News – Page 2 – GMO SAFETY

Monsanto’s New Anti-Pests Technology

Just a couple of days ago, Monsanto released a press statement saying that they have discovered a way to make plants and crops more resistant to various pests and diseases. Monsanto conducted this research with Harvard University and these two teams worked together on finding out new ways to protect the plants. Their research brought results regarding the pests that have managed to develop a resistance to genetically modified organisms.

The main objective of this collaboration between Monsanto and Harvard University was to find a way to improve the production of proteins in a couple of organisms which then leads to faster regeneration of the tissue and wards off pests and bugs. PACE technology was used and that is the cutting edge innovation when it comes to protein production. As a matter of fact, it is way quicker than anything we have seen so far.

PACE technology is designed to help farmers make the best of the land and the crops they have. This valuable cooperation between these two well-known institutions did create and delivered notable results. PACE helps the plants to produce more protein before the insects can become immune to the existing levels. The members of the teams are hoping that their innovation will be used in the near future by the majority of farmers who are working with GMO seeds and crops.

But what prompted this research? Well, last year Monsanto received a lot of critiques by some of the major environmentalists who accused them of not dealing properly with the superbugs who became a problem and a nuisance to a large number of farmers in the United States. The production of genetically modified corn and soya beans plummeted last year due to the pests that were attacking the crops.

Monsanto responded quickly by putting their best scientists on the project and inviting the Harvard University to help them out with their efforts. Superbugs are simply unacceptable and they had to find a way to deal with them. The production of genetically modified soy beans and corn are the foundation of GM production in the United States and the solution had to be found as soon as possible.

As you probably already know, anything related to Monsanto is a touchy subject that often comes with plenty of criticism. The protesters are usually attacking their poor labeling rules, usage of toxic chemicals for treating their products, and completely ignoring the food safety. USDA announced that they will be reducing the amount of genetically modified corn due to the fact that the majority of crops were destroyed by weeds and pests. They suggested that only licensed farmers would get an opportunity to plant this sort of corn.

However, this latest discovery might change their minds and make them rethink this suggestion because Monsanto did find the way to fight the bugs and pests more efficiently than ever before. The production of corn and soy beans will very likely continue on the same scale as before when it comes to the United States.
It is good to see that the technology related to genetically modified crops is expanding and reaching new levels. No matter how many rallies and protests we have, the production will unlikely subside in the near future. Monsanto is obviously doing their best to correct some of their mistakes and it is positive that they are involving other research teams in order to help them out. This collaboration between Monsanto and Harvard University was clearly a success and the public will be waiting for more test results and the final USDA verdict about the reduction of the planted GMO crops in the United States.

USDA Not Inspecting Anti-Browning Mushrooms

Technology that deals with genetic modifications is constantly evolving. We have recently received the news that the new sort of mushrooms that contains edited genes will not be regulated by USDA and will not require their approval in order to be mass produced. You might be wondering why and here is the answer – Yinong Yang, professor of plant pathology at Penn State developed and used a new form of modification that is absolutely harmless.

The technology which was applied is called CRISPR-Cas9 which stands for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, and it is a brand new way of genetically modifying the organisms. What makes it so special? Well, the most common way to modify an organism is to introduce the foreign DNA to the genes, whether they come from bacteria or other organisms. CRISPR-Cas9 makes sure that there are no transgenes in the final version of the organism because they target a single genome with a DNA modifying enzyme. The result is a “clean” genetically modified organism.

Yinong Yang worked on a mushroom that doesn’t turn brown as it age. He specifically altered the gene that is in charge of producing that brown color within a mushroom. With eliminating this aging factor in the mushroom, we now have a product that will last longer and be resistant to both ripening and being damaged by mishandling in the supermarkets. Plus, there is no foreign DNA involved.

The decision made by USDA surely did spark a debate among the people who are firmly against genetically modified food, but Yinong Yang is sure that his research is completely safe and that it will revolutionize the agricultural production due to the fact that in theory, CRISPR-Cas9 can be applied to any given crop and it will greatly improve it.

As a matter of fact, CRISPR-Cas9 can make crops stronger and more resistant to various diseases and pests. It can also make them survive droughts, unfavorable conditions, and drive them to utilize the surrounding elements to their advantage. CRISPR-Cas9 can also make crops use nitrogen and phosphorous more efficiently in order to grow.

