GM food: eat or not
to eat?
Source: The
October 3, 2008
CheckBiotech
For example, a plant
geneticist may isolate a gene responsible for virus resistance and insert that
gene into a different plant, resulting in a genetically modified plant that is
virus resistance.
Not only can genes be transferred from plants to plants, but
genes from animals and micro-organisms also can be used.
In a recent survey to our local supermarkets, there has not
been found any food products labelled as ‘GM’.
However, a number of food products labelled as ‘No
GM’ or ‘doesn’t not contain any GM properties’ were found. This is most likely
to convince the consumers that the products are safe to eat because they are
not genetically modified, or was it because GM food is as safe as the
conventional products that they do not required special labelling?
Eat or not to eat? Consumers should be aware of the pros and
cons of GM food before making the decision. Firstly, on the positive side, GM
foods could ensure an adequate food supply for our booming population which is
predicted to 12 billion people in the next 50 years.
This could be achieved by growing a pest resistance plant
that can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the
cost of bringing a crop to market.
The impact of crop losses from insect pest can be enormous
as they result in financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing
countries. Crop plants genetically engineered to be resistance to herbicide and
disease could also help prevent environmental damage and increase yield.
Besides, creating plants that can withstand long periods of
drought and high salt content in soil could help farmers to grow crops in
locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation as more land is utilised for other purpose to compensate the growth of
world population. A genetically modified crop could also help to prevent
nutrient deficiencies.
For example, rice could be genetically engineered to contain
additional vitamins and minerals, while potatoes with increased starch content
created to make potato chips with better texture. In addition, GM food could be
potential pharmaceuticals — edible vaccines, in replacing the traditional
costly injectable vaccines.
The release of GM food had generated much discussion about
their potential risks to the environment and human health. One possible risk is
genetically modified a crop might cause unintended harm to other organism, for
example, the caterpillars that eat the pollen containing pest resistance gene
against certain insects.
Another concern is that crop plants engineered for herbicide
tolerance might cause gene transfer to non-target species as the result of
cross-breeding between the plants and weeds, resulting in ‘superweed’
that would be herbicide tolerant as well. As for the effect on human health,
the possible risk is allergenicity.
There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant
may cause allergic reaction in susceptible individuals and people may not be
aware that the GM food contains a new protein. Nevertheless, scientists still
believe that GM foods do not present a risk to human health as there have not
been any documented cases of illness caused by consumption of GM food.
Genetically modified food should have been assessed on their
possible risks to human health with strict experimental methods before they can
be commercialised.
As we saw, much discussion about the potential risks of GM
food had been generated ever since the release of Flavr
Savr tomato in
In the next decade we are likely to see many new
agricultural products created through genetic engineering. Because of their
newness, GM foods have raised concern about safety especially to human health.
However, the wise use of modern biotechnology should embrace safer and less-toxic
agricultural practices.
Genetically modified plants can contribute in positive ways
towards sustainable agriculture. On the other hand, consumer should be well
informed of the ‘possible’ risks of a certain GM food before making the
decision. It is then out to the consumer to decide whether to accept the GM
food into their meal; the same situation when deciding whether to take
contraceptive pill in spite of their possible side effects stated in the
product’s description list.
As for me, I would love to have a taste on GM food if
consuming it would mean saving the world’s hunger.
Cecilia Liew is a Biotechnology
lecturer at Sedaya International College Sarawak.
Source: The
greenbio.checkbiotech.org