At the age of 18, Maya Bloom has already completed an original research paper entitled, “Are Organic Foods Free of Genetically Modified Organisms?” All products that are labeled USDA Organic must only possess natural products under federal law. However, after Maya Bloom learned that over 85% of all corn in the United States was genetically modified, she decided to research the topic. Maya Bloom formed the hypothesis that products produced at nationwide facilities would possess genetically modified organisms; local products would not. After extracting DNA from six samples, Maya Bloom’s hypothesis was proven to be correct. 100% of the products from nationwide production facilities tested positive for genetically modified organisms, whereas the one local sample did not.

Maya Bloom was not surprised by her findings. She stated, “After hearing that such a high percentage of corn was genetically modified, I knew my hypothesis would most likely be correct. So many people trust the USDA Organic stamp; however, you cannot trust that ALL products with this label are free of GMOS.” Maya Bloom hopes to inspire others to continue this quest to understand organic products so that more awareness about the problem can be raised. “I hope that more people are exposed to my research and conduct similar experiments at a larger level. This problem needs to be exposed. I feel like stores are making money off of a false promise. Consumers deserve to know the truth about what they are putting into their bodies,” Maya Bloom stated.

Maya Bloom hopes to encourage other high school students to follow in her footsteps and conduct their own research. “I never thought I was capable of uncovering these findings on my own, but it is possible! I hope other students in high school will realize their intelligence and begin to conduct their own research. It may seem intimidating, but they just need to use the knowledge they possess. With research, you can uncover answers to almost any question you may have,” Maya Bloom explained. In the future, Maya Bloom hopes to continue researching and uncovering new knowledge. “Knowledge is priceless,” Maya Bloom said.