Group 3

Vincent Co
Paola Garejo
Jose Garcia
Em Mallari
Michael Pagaduan
John Yap
LBYMATB C36B



1) What? GMO/Biotech product

Group 3 plans to experiment with exciting vegetables such as lettuce and other
leafy greens that will surely capture the children's or young aged group's interest.
Vegetables are often avoided during meals, making it difficult for them to meet the daily
needed intake. Today, ampalaya can be enjoyed in the form of tablets and even in
noodle soups, making it easier for the children to eat.

Malunggay is also infused in breads such as pan de sals making it extra
healthier with malunggay bits. Similarly, the group will produce chocolate/sweet-tasting
vegetables like lettuce. It will be more effective than chocolate with veggie extracts
since more of the vegetable content will be present.

2) Why? Its uses and advantages

The concept of malnutrition is usually associated with being overly thin but
actually it can also mean being overweight. In the 21
st
century, there are about 42
million children below the age of five and about 1.4 billion people 20 and up that are
overweight. Many of them consume unhealthy food on a daily basis. It is highly probable
that children below the age of 5 would carry on their eating habits up to adulthood and
would still be overweight. Adults who are overweight would then stay this way.

It is quite difficult to stop the vicious cycle that is being above the normal weight
range. People tend to eat copious amounts of food without considering the
consequences that being overweight could bring such as heart disease, diabetes, and
so on. What makes this cycle worse is that healthy food is considered not enjoyable.
People would rather eat doughnuts, candy, or ice cream than fruits. Having said this, a
logical solution would be to actually make healthy food as or even more enjoyable than
junk food. What makes junk food most pleasurable is their taste and texture. By altering
the tastes and textures of healthy fruits and vegetables, this would make people who
eat unhealthy food turn to healthier food. In effect, it could improve health and reduce
the amount of overweight people in the world.

3) Who and Where

This GMO proposal is intended for the people, specifically the kids who do not
receive enough nutrients from vegetables. Kids nowadays prefer fast food and
processed food over the natural ones such as vegetables. This is probably due to the
bland taste of vegetables which makes kids choose the flavourful but unhealthy food.
Parents also fail to train their children to eat vegetables at a young age making them
unaccustomed to its taste. Some parents who are busy with their work are also more
likely to feed their kids with easy-to-prepare food such as hotdogs and noodles which
lack nutrients that the kids need. Kids from depressed areas are also unable to receive
nutrients from food because they cannot afford to buy them. The food that they usually
consume are processed such as canned goods and packed noodles because those are
the only things they can afford.

This GMO product can benefit both the areas where obesity and malnutrition is
prevalent. Countries in the west like the U.S. that has the most number of obese kids
will benefit from this. Parents would find it easier to feed their kids with vegetables if
they have the same taste as chocolates. Kids will also be attracted to eat this making
them receive the nutrients that they need. The kids in poor countries like Africa would
also benefit from this GMO product. Since vegetables are easier and simpler to
produce, people from this country can afford or even get them for free by simply
growing them in their own land.

Altering the bland taste of vegetables would make it attractive to kids to consume
it. This would give them the nutrients that they need from vegetables at the same time
giving them the health benefits of sugar cane and cocoa.

4) Steps

Step 1 Find the gene in terms of taste of the cocoa and sugar cane plant and find the
taste gene of the vegetables as well

Step 2 Extract both genes and insert the cocoa and sugar cane taste gene into the
vegetable

Step 3 check results of the altered taste by testing the sugar level of the vegetable and
compare sweetness levels

Step 4 Check if vitamins or minerals have been altered

Step 5 Taste to see any alterations provided that it is safe to eat.


5) Exhibit

We shall make vegetable-shaped chocolates for our exhibit. The materials needed
are chocolates, moulders and plastic or paper wrappers. The first step is to melt the
chocolates. This can be done by using a microwave or a boiler. Prepare the vegetable-
shaped moulders while the chocolate is being cooled. Next is to pour the chocolate into
the moulder and tap it unto the table to let the air bubbles disappear and for the
chocolate to settle. Place the moulder in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. After the
chocolates have solidified, turn the moulder upside down to remove them from the
container. Voila! You now have vegetable-shaped chocolates.

















Sources:
1) http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/childhood/en/
2) http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/