346 Bulletin UASVM, Veterinary Medicine 65(1)/2008 pISSN 1843-5270; eISSN 1843-5378 GENETIC MODIFIED ORGANISMS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH Pusta Dana, I. Paca, Rodica Sobolu * , R. Morar, Adel Ersek, Camelia Răducu University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, * Faculty of Horticulture Str. Mănătur nr. 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: danapusta@yahoo.co.uk Keywords: genetic modified organisms; advantages and risks; environment human health Abstract: During the last decades the genetic modified organisms (GMO) have started to “conquer”; little by little our lives. The most widely used are the genetic modified plants; because they have big productions and they are resistant to different pests. In the beginning; the spread of the genetic modified plants was controlled; but today many countries cultivate genetic modified plants without any control. Among these countries Romania is ahead; starting the cultivation of the genetic modified plants in 1999; very soon after their obtaining. Today it seems that in Romania there are cultivated large surfaces with soy; potatoes and corn. The effect of these cultures on the environment is as far not completely known. This paper outline the effect of the food consumption obtained from this plants which may determine different sort of allergies; especially in children and the scientists are worried about their effect on long term use. Also; because the genetic modified plants have bigger productions than the normal ones and they are more resistant; the farmers are not encouraged to declare that they are using genetic modified seeds. So; in that way; the consumer does not know what kind of food he consumes. INTRODUCTION The aim of this study is to realize an exhaustive image regarding the presence of the GMO; regarding their use and of the risk of them; in the context of the environment protection. The study presents the way the transgenic plants were obtained and the actual situation worldwide. An important part deals with the presence and the use of the transgenic plants in our country; rejection of the GMO by the market; the social-economic impact of GMO and the awareness of the people. All these aspects are approached regarding our country compared to others worldwide and in the EU. OBTAINING OF THE GENETIC MODIFIED PLANTS To obtain transgenic plants it is necessary to perform the following operations: a) transfer of the gene of interest in the host cell; b) selection of the host cells which have integrated the transgenes in their genome; c) regeneration of some whole plants; starting from plantulas obtained by in vitro cultivation of the host cells; d) cultivation of the transgenic plants in protected environments (green houses; etc.). e) experimental cultivation of the new plants in fields. a) transfer of the foreign gene of interest in the genome of the vegetal cell can be realized: brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk