Gene editing is when a scientist makes a small, controlled change in the DNA of a living organism. The simplest way to envision this process is to imagine editing a giant manuscript. 

You turn hundreds of pages until you reach the sentence you want to change, and then carefully replace a single word. This creates only a small change in an extremely complex word document, or in this case, the genome.

GMOs, genetically modified organism (or genetically modified organism as it is commonly called in the scientific world) are the result of altering the DNA of a living organism. Gene editing is used for many purposes, one of which is the creation of GMOs. 

However, there are many different, other methods for producing GMOs. CRISPR (an acronym for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) is a name we hear often in relation to gene editing. CRISPR is a simple method or tool of gene editing.

Today, gene editing is happening all over the world, not just in the United States. In the United States, gene editing is applied to both plants and animals to improve animal welfare, increase productivity, or reduce input. 

An example of ongoing work on gene editing in animals is in pigs. Pigs are susceptible to an infection called Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). If even one case of PRRS is found in a group of pigs, the entire population should be euthanized to prevent any potential spread. Gene editing techniques have succeeded in producing pigs resistant to this disease, resulting in a significant improvement in animal welfare and avoiding major waste.

Gene editing elements are overseen by federal agencies. No gene editing is done on humans in the United States. Gene editing in humans raises a number of ethical concerns that have been carefully and carefully discussed by ethicists and interested parties. There is potential to use gene editing to improve human health, an option being explored by researchers and scientists.

Do not hesitate to contact our expert team to get detailed information about the GMO Free and NON GMO label and certification, or to apply for certification.