Genetic modification of food has become a widespread practice since the mid-1990s. The first modified food introduced into our homes was the Flavr Savr tomato in 1994. They were engineered to be resistant to antibiotics, but they were not profitable, so they were discontinued in 1997. There were also concerns that antibiotic resistance could be transferred to individuals. who ingested the fruit leading to his unpopularity. Although the public's first exposure to genetically modified foods was not considered a commercial success, companies were able to recognize that key areas of food production could benefit greatly from genetic manipulation. Scientists have made great strides in improving several areas of food production, such as pests and diseases. resistance, tolerance to toxic herbicides, drought survival, nutritional improvement and even medicines. This can be a great benefit for farmers and food producers, but unfortunately some changes have had unexpected side effects. A well-known example is corn infused with an insect-killing gene from the bacterium Bacillus thruringiens that makes it resistant to pests. Insects die when they ingest BT corn, resulting in less need for pesticides and less toxicity in our environment. An unexpected negative effect is that the insect-killing gene does not discriminate and is killing the monarch butterfly population. Environmental pressures significantly affect crop yields around the world. These can vary depending on the weather, temperatures and soil quality of the region. Scientists have been able to modify genetically engineered foods to withstand colder temperatures by introducing fish antifreeze into seedlings so they can better survive harsh winter climates. New plants have been developed that can feed half of paper meat with genetically modified feed. Many of the world's problems can be solved by changing food. Hunger, disease and malnutrition could be positively affected if these foods were introduced to those in great need. Technology can be a great boon to the human race, but just because we can harden ourselves and successfully create something doesn't necessarily mean we should. For example, scientists in Israel created a lemon-tomato hybrid just to see if they could, although the fruit didn't serve the needed purpose. Genetically modified salmon that can grow faster than native salmon will soon be available, but it can never be introduced into the wild where it would permanently contaminate the ecosystem. Further testing is needed to better understand the impact that genetically modified foods can have on other organisms and what the risks to the environment are from their introduction..