments, and this, in turn, can lead to medical problems - the inability to cure many diseases.

Since December 2004, the EU has banned the sale of GMOs using antibiotic resistance genes. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that manufacturers refrain from using these genes, but corporations have not completely abandoned them. The risk of such GMOs, as noted in the Oxford Great Encyclopedic Reference, is quite large and "we have to admit that genetic engineering is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance"

4. Health disorders associated with the accumulation of herbicides in the human body.

Most of the known transgenic plants are not killed by the massive use of agricultural chemicals and can accumulate them. There is evidence that sugar beets resistant to the herbicide glyphosate accumulate its toxic metabolites.

5. Reducing the intake of essential substances in the body.

According to independent experts, it is still impossible to say for sure, for example, whether the composition of conventional soybeans and GM analogues is equivalent or not. When comparing various published scientific data, it turns out that some indicators, in particular, the content of phytoestrogens, vary significantly.

6. Remote carcinogenic and mutagenic effects.

Each insertion of a foreign gene into the body is a mutation, it can cause undesirable consequences in the genome, and no one knows what this will lead to, and no one can know today.

According to research by British scientists within the framework of the state project "Assessment of the risk associated with the use of GMOs in human food" published in 2002, transgenes tend to linger in the human body and, as a result of the so-called "horizontal transfer", integrate into the genetic apparatus of microorganisms human intestines. Previously, this possibility was denied.

GMO Safety Research

The technology of recombinant DNA (en: Recombinant DNA), which appeared in the early 1970s, opened up the possibility of obtaining organisms containing foreign genes (genetically modified organisms). This caused public concern and initiated a discussion about the safety of such manipulations.

In 1974, a commission of leading researchers in the field of molecular biology was established in the United States to study this issue. The so-called “Breg letter” was published in the three most famous scientific journals (Science, Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), which urged scientists to temporarily refrain from experimenting in this area.

In 1975, the Asilomar Conference was held, at which biologists discussed the possible risks associated with the creation of GMOs.

In 1976, the National Institutes of Health developed a system of rules that strictly regulated the conduct of work with recombinant DNA. By the early 1980s, the rules were revised towards easing.

In the early 1980s, the first lines of GMOs for commercial use were produced in the United States. These lines have been extensively reviewed by government agencies such as the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). as proven safe for their use, these lines of organisms have been approved for the market.

Currently, the prevailing opinion among specialists is that there is no increased danger of products from genetically modified organisms in comparison with products obtained from organisms bred by traditional methods (see the discussion in the journal Nature Biotechnology).

in Russia Nationwide Association for Genetic Safety and the Department of Affairs of the President of the Russian Federation advocated “conducting a public experiment in order to obtain an evidence base for the harmfulness or harmlessness of genetically modified organisms for mammals.

The public experiment will be supervised by a specially created Scientific Council, which will include representatives of various scientific institutes in Russia and other countries. Based on the results of the reports of specialists, a General Conclusion will be prepared with the application of all test reports.

The discussion on the safety of using transgenic plants and animals in agriculture involves government commissions and non-governmental organizations such as Greenpeace.

How is the production and sale of GMOs regulated in the world?

Today in the world there is no accurate data on both the safety of products containing GMOs and the dangers of their use, since the duration of observations of the consequences of the use of genetically modified foods by humans is scanty - mass production of GMOs began quite recently - in 1994. However, more and more scientists are talking about the significant risks of eating GM foods.

Therefore, the responsibility for the consequences of decisions regarding the regulation of the production and marketing of genetically modified products lies solely with the governments of individual countries. There are different approaches to this issue in the world. But, regardless of geography, an interesting pattern is observed: the fewer producers of GM products in the country, the better protected the rights of consumers in this matter.

Two-thirds of all GM crops in the world are grown in the United States, so it is not surprising that this country has the most liberal laws regarding GMOs. Transgenes in the United States are recognized as safe, equated to ordinary products, and labeling of products containing GMOs is optional. The situation is similar in Canada - the third largest producer of GM products in the world. In Japan, products containing GMOs are subject to mandatory labeling. In China, GMO products are produced illegally and sold to other countries. But the countries of Africa for the last 5 years have not allowed the import of products with GM components into their territory. In the countries of the European Union, to which we are so eager, the production and import into the territory of baby food containing GMOs and the sale of products with genes resistant to antibiotics are prohibited. In 2004, the moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops was lifted, but at the same time, a cultivation permit was issued for only one variety of transgenic plants. At the same time, each EU country today has the right to impose a ban on one or another type of transgene. In some EU countries, there is a moratorium on the import of genetically modified products.