The development of this new GMO technology can become the future or agriculture. The tests have shown that it is completely benign and it can do wonders for various plants and crops. Therefore, it will be pleasing to both scientist who are working with GMO and those who strongly oppose any sort of modifications.

Yang also hopes that his discovery and usage of CRISPR-Cas9 will finally end the debate whether GMO is safe or not. It most certainly has the potential to be used on a greater scale. However, CRISPR-Cas9 still requires FDA’s approval and it will be submitted for inspection in the near future. FDA needs to take a closer look at all new products and we are sure that they will be fascinated with the safe anti-browning mushrooms just like the rest of us.

FDA needs to put their stamp of approval before any sort of mass production can begin and they will very likely take their time with this one. Even though CRISPR-Cas9 seems to be entirely harmless, there are plenty of tests that needs to be conducted and the never ending debate about the safety of genetically modified foods and products will most certainly continue.

Yang will carry on with his efforts of testing out CRISPR-Cas9 on other plants as well, trying to perfect the small flaws and see if it actually works. We hope that FDA will test Yang’s discovery as soon as possible, reach the verdict quickly, and that the anti-browning mushrooms will hit the shelves in the near future.

First Public Results of GRACE Project

GMO is a fascinating subject and having in mind that it is a fairly recent phenomenon, there are so many researches that are underway at the moment of speaking. GMO managed to divide the scientific community so any breakthrough in the research is a front page news. We are still uncertain about the long-term effect GMO foods can have on human bodies and health. European Union is highly involved in regulating GMO foods. They have commissioned a team of researchers to take a closer look at both medium and long-term effects of GMO products. The team has made the preliminary results available to public in April of 2016 and here is what they found.

The researchers working on GRACE project have a clear goal – getting accurate information on both short term and long term effects of GMO foods on living organisms. Therefore, they began trial testing on rodents who were fed GMO foods. One group was given genetically modified corn for ninety days, and the other one will be consuming the said product for one year. On the other hand, the control group is fed standard and non-genetically modified corn in the same time frame.

The results from the short term test group was published in Archives of Toxicology and it clearly showed that there were absolutely no differences between the two groups of rodents. It means that genetically modified corn has the same effect on an organism as the standard crops. European Union’s food regulators require this type of testing before they can give a green light to genetically modified products, and even though they have the positive results from the ninety days trial, they will be waiting for the one year study before they allow the mass production and distribution of MON810 GM corn.

Following the European Union’s strict rules regarding genetically modified food, the GRACE Project will be releasing all the data they have collected in this study so far on their official web site. It will be accessible to anyone who is interested in this topic and they will not be holding back on any documentation. European Union is very involved in the research of GMO foods and the GRACE Project is not the only study they are working on at the moment. As a matter of fact, the findings from two more studies will be added to GRACE’s results once they are completed.

Projects G-TwYST and GMO90+, which are conducted by a group of French researchers have agreed to share the information, data, materials, and their findings with the scientists that are working on GRACE. This is done in order to help each other reach the accurate results that will have an impact on the future of GMO products in European Union. The things are looking good so far and it seems there should be no concern about the production of MON810 GM corn in Europe.

All in all, the results of the one year trial will be published in Archive of Toxicology once it reaches its end, as well as the collaborative results from the other trials. Until then, the researchers working on GRACE Project are inviting all of you to take a part in the public discussion about their latest findings. As we have previously mentioned, all the documents and findings will be on their website. So it doesn’t matter if you are a scientist who is heavily involved in this field of study or a regular person simply interested in the topic of genetically modified foods – you are free to comment and share your opinion on their findings.

Nestlé Removes GMO Ingredients from Their Ice Cream

The food manufacturing giants have recently announced that they will be removing GMO ingredients from a couple of their ice cream flavors. Nestlé are one of the biggest companies in the world today and the fact that they are actually listening to the demands of their customers who oppose GMO technology is a watershed moment for those who are putting an effort into removing GMO from the best-selling and well known food products.

