Up to 70 percent of processed food in the American market contains products of genetic engineering, including soft drinks, catsup, potato chips, cookies, ice cream and corn flakes. Genes are the building blocks of DNA, the blueprint of life.
People have the same DNA as a redwood tree.
Each gene expresses a trait, say, tallness in the redwood or the brown eyes of a child. Six years ago, science began plucking genes out of organisms and splicing them into food crops. Salmon are expected to be the first genetically engineered animal approved for consumption. Farmers In the Middle CBSKentucky farmers speak to 60 Minutes II of their difficulties selling StarLink corn last fall, in a Web-exclusive video package. Within the first year of growth, a bio-engineered salmon is more than three times larger than a normal salmon.