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Gregor Mendel discover the laws followed by inheretance of traits
Gregor Mendel, known as "the father of modern genetics" experiments with peas, crossbreeding. He found that the traits in plants follow 3 rules that modern biotechnnologists still follow. Importance of event: Scientists at the time could only combine all the genes in one plant with all the genes in another plant. Biotechnologists would study this and over time learn how to achieve just certain traits by splicing the genes, which would lead to genetically modified organisms. -
James Watson and Francis Crick
James Watson and Francis Crick discover the double helix structure of human DNA. Importance of this: This leads to scientists being able to splice genes from one organism into another's DNA. Also, this discover opens the door to genetically modify not just plants, but also foods, animals and humans. -
Monsanto Scientists First to Modify Plant Cell
Monsanto starts to turn towards bioengineering around the beginning of 1981, and in 1982, the Monsanto scientists are the first to genetically modify a plant cell. This is a very big event, because if scientists can modify a plant cell, they can learn how to modify an entire plant, and that leads to biotechnologists being able to find out how to modify foods too -
First Modified Crop - Tobacco
The first genetically modified crop, a tobacco, is approved by the FDA. This is important because: once scientists know how to modify a plant, they can use that knowledge and try to modify foods as well (The first GM plant was introduced a few years later). Also, this is the first commercially sold GE plant, so the world is being introduced to GMOs, which is very controversial, for the first time. As of 2008, GM tobacco is grown is over 3.7 million hectares of land across the world -
Growth hormones for cows
In the 1990s, a growth hormone approved by the FDA is given to cows to increase their milk production. Importance of this event: If cows are injected with the growth hormones, it could affect other parts of the cow, such as the meat. People could then eat the meat containing the growth hormones which would enter their body systems and affect them. If health organizations found the hormones, it would affect the sales of GMOs -
Flavr Savr
Flavr Savr, a tomato developed by a Californian company Calgene, made history in biotechnological world. The Flavr Savr stayed on the market for only three years, because of mounting costs. Impact on GMOs: It was the first GMO food sold, so the general public is being introduced to GMOs for the first time. However, the reaction is negative, and not so many people are buying it, so the company doesn't have enough money to keep researching and kepp making more GM foods. -
George Bush Proposes ending hunger in africa with GMO foods
George Bush proposes a step forward to end hunger in Africa with GMO foods. This is a part of a plan with several biotechnology companies striving to end hunger in 15 - 20 years. Importance of this: it means that GMO foods will be spread even further throughout the world. Spreading more GMO foods may also mean more controversy and opposition towards them, because Europeans weren't happy when they started having GMOs. -
Europe removes ban on importing GMOs
Europe had placed a ban on importing any GMO foods from America at the beginning of the 2000s, but in July 2003, they lifted that ban and stores could once more order GM plants and seeds. Importance of this even: I think this shows that people are becoming less hostile towards the GE products as they were when GMOs were first being made, such as the Flvr Svr. -
Hugo Chavez bans GM seeds
Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, announced a complete ban on the use of GM seeds in April 2004. Importance: This shows that more and more countries aren't happy with eating foods that have been tampered with. Venezuela joins the long list of countries that that banned distribution and sales of GMOs that include: Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Egypt, Brazil and many more -
EFSA deem GMOs harmless
The EFSA, European Food Safety Authority, conclude that GMO foods don't pose any threat towards human health. It's importance: Europe reacted the most extremely against GMO foods when their stores and supermarkets started selling them, even placing a ban against importing them from the US which they didn't lift until July 2003. If the EFSA annouced the GMOs as safe, Europeans would possibly view them as less threatening. -
Future of Genetically Modified Foods
The population will eventually grow to the point where eating genetically modified foods isn't an option. Scientists will modifiy foods so that they can hold several times more nutrients than the organic version, and make them more fulfulling so that people will eat less and more mouths can be fed. Organic products will be extremely rare.
