If you were to ask ten people the question, "do you consider genetically engineered foods to be safe?" Seven out of those ten would probably tell you that they do not know what you are talking about. The genetic engineering of crops is a subject that the public is not well informed on. As hard as it is to believe, it is a process that has been going on for nearly eleven years now. The first test of a genetically engineered crop was reported in 1990, according to "Seeds of Change" (44). The foods that are currently being genetically altered range from corn and tomatoes to infant formula and soybeans. "Seeds of Change" states that "Today, a mere three years after the first large-scale commercial harvest, genetically engineered crops cover one-fourth of U.S. cropland – more than 90 million acres" (43). The public is unfortunately unaware of this and they should not be. People need become more aware of what is being modified and, more importantly, is it safe. When you ha!
             ve little or no knowledge on a significant topic, such as your health, you tend to speculate the worst. I know that my first response over this subject was one of questioning and concern. So why are crops being genetically engineered?
             For over a hundred years agriculturists and scientists have been working on ways to improve our foods and their production. Their techniques range from cross breeding to weed killing and have been improving the way we grow food. Genetic modification is the process of splicing genes from one species to the next. For instance, scientists inserted genes from other species into potatoes, corn, cotton and tomatoes so that they create their own pesticide, therefore, enabling farmers to grow corn that is resistant to cold weather or a crop of tomatoes that are resistant to insect bites. But is this process safe? How can FDA and scientists be totally sure that this will not be d...