Ryan Wise: The Genetically Modified Food Dilemma

Name: Ryan Wise, Class of 2011 graduate

Senior Mastery Project: "About 80 percent of the foods you find on the grocery store shelves contain some sort of genetically modified material," Wise told Patch. 

Through his research, Wise learned about the benefits and potential health risks of genetically altered foods.

The Basics of Genetically Modified Foods: Genetically modified foods are crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques. 

"[For example], strawberries are prone to frost, [which] ruins the crops. You take a gene that allows a North Atlantic fish to survive in the cold waters and you put it in a strawberry so they’re more frost resistant," Wise said.

Another example is the adding vitamins and minerals to rice crops in third world countries, which helps prevent malnutrition. 

Benefits: As food demands continue to rise, it is more important than ever to prevent crop losses. Genetically altered crops are less likely to be destroyed by severe weather conditions, pests and drought. 

Safety Concerns: Genetically modified foods have only been around since the 1990's so there's concern that many of the health risks involved are still unknown.

Consumer Disclosure: Presently, U.S. consumers do not receive disclosure when purchasing genetically modified food.

"In the European Union, there are much stricter labeling procedures with genetically modified foods. It’s basically the U.S. that has...brushed [it] aside," Wise said.

About Ryan: While attending Avon High School, he was on the football, basketball and baseball teams. This fall, he's heading to Furman University in South Carolina.

Editor's Note: Hey, Avon Class of 2011 graduating seniors! Do you want your senior master project featured on Avon Patch? E-mail the information to Jessie.Sawyer@patch.com, along with a photo of you and your project. Parents, you can submit on behalf of your children as well. We will be spotlighting one senior mastery project a day, Mondays through Fridays, throughout the entire summer.