Genetically Modified Food, Good or Bad?

For the last action project for Food, we studied genetics, and genetically modified food. This unit mostly focused on science. My classmates and I spent countless hours researching and learning about genetics. We also had a guest speaker, Oana, who works with genetics come in and talk to us in depth about how genetics and crossbreeding works. We also learned about genetically modified foods. These foods are foods that have changes in their DNA using genetic engineering technique. For our action project, my classmates and I had to pick a side: pro GMOs or anti GMOs. This means that we had to discuss why genetically  modified foods are or are not a good idea. I am anti GMO, because I feel that GMOs are not the truth. The people producing these crops don’t tell us whether our products contain GMOs . I think that these foods will end up causing us harm. That is why we need to put a stop to it as soon as possible. I am most proud of the interesting information, and facts I found. Lastly I am proud of my overall presentation below!

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How would you feel if you knew that scientists are putting harsh chemicals and dangerous injections into the food that you and your loved ones consume? How would you feel if you or your loved ones get severely sick because of this? Well, this is what genetically modified food is doing to us humans. These foods are foods that have changes in their DNA using genetic engineering technique. You probably haven't heard of genetically modified foods because the U.S Drug and Food Administration does not require a label to be put on foods that are GMOs. There are quite a lot. You should be aware of what scientists are doing to our food because it can cause great devastation to us and our planet. Genetically modified foods can cause soil depletion, allergic reactions to us humans because of the the crossbreeding, and even severe consequences to our body. In this speech I will be talking about genetically modified foods and how they are not beneficial for us humans, and also the effects they are causing us, our environment, and world in general.

There are many reasons why genetically modified foods are very bad. Some often affect the environment. When growing genetically modified foods, farmers practice monoculture which means that they only grow that one crop. This has two effects: one on the environment, and one on us humans. In a monoculture, the soil is used for the same crop which causes soil depletion. This causes plants not to grow. Also by growing the same crop a virus can break out spreading to the same crops, causing the food supply of that crop to drop. Even though GM crops double their crop yields, if something goes wrong then they can lose that crop. A drop in food supply could damage our economy and cause crises such as famine.

In the late 1980s patents on plants were legalized meaning that anyone could own a seed. This often causes small scale farmers to get sued due to bigger corporations such as Monsanto patenting a particular seed and having it cross pollinate with theirs. When their seeds cross pollinate with the seeds from small farms, the smaller farm workers often go out of business because they get sued for what happens in nature. This affects the small scale farmers tremendously because they go out of business. Also GM crops in technology can hurt the small scale farm workers because the crops are too expensive to purchase. GMOs and even patents can cause people to go out of business because of the competitiveness in farming.

Lastly, Humans can get allergic reactions to foods they eat,  or even get severely sick. When these crops are crossbred they form a new substance which can also be bad for humans. Like JV said on the farm in Elgin, her brother broke out in hives from eating lunchables. These are the affects that GM foods have on us humans and if we don't stop now it could only get worse. I am stating that it could only get worse because genetically modified foods do not require a label, and are not tested. We must put an end to this because it is going on without our knowledge and we need to be informed.

Overall GMOs are a great threat to our food supply. A study in India showed that the GM grains that scientist fed to rats showed up three months later damaging their ovaries, spleens, and immune system. Despite all this testing the U.S Food and Drug Administration still allows foods to be labeled without the proper signs. This shows that the people in charge of making sure our food is safe to eat are not fulfilling their job. If we continue to let this happen it could only get worse. I believe that the U.S Food and Drug Aministration needs to stop lying to us humans, and let us know what we are actually consuming. I am totally against GMOs because they are not beneficial for us humans. GMOs are bad for the environment, bad for humans, and are dangerous because they are not correctly labeled. They are also a risk to your health. If you want to live in a healthier, more efficient world without genetically modified foods, then vote anti GMO.

 

Food Review!

For my Food For Thought course, my classmates and I learned more about food, and what it has become today. We spent these last few weeks watching movies, studying readings, and discussing about how food has evolved over decades. We also wanted to get a better understanding about how the industrial revolution and the Green Revolution changed our food system. For this action project, my classmates and I were required to write a food review, comparing two of the same dishes, one home cooked and one in a restaurant. The food I chose was pasta, meat sauce, and garlic bread. I thought that this action project was very interesting because it gives us students a chance to compare and see for ourselves what dish we actually like best, similar to a critique. When going out with my family it made me realize that I had to not only eat the dish but, keep in mind how the dish looked, the flavors of the dish, and the quality. This unit definitely impacted the way I eat because after watching movies and, reading books about the American diet it’s almost sad to see what we are feeding ourselves, and the fact that people are letting this happen is terrible. Now that I have the right knowledge about where most poultry such as meat comes from, I now avoid fast food restaurants as much as possible because in the long run, their food can end up hurting you.
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For my food review, I decided to make regular pasta with homemade meat sauce, and garlic bread. I prepared my meal at home with the help of my mom. I decided to make and compare pastas because, most restaurants usually serve this dish and I thought it was simple to make and compare. The restaurant I decided to go to was Leona’s. I decided that going to a local restaurant near me would be a better option in case I had to extend my research.

Preparing my dish was harder than I expected, but I thought the outcome would be worth it. When I completed my dish it looked appetizing and flavorsome. The noodles looked neither under nor over cooked, they seemed just right. My pasta sauce looked fresh and very mouth-watering. Lastly my garlic bread looked homemade and also very delectable . Overall, my dish smelled really nice. The sauce blended well with the pasta, creating a hereby oily smell. When I ate my pasta it tasted great. I could really taste the sweetness and spiciness of my sauce and the moist noodles. The garlic bread tasted incredible considering I only used regular sliced bread and put butter and garlic powder on it. While eating the pasta it didn't have much of a sound but the meat sounded chewy, and the garlic bread was crunchy yet scrumptious.

For the most part, my dish tasted very flavourful and home cooked although my pasta did come in a box, but when I cooked it it tasted as if it was made from scratch. The meat I used was organic. Maybe by it being organic it brought out the flavors in my dish. Overall my dish didn't taste industrial nor processed. My dish tasted fresh and delightful. The pasta brand I used was Barilla. It contains the ingredient Thiamin, which is very safe for us although it adds small amounts of Nitrate to our food. In conclusion, my dish turned out to taste very good. It was the perfect combination in my opinion.

                                                                                 AMK (2014) Home cooked pasta.

A couple days later I went to a local restaurant called Leona’s. When arriving at the restaurant I could already tell it had a home-like feel to it, the waitresses were very kind and let me take my time upon ordering. It took about ten minutes for my food to arrive and when it did the aroma smelled great, and the dish looked very well put together. When I took my first bite the pasta tasted decent, but the sauce did not blend well with the pasta. The sauce tasted a bit too salty as if they overseasoned it. The meat, however, was nice and well sauteed with the sauce. Lastly, the garlic bread was okay, it was a bit oily on the outside and very dry on the inside. I would say that this dish was probably processed because the sauce seemed to have come out of a can. It also tasted dry, as if it had been sitting on a shelf for days and the cooks just added salt to it. The garlic bread tasted like it was previously frozen, and cooks just put it in the oven. I then concluded that the garlic bread wasn't organic.

                                                                      Leaona's (2014) Pasta.                                               

A couple days later I went to a local restaurant called Leona’s. When arriving at the restaurant I could already tell it had a home-like feel to it, the waitresses were very kind and let me take my time upon ordering. It took about ten minutes for my food to arrive and when it did the aroma smelled great, and the dish looked very well put together. When I took my first bite the pasta tasted decent, but the sauce did not blend well with the pasta. The sauce tasted a bit too salty as if they overseasoned it. The meat, however, was nice and well sauteed with the sauce. Lastly, the garlic bread was okay, it was a bit oily on the outside and very dry on the inside. I would say that this dish was probably processed because the sauce seemed to have come out of a can. It also tasted dry, as if it had been sitting on a shelf for days and the cooks just added salt to it. The garlic bread tasted like it was previously frozen, and cooks just put it in the oven. I then concluded that the garlic bread wasn't organic.

The dish I prefered the most was my homemade pasta. I preferred this dish the most because it seemed more fresh and natural. It also seemed to taste better in my opinion. I think the restaurant’s pasta dish was also good but I feel as if they did not put much time into making the dish. I think that if they were to put more time into making my dish, and possibly changing some ingredients, then maybe the dish would have had a different outcome. This relates to a Michael Pollan reading my classmates and I read. Michael Pollan talks about how a modern American diet isn’t about the quality of foods, it mostly focuses on how fast you can produce your food, and make the most money.

Michael Pollan talks about five different ways the modern diet has transformed the way we eat today. One of his five food transformations is, quantity over quality. Quantity over quality means when we focus on mass production and try to produce the food quickly, we lose the nutritional value of the food. I feel that if the restaurant were to get all fresh produce then maybe this would change the way the the food taste. If the restaurant were to put more time and effort into making the dish then maybe the dish would have a different outcome. Maybe if the pasta was whole whole wheat instead of refined, then the pasta’s nutritional value would increase.

I honestly would not recommend any of these dishes to anyone because, I like my pasta sauce sweet yet spicy and sometimes one of those flavors is dominant over the other. I would not recommend the restaurant’s pasta because I would not want to recommend a dish that you would have to eat a high quantity to get a high nutritional value. I also wouldn't want anyone else eating food I don't feel okay about. The dish didn't seem fresh so I wouldn't want someone else consuming it. Overall, I thought this food review was very interesting, because it makes you think about what you are really eating and if you really like it.

Changing The Recipe

In the 2nd unit of food, our class focused mainly on the science behind cooking .Throughout this unit we studied chemical changes that occur when ingredients mix with each other. For our field experience we went to a private home that belonged to a friend of our school for a cooking demo with her son and a pastry chef. During the cooking demo, we learned more in depth about acid base reactions and leavening agents. For the action project we had to make cupcakes that were controlled and one that was experimented. For the experiment we left out a key ingredient (leavening agent) and replaced it with an acid and a base, the two compounds that make up baking powder.Our goal was to see if we can leave out the leavening agent and still have our cupcakes rise. I will also go more in depth about that in my lab report. Overall I thought that this action project was very interesting because we got to taste the outcomes of our different cupcakes. I also think its cool how science has a big impact in cooking

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1. Introduction

For the cupcake experiment, I chose to substitute baking powder with egg whites and molasses because baking powder is made up of cream of tartar, a pH level of 5(acidic) and baking soda a pH level of 8.3 (basic) . Egg whites has a PH of 9 and molasses has a pH of 6. By combining these two ingredients my goal is to create an acid base reaction. We talked about chemical reactions and leavening agents. Leavening agents such as yeast, baking powder, and baking soda are key ingredients in baking because they help the baked good rise. When we were baking the experimented cupcakes we were told to pick out the best cupcake and have it used in a magazine  for Passover. Passover symbolizes a time when Jews could not eat certain foods including leavening agents.The reason why leavening agents helps the cupcakes rise is that an acid base reaction occurs when baking powder is exposed to heat. It releases carbon dioxide, bubbles that make the cupcake rise. We also learned more in depth about proportions, ratios, pH levels, and conversations to help us get a better understanding of cooking. We learned about chemical reactions and what leavening agents have to do with baking. Our class decided to make cupcakes. We had one batch of cupcakes that were called the controlled group, the cupcakes that followed the recipe.The experimental group, cupcakes that followed the same recipe but having the leavening agent substituted with ingredients that are that was acidic and basic.

2. Research Question:
Can I create the effects of a leavening agent using an acid and base?

3. Hypothesis:
If I mix egg whites and molasses into my cupcakes instead of baking powder, then my cupcakes will not rise as high as the original recipe.

4. Materials:

1/12 cup of sugar

¼ cups of butter

⅙ tsp of vanilla

3/24 cups all purpose flour

1/24 cups of milk

1/6 egg

1/3 tsp of baking powder
(Acid and base for each of the experimented cupcakes are below.)

5. Procedure:

For Control Group:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

let the cupcakes cool for five minutes

For Experimental Group:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Grease and flour a 9×9 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.

4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.

5. Combine flour, add to the creamed mixture and mix well.

6. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.

7. spoon batter into the prepared pan.

8. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.

9.let cupcakes cool for five minutes.



6. Data

	Amount of molasses substitute cups/tsp	Amount of egg whites substitute  cups/tsp	Height(in cm)
Cupcake 1	1/16	1/16	3.7
cupcake 2	1/32	3/32	3.4
cupcake 3	3/32	1/32	3.5
cupcake 4	0	1/8	3.7
cupcake 5	1/8	0	3.3
cupcake 6	2/48	4/48	3.1
controlled cupcakes	(With baking powder): 4.15 cm	__	__

7. Graph


This chart shows how high each of the experimented cupcakes rose to.

8. Recipe in Metric

Ingredients	Amount in cups/tsp	Amount in ML
sugar	1/12 cups	20ml
butter	1/24 cups	20ml
vanilla	1/6 tsp	0.83 ml
all purpose flour	3/24 cups	30ml
milk	1/24 cups	20ml
egg	1/ 6 tsp	0.83 ml
molasses	1/8 tsp	0.625 ml
egg whites	0	0

9. Conclusion

For this experiment I learned that, substituting a leavening agent (baking powder) for an acidic compound and a basic compound can make a cupcake rise. My hypothesis was correct, my cupcakes did rise and ended up tasting decent. My hypothesis was correct because, I predicted that my cupcakes will rise by substituting the leavening agent . Although I didn't add the base my cupcakes still turned out well. I will be putting the fifth cupcake into the magazine. The fifth cupcake only had molasses as a substitute . This cupcake turned out to be very sweet yet smooth and warm. I like this cupcake the best. Although my cupcakes did not rise as high as my controlled cupcakes, I think the cupcake turned out the way it did because molasses is an acid and for the fifth cupcake it did not contain the base, egg whites. Therefore an acid-base reaction did not occur within the fifth cupcake.



These pictures are the controlled cupcakes we baked. They turned out pretty good. They tasted moist and similar to cornbread. Overall I think the outcome was good.

Chiquitas journey.

For my food for thought class my classmates and I focused on one specific food, we had to take you through the process of how and where our food is grown, we had to find the geographical location, how it was cleaned, how it was transported, the process of doing this, what may occur when you have to do all these things for one specific food. The food I chose was the banana. I chose the banana because there is so much information regarding that food. My classmates and I created a Prezi, a Prezi is a live and more active slideshow. Through out my Prezi you can see the journey of the Chiquita banana. I chose to do specifically the Chiquita company because I felt that, they were one of the biggest banana companies I've already known about. During the process to find all the information it got difficult trying to take all the information you found into a clean presentable presentation. Overall I am proud of my Prezi and I hope you enjoy!