Heirloom vs. 'Frankenfood'

You hear a lot of talk about heirloom seeds these days, which is a good thing. Heirloom, or open pollinated seed varieties that have been grown for over 100 years in some cases have delivered consistent, healthy produce for generations. But what exactly is the difference between an heirloom variety and a hybrid, or GMO   (Genetically Modified Organism)? GMO varieties result from Genetic Engineering which involves taking genes from one species and inserting them into another. For example, genes from an arctic flounder which has "antifreeze" properties may be spliced into a tomato to prevent frost damage. It is impossible to guide the insertion of the new gene, which can lead to unpredictable effects.

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