A large number of consumers have contacted Nestlé demanding the removal of GMO ingredients from six ice cream products. Even though it has taken Nestlé some time to make a final decision, eventually they did reach the verdict and in order to keep their customers satisfied, GMO ingredients will be taken out of all of the requested products.

They released an official statement in which they pointed out that Nestlé Dreyer’s Ice Cream will be updating the ingredients of the following flavors: Edy’s 1, Häagen-Dazs, Outshine, Skinny Cow, Nestlé Ice Cream and Nestlé Drumstick. The focus will be on maintaining the well-known flavors with all new non-GMO ingredients. Therefore, the consumers will remain happy and get the healthiest possible version of their favorite ice cream product.

Nestlé will also closely examine a number of other products in order to determine if they need any modifications when it comes to ingredients. Their scientists will be inspecting over one hundred products and make a decision whether they need updates in terms of removing both GMO ingredients or artificial flavors and colors.

Their efforts should be praised because not many food manufacturers are ready to plunge into this so readily. They mostly ignore the critics and continue to use untested ingredients in their products anyway. Of course, there are plenty of research we need to complete in order to know exactly how GMO products influence our bodies and environment. But there are already so many people who oppose GMO technology and request that the big companies at least put a GMO label on their products.

As a matter of fact, other huge companies such as Kellogg’s and Mars made the announcements in March that they will be following Campbell’s’ steps and start putting GMO warning labels on the products that contain GMO ingredients. This seemed like a huge deal when it first came out, but Nestlé took it to a whole new level with the actual removal of GMO ingredients from their ice creams.

The labels appeared in April of 2016 all around the United States and that decision was rushed after a new GMO law was accepted in Vermont. The manufacturers have decided that it will be impossible to put the labels on their products in Vermont only, so they went big and nationwide and updated both the labels and the packaging of their products in all of the fifty states.

The bar was raised by Nestlé and we are eager to see what the other manufacturers will do in the future regarding the labels. The food production business is obviously very huge and they simply have to listen to the demands of their customers in order to keep them satisfied. If there is a request that an ingredient needs to be closely examined and revised, the large companies take the criticism very seriously and do their best to make further inquiry as soon as possible.

Knowing the ingredients that are in the food you consume is very important and we applaud Nestlé for listening to their customers. It is a big victory for the people who are not fans of GMO and we are sure that there will be more developments with this story in the future.

The latest revelation: Vitamin C in Supplements Is Made From GMO Corn

Having in mind that the modern life is fast and that we are definitely not getting enough vitamins and nutrients from the foods we consume, taking different supplements became a common occurrence. Yes, it is great that you are taking care of yourself and thinking about your health, but are you really aware of the origin of the substances you are consuming? If the answer is no, you will be very surprised.

The majority of companies that manufacture supplements are very loud when it comes to advertising and they are prone to making sensational claims. Mike Adams, a notable scientist and an author of the book called Food Forensics told Natural News that not all supplements are created equal and the fact that the word “pure” or “natural” is printed on the packaging does not guarantee that you will be getting an organic and healthy supplement that is ridden of all chemicals or toxins.

He was particularly vocal about vitamin C supplements you can buy in stores all around the country and made a revelation that the said vitamin C is derived from GMO corn. Vitamin C is extracted from ascorbic acid and it is in almost every case obtained from the genetically modified corn. If you want to purchase completely organic vitamin C supplement, you will need to do so from Europe because their GMO laws are very strict and the supplements go through plenty of tests before they are approved for mass production and distribution.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the genetically modified corn is toxic or dangerous. However, if the manufacturers of the said supplement are advertising it as an immunity booster that will help you fight or prevent the common cold, you will have more luck if you go for the supplement that extracts the vitamin C from a pure and natural source. Natural vitamin C has a lot more benefits than the synthetic one because you will be getting additional enzymes that will help your body use vitamin C in the best possible way.

Sure enough, there are plenty of scientists who oppose this finding and their main argument is that vitamin C is simply a chemical and that it doesn’t matter where it comes from as long as it does its work and achieve the same final result. As we have previously mentioned, GMO corn seems to be completely safe for human consumption and there are no recorded complications, but of course, we cannot say that for certain until we have some scientific results that examined the long term effect on humans. We simply need more solid scientific proof.

