WHAT ARE GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS?Tanya Taupier

Introduction As the executive director of human resources at Aetna in Hartford,

Connecticut, Tanya Taupier manages a large human resources staff that diligently works to help executives and leaders achieve the organization’s business goals. Aside from professional interests, Tanya Taupier is interested in the impact of genetically modified foods.

Genetically modified organisms, commonly known as GMOs, have been scientifically engineered in order to achieve a specific goal. For example, crops such as corn and soy have been widely genetically modified to resist insects and pests by incorporating bacteria into the crops’ DNA. It is estimated that approximately 90 percent of all soy, cotton, canola, corn, and sugar beet crops sold in the United States have been genetically modified in some way.

Genetically Modified Foods The process of removing genes from one organism and

placing them into the DNA of another concerns many non-GMO advocates who suggest that changing the genetic makeup of foods can potentially disrupt the basic function of the organism’s genes. That disruption could cause the production of toxins or severe allergens in a person’s body. 

Currently, there are no federal regulations requiring labeling for foods produced with GMOs. Non-GMO advocates have launched large scale efforts to require all food manufacturers to notify consumers about the ingredients in the products they are buying.