The document discusses the Flavr Savr tomato, the first commercially grown genetically modified food. It was modified using genes from E. coli to prevent softening during ripening, allowing it to have a longer shelf life while retaining its natural flavor. The gene inserted produces RNA that cancels out an enzyme that normally causes tomatoes to soften. While this GM food had benefits like increased shelf life and shipping ease, it also faced ethical concerns about tampering with nature and possible health risks.

1. Genetically Modified Foods
Flavr Savr Tomatoes
Anna Niemeyer
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=DNA http://www.google.com/imgres?q=flavr+savr+tomatoes

2. What are Genetically Modified foods?
• Crop plants that have been modified in
laboratories to enhance traits such as
resistance to pesticides or improved
nutritional content.
• Bigger and better crops
• Improved taste and look
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=genetically+modified+foods

3. Before the Flavr Savr
• Picked before ripe and gassed with ethylene to
give red color – keeps them from becoming
bruised and spoiled.
• Tomatoes lose their taste and taste more like
“cardboard.”
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=ethylene+gas

4. What is the Flavr Savr?
• A tomato that will not soften while ripening
on the vine.
• A tomato implanted with a gene from E. coli
• The transgenic tomato would allow tomatoes
to be shipped safely, keep their color, and
have their natural flavors.
• Increased shelf life
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=tomatoes+in+sto
re

5. Making the Flavr Savr
• Gene from E. coli inserted into plasmid, Kan(r)
• Plasmid inserted into tomato in a growth
medium containing an antibiotic
• The antibiotic kills cells that do not have the
plasmid in them
• Purpose of Bacterial Gene- identify cells that
were not genetically transformed

6. The Gene
• Flavr Savr Gene- a strand of RNA that is
reverse of the RNA that occurs in the plant
• Original RNA- Produces enzyme
Polygalacturonase
• Flavr Savr RNA- binds to Polygalacturonase so
the enzyme can’t break down pectin (causes
tomato to become soft). The two strands
cancel each other out
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Flavr+Savr+gene

7. Flavr Savr
• Basically, the gene in the tomato stops the
tomato from softening during ripening so that
it is easier to ship but keeps its natural flavors
too. The tomato also has a much longer shelf
life and keeps from spoiling quickly.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=flavr+savr+tomato

8. Pro’s and Con’s
Pro’s Con’s
• Longer shelf life • Safety- health risks, some
• Easier to ship environmental risks
• Enhanced taste • Possible monopolies for
• Resistance to businesses
disease, pests, herbicides • Ethical concerns
• “Green” • Only rich countries can
• Food security for growing afford it
population

9. Ethics
• Tampering with nature
http://www.google.com/imgres
• Violation of organism’s natural intrinsic values
Can cause issues in plants
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=intrinsic+value+gm

10. Current Status
• Used in crops
• Used in animals
• 69 million hectares modified
• Adding more
genetically
modified foods
around the world
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=charts+for+gmos+and+against

11. The Future
• Adding drugs into foods
• Crops that produce vaccines
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=bananas
-banana vaccine that will treat hepatitis B
• Plants that make plastics
• Animals maturing quicker
• Improving shelf life
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=plants+that+make+plastic

12. Examples
Against GM For GM