RSC - Advancing the Chemical Sciences


Library and Information Centre

 

Genetically modified foods


01 June 2008

Genetically modified food is derived from organisms, especially plants that have been genetically altered by manipulation or the addition of foreign genes in a way that does not occur in nature to enhance a desired characteristic.  This, put very simply is a more targetted and accelerated way to plant improvements with more precision than traditional cross-breeding.  Man has been attempting this for thousands of years as part of agriculture by selecting/breeding livestock or crops for desired properties

The occurrence of genetically modified food

Genetically modified foods are increasing in number and have a significant presence in general foodstuffs

How genetic modifications are carried out on organisms

Methods for creating the genetically modified organisms that provide genetically modified food.

The benefits of genetically modified foods

The improvements conferred to foods by genetic modification

Concerns about genetically modified foods

The GM controversy

Regulations and safety measures for GM food

GM foods are heavily regulated both nationally and internationally

The impact of GM foods on the environment

How GM food production affects the environment

Policy and future

GM foods are a significant issue for the future

Exclusive to RSC Members - RSC Virtual Library full text e-books

Springer: Genes on the menu - Facts for Knowledge-Based Decisions NetLibrary: The Politics of GM Food: A Comparative Study of the UK, USA, and EU

Related Links

Link icon Instant Expert: GM Organisms
A New Scientist Special Report on genetically modified organisms (GMOS) including articles such as How to kickstart an agricultural revolution and This transgenic little piggy boosts your brain

Link icon Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2007
Data on global land use for GM crops from the nternational Service for the acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications

Link icon GM food - facts behing the issues
GM food is part of the Food Standards Agency's "Facts behind the issues" series covering how it's being used; a definition of DNA; how GM used in food production


External links will open in a new browser window



Search for genetically modified food references in RSC journals

RSC Journals Homepage

Free Access to RSC Journals from 1997-2005. For all other articles members pay-per-view £5.00 per article instead of £24.00.