Sunday, June 12, 2011

Killer vegetables

Yes, there are killer vegetables out there, so beware! If it's not killer cucumbers, or killer tomatos, it could be killer bean sprouts. Apparently the forensic microbiologists, a group of ruthless extremists, have determined after a week or so, during which 30 Germans died (too bad!) that it was due to bean sprouts grown on an "organic farm" that were contaminated with E. coli. I always thought that organic food was supposed to be healthy, isn't it? How can organic bean sprouts be bad for you? It's not fair.

Well, speaking as a scientist, I knew that all this "organic food' stuff was a scam. Why do farmers add "non-organic" substances to their growing food, because it makes the yields higher and protects them from insects and infections. If you just add shit, sorry manure, to the growing food, which "organic" farmers do, it is like using ancient methods, that have been superseded by modern farming. So cut the crap that "organic food" is better for you or more healthy than "non-organic" food, in fact it could kill you!

While we are on the subject, what about genetically modified food or "GMF." Remember that all grain plants (wheat, barley, corn) grown today in huge quantities have been selected over a period of thousands of years by humans. Originally primitive farmers in the fertile crescent grew low yield grains. The process of human selection (as in domestic animals) has yielded today's improved grains. This process of selection is equivalent to genetic modification, in fact it is genetic selection. But, using modern scientific methods selection for the property you want in the plant (taller stems, more protein content, larger seeds) can now be done in a much more efficient way by using genetic selection. Once the ability to isolate specific genes for specific characteristics is developed, then these genes can be "spliced" into the plants and voila, the characteristic is there in the next generation. In principle there is no difference between human selection over a long period and genetic selection over a short period, only the process differs.

Of course, in every process one must be careful. Human selection for food plants and flowers can go wrong, only a few such processes are successful (remember the attempts to grow black tulips in Holland). But, with genetic selection or modification, the results are much more likely to be successful. However, one must be careful regarding the mixing of different genes in a given species, that could have untoward effects. But, that is why tests are done over several generations of the GM plants. In the final analysis, as the world's population grows, if we don't use genetic modification thousands and perhaps millions of people will be forced to fight for survival or even starve to death. Who would make that choice?

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