In contrast, proponents say genetic engineering is similar to natural selection, only it s faster. They say using biotechnology takes less time to create a sensible, superior variety of crops. We won t get a potato with legs, but just a better crop, Rob says. A lot of people misconceive what genetically modified food is. They think it s unnatural, says Kylee Lenz, one of Rob s five daughters and a Colorado State University senior majoring in animal science.
Bt corn is an example of genetically engineered corn that has been approved for human consumption.
It contains a bacterium that produces its own pesticide. Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae, according to an April 2000 article by Deborah Whitman, editor of Cambridge Scientific Abstracts. It is a privately-owned information company that publishes scientific and technical research abstracts on the Web. Bt corn only affects the larvae eating it not others bugs, like ladybugs. But if you spray with pesticides, both of them get it, Kylee says.