The FDA evaluated the safety of the process and the product itself in 1990 and ruled that the enzyme preparation was safe for human consumption. Since then, chymosin produced by recombinant DNA organisms has been widely used in making Cheddar cheese. Most Americans who have had a slice of Cheddar cheese since 1990 have eaten a product improved by biotechnology. In Summary Genetic engineering is a tool that has greatly affected agriculture and will continue to bring dramatic advances in crop and animal production. Biotechnology has improved the quality of food, feed, and fiber, and it often lowers production costs and provides for a safer farm environment.
Many possibilities await.
Scientists are exploring ways to incorporate resistance to disease, nematodes, and other insects into plants. Research in the use of bacteria and viruses to produce enzymes and medicines is already under way. Genetic engineering has a lot to offer. We have only begun to see the products and possibilities. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has several publications and videotapes on the subject.