The production of organic and clean vitamin C in the US is demanding and there are not many manufacturers who want to get into it. It costs a lot of money and requires a number of regulations and permits. However, there are a couple of companies who are trying to launch their own productions at the moment.

All in all, it is impossible to tell if vitamin C derived from GMO corn is completely different from the organic vitamin C without extensive long term research. Luckily, there are plenty of ongoing trials right now that will very likely give us more information about the effects of genetically modified foods and plants in the near future.

Food production technology is constantly evolving. As a consumer, you should definitely be more involved into knowing exactly what you consume because not everything is very transparent. Check the labels and ingredients regularly, especially on the store bought supplements. The fine print is there for a reason and you should always keep that in mind.

Bill Nye and the Changing Opinions on GMO Products

Bill Nye, the science guy is a well-known face all around the globe and he is the most famous tv researcher who made his career through educating generations and generations of children through his tv show. He wrote numerous books and still appears on television and various talk shows. As a matter of fact, he made his new startling revelation on Bill Maher’s HBO show.

The science guy was very vocal on criticizing GMO and Monsanto in both his written works and tv appearances. However, he told Bill Maher that he has completely changed his views on this issue. After visiting Monsanto and their research facilities, Bill was extremely impressed by the amount of care with which the scientists approach this field of study and now he claims that GMO foods are completely safe for consumption.

He even told Bill Maher that he will revise all of the chapters in his books that criticize GMO and update and rewrite them using his newly acquired knowledge on the topic. Nye spent a lot of time with the researchers at Monsanto laboratories and he absolutely loved what he saw there. He is certain that GMO foods are the future for the mankind and that the rest of the world will see the benefits very soon.

However, recent polls have discovered that the opinions on the safety of GMO foods vary in terms of the education. We are already familiar with the information that around 88% of world’s scientists say that GMO foods are not harmful to human bodies or the environment and that they can only benefit the population.

That certainly can be true because we have already encountered plenty of obstacles in the organic production of various foods, and using GMO seeds vastly improves the production rates and the quality of the crops. The newest data shows that people who are more educated are less likely to have a sense of distrust when it comes to GMO products. The general opinion is changing and we are showing more and more support towards the GMO research and production.

Just like Bill Nye, the people are seeing why it is a good thing and why we need to invest our knowledge and resources into developing GMO foods even further. The fact that we are capable of modifying a living plant tells a lot about the level of technological advancement we have reached so far and even though we have to test the effects further, it is already a huge step forward in the food production.

The criticism of GMO and claims that the effects it has on humans are severe and dangerous mostly come from the people who are not well versed in the science, or haven’t attended college or post graduate programs. Perhaps their beliefs come from the lack of information or they are simply conservative and not ready to accept new technologies.

Having in mind that Bill Nye was skeptical about GMO but managed to change his mind completely and rethink his previous claims shows that we are taking a huge step forward when it comes to GMO and biotechnology. Sure, we still need various GMO laws and guidelines until we can say for sure that GMO production is not harming humans, animals, or the environment. But until then, we have to keep an open mind and allow the research to be done.

Monsanto’s scientists are doing their best to explore and test the GMO products they are working on. Bill Nye is most certainly convinced by their efforts. We simply need to give them some space and time to further improve their discoveries.

Will Engineering Make Bananas a Super Food?

Vitamin A is one of the most important nutrients the body requires. While it is easy in developed countries to get enough Vitamin A each day from different sources, in many developing countries like Uganda the toll from Vitamin A deficiency is frighteningly high. As “Genetically Engineered Bananas: Frankenfruit or Life-Saving Miracle?” from Shape magazine states, the numbers equal out to about 2 million deaths each year, and 500,000 cases of irreversible blindness. The article laments the numbers because Vitamin A deficiency is actually easily avoided with a simple supplement each day, but the challenge of developing countries is they cannot manufacture and distribute those supplements to their people. That’s where the idea of the enriched banana comes in.

The goal of the enriched banana project was one much akin to the goal undertaken with golden rice, another staple crop that feeds billions in poorer parts of the world. By increasing the amount of Vitamin A available in bananas, the hope is that the crop can be planted in places like Uganda where it will grow well and thrive, providing an easy means of giving the necessary Vitamