In short, the definition of GMO refers to a genetically modified organism. Today, by using modern biotechnological methods, the genetic structure of some plant species is intervened and new features are added to plants to improve their structures.

In fact, this technique has already been applied in different ways for thousands of years. For example, the shepherd vaccine and the production of pears on the ahlat tree grown in the mountains is a biotechnology application. As a result, a new product is obtained from a living organism. However, what is confusing people today is not such simple interventions, but studies of changing the DNA structures of organisms. Today, the modern methods used to obtain GMOs are called genetic engineering. Because it is an engineering job to investigate the subtleties of the system that exists in nature and to produce new products using the molecules in the light of this information. To do this, it is necessary to understand the basic sciences such as biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, organic chemistry and genetics.

GMOs are the products of modern biology and are now practiced in almost all areas of human life, health, agriculture, industry and seafood.

As the science of genetics developed with the twentieth century, it was widely used especially in plant and animal breeding. High yielding plant species and animal breeds have been developed in this way. The increase in the use of chemical fertilizers and the development of methods to combat harmful organisms are the result of these studies.

However, problems such as the increase of the world population at a rapid rate, the shrinkage of arable land and the depletion of water resources, which are important in agricultural production, led to the conclusion that the amount of product to be taken from the unit area should be increased. According to scientists, the yield of cereals such as wheat and corn must be increased by 80 percent. This cannot be achieved with traditional breeding methods. For this reason, biotechnological methods and molecular techniques are used in agriculture.

With the development of DNA technology, microorganism genetic engineering, genetic engineering in plants and genetic engineering in animals have accelerated. New molecular methods characterize plant, animal and microbial gene resources and transform them into a whole new structure.

Recently, however, the negative effects of various plant species developed by DNA or genetic engineering techniques and made more resistant to diseases and pests on human health and environmental conditions have been discussed much. These new techniques are questioned from different perspectives.

In general, GMOs, genetically modified organisms, have contributed to the increase of agricultural production, but on the other hand the effects on human health and the environment have created a number of socio-economic concerns.

The first plant to be genetically modified and given a long shelf life is tomato. This was followed by corn, soy, rapeseed, cotton and potatoes. Today, the cultivation area of ​​such crops has reached millions of hectares. The number of countries cultivating GMO crops is more than 30. GMO studies are carried out only to make these products resistant to some insects or to gain resistance to some weed medicines.

In the European Union countries, before the decision to grow GMO crops, the legal regulations for scientific environmental impact analyzes have been in force since 1990. In our country, the Biosecurity Law was enacted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2010. This law aims to prevent the risks arising from GMO products obtained by modern biotechnology methods and to protect human, animal and plant health as well as environment and biodiversity.

While new studies are being carried out on GMO product technologies on the one hand, concerns about human health are increasing. The fact that a product is non-GMO requires the examination of various rings of a long production chain. The important point here is to ensure the traceability of GMOs, to verify and document the legal requirements.

 

Like some inspection and certification bodies, our organization determines that a product is independent of GMO and does not contain GMO at various stages, from seed procurement to agricultural activities, even processing and offering to consumers. These studies are based on the relevant standards as well as the European Union directives.