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