Any product containing GMOs, before entering the EU market, must go through the EU-wide approval procedure. It essentially consists of two steps: a scientific safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its independent review bodies.

If a product contains GM DNA or protein, EU citizens must be informed of this by a special designation on the label. The inscriptions “this product contains GMOs” or “GM product such and such” should be both on the label of products sold in packaging, and for unpackaged products in close proximity to it in the store window. The rules require that information about the presence of transgenes be indicated even in restaurant menus. The product is not labeled only if the content of GMOs in it is not more than 0.9% and the relevant manufacturer can explain that we are talking about random, technically unavoidable GMO impurities.

In Russia, it is forbidden to grow GM plants on an industrial scale, but some imported GMOs have been state registered in the Russian Federation and are officially allowed for consumption - these are several lines of soybeans, corn, potatoes, a line of rice and a line of sugar beets. All other GMOs existing in the world (about 100 lines) are prohibited in Russia. GMOs allowed in Russia can be used in any product (including baby food) without restrictions. But if the manufacturer adds GMO components to the product.

List of International Producers Seen to Use GMOs

Greenpeace has published a list of companies that use GMOs in their products. Interestingly, in different countries, these companies behave differently, depending on the legislation of a particular country. For example, in the United States, where the production and sale of products with GM components are not limited in any way, these companies use GMOs in their products, but, for example, in Austria, which is a member of the European Union, where there are quite severe laws in relation to GMOs - no.

List of foreign companies seen using GMOs:

Kellogg's (Kelloggs) - production of ready-made breakfasts, including corn flakes.

Nestle (Nestle) - production of chocolate, coffee, coffee drinks, baby food.

Unilever (Unilever) - production of baby food, mayonnaise, sauces, etc.

Heinz Foods (Heinz Foods) - production of ketchups, sauces.

Hershey's (Hershis) - production of chocolate, soft drinks.

Coca-Cola (Coca-Cola) - production of drinks Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, Kinley tonic.

McDonald's (McDonald's) - "restaurants" of fast food.

Danon (Danone) - production of yoghurts, kefir, cottage cheese, baby food.

Similac (Similak) - production of baby food.

Cadbury (Kadbury) - production of chocolate, cocoa.

Mars (Mars) - production of chocolate Mars, Snickers, Twix.

PepsiCo (Pepsi-Cola) - drinks Pepsi, Mirinda, Seven-Up.

Products containing GMOs

genetically modified plants The range of applications of GMOs in food products is quite extensive. These can be meat and confectionery products, which include soy texturate and soy lecithin, as well as fruits and vegetables, such as canned corn. The main flow of genetically modified crops is imported from abroad soybeans, corn, potatoes, rapeseed. They come to our table either in pure form, or as additives in meat, fish, bakery and confectionery products, as well as in baby food.

For example, if the product contains vegetable protein, then it is most likely soy, and there is a high probability that it is genetically modified.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the presence of GM ingredients by taste and smell - only modern methods of laboratory diagnostics can detect GMOs in food products.

The most common GM agricultural plants are:

Soy, corn, rapeseed (canola), tomatoes, potatoes, sugar beets, strawberries, zucchini, papaya, chicory, wheat.

Accordingly, there is a high probability of meeting GMOs in products that are produced using these plants.

Blacklist of products that use GMOs most often

GM soy can be found in breads, biscuits, baby food, margarine, soups, pizzas, fast food, meat products (e.g. boiled sausages, sausages, pâtés), flour, sweets, ice cream, chips, chocolate, sauces, soy milk etc. GM corn (maize) can be found in foods such as fast food, soups, sauces, condiments, chips, chewing gum, cake mixes.

GM starch can be found in a very wide range of foods, including those that children love, such as yogurt.

70% of popular baby food brands contain GMOs.

About 30% of coffee is genetically modified. The same is true for tea.

Genetically Modified Food Additives and Flavors

E101 and E101A (B2, riboflavin) - added to cereals, soft drinks, baby food, weight loss products; E150 (caramel); E153 (carbonate); E160a (beta-carotene, provitamin A, retinol); E160b (annatto); E160d (lycopene); E234 (lowlands); E235 (natamycin); E270 (lactic acid); E300 (vitamin C - ascorbic acid); from E301 to E304 (ascorbates); from E306 to E309 (tocopherol / vitamin E); E320 (VHA); E321 (BHT); E322 (lecithin); from E325 to E327 (lactates); E330 (citric acid); E415 (xanthine); E459 (beta-cyclodextrin); from E460 to E469 (cellulose); E470 and E570 (salts and fatty acids); fatty acid esters (E471, E472a&b, E473, E475, E476, E479b); E481 (sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate); from E620 to E633 (glutamic acid and glutomates); from E626 to E629 (guanylic acid and guanylates); from E630 to E633 (inosinic acid and inosinates); E951 (aspartame); E953 (isomaltite); E957 (thaumatin); E965 (maltinol).

application genetics modification organism

Conclusion

When it comes to genetically modified foods, the imagination immediately draws formidable mutants. The legends about aggressive, transgenic plants displacing their relatives from nature, which America throws into gullible Russia, are ineradicable. But maybe we just don't have enough information?

Firstly, many simply do not know which products are genetically modified, or, in other words, transgenic. Secondly, they are confused with nutritional supplements, vitamins and hybrids obtained as a result of selection. And why does the use of transgenic products cause such squeamish horror in many people?

Transgenic products are produced on the basis of plants in which one or more genes have been artificially replaced in the DNA molecule. DNA - the carrier of genetic information - is precisely reproduced during cell division, which ensures the transmission of hereditary traits and specific forms of metabolism in a number of generations of cells and organisms.

Genetically modified products are a big and promising business. In the world, 60 million hectares are already occupied by transgenic crops. They are grown in the USA, Canada, France, China, South Africa, Argentina (they are not yet in Russia, only on experimental plots). However, products from the above countries are imported to us - the same soybeans, soy flour, corn, potatoes and others.

For objective reasons. The population of the earth is growing year by year. Some scientists believe that in 20 years we will have to feed two billion more people than we do now. And already today, 750 million are chronically hungry.

Supporters of the use of genetically modified foods believe that they are harmless to humans and even have benefits. The main argument advocated by scientific experts around the world is: “DNA from genetically modified organisms is as safe as any DNA present in food. Every day, together with food, we consume foreign DNA, and so far the defense mechanisms of our genetic material do not allow us to be significantly influenced.”

According to the director of the Bioengineering Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician K. Skryabin, for specialists dealing with the problem of genetic engineering of plants, the issue of the safety of genetically modified products does not exist. And he personally prefers transgenic products to any other, if only because they are more carefully checked. The possibility of unpredictable consequences of the insertion of a single gene is theoretically assumed. To eliminate it, such products are subject to strict control, and, according to supporters, the results of such a test are quite reliable. Finally, there is not a single proven fact of the harm of transgenic products. Nobody got sick or died from it.

All kinds of environmental organizations (for example, "Greenpeace"), the association "Doctors and scientists against genetically modified food sources" believe that sooner or later "reap the benefits" will have to. And, perhaps, not to us, but to our children and even grandchildren. How will "foreign" genes not characteristic of traditional cultures affect human health and development? In 1983, the United States received the first transgenic tobacco, and the widespread and active use of genetically modified raw materials in the food industry began only some five or six years ago. What will happen in 50 years, today no one is able to predict. It is unlikely that we will turn into, for example, "people-pigs". But there are also more logical reasons. For example, new medical and biological drugs are allowed for use in humans only after many years of testing on animals. Transgenic products are commercially available and already cover several hundred items, although they were created only a few years ago. Opponents of transgenes also question the methods for evaluating such products for safety. In general, there are more questions than answers.

Now 90 percent of transgenic food exports are corn and soybeans. What does this mean for Russia? The fact that popcorn, which is widely sold on the streets, is 100% made from genetically modified corn, and there was still no label on it. If you buy soy products from North America or Argentina, then 80 percent of it is genetically modified products. Will the mass consumption of such products affect a person in decades, on the next generation? While there are no iron arguments either "for" or "against". But science does not stand still, and the future belongs to genetic engineering. If genetically modified products increase productivity, solve the problem of food shortages, then why not apply it? But in any experiments, extreme caution must be exercised. Genetically modified products have a right to exist. It is absurd to think that Russian doctors and scientists would allow products harmful to health to be widely sold. But the consumer also has the right to choose: whether to buy genetically modified tomatoes from Holland or wait until local tomatoes appear on the market. After long discussions of supporters and opponents of transgenic products, a Solomonic decision was made: any person must choose for himself whether he agrees to eat genetically modified food or not. In Russia, research on genetic engineering of plants has been underway for a long time. Several research institutes deal with biotechnology problems, including the Institute of General Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In the Moscow region, transgenic potatoes and wheat are grown at experimental sites. However, although the issue of indicating genetically modified organisms is being discussed in the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (the department of the chief sanitary doctor of Russia Gennady Onishchenko is engaged in this), it is still far from legislative formalization.

List of used literature

1. Kleshchenko E. "GM foods: the battle of myth and reality" - magazine "Chemistry and Life"

2.http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_research_of_genetically_modified_products_and_organisms

3. http://www.commodity.biz/ne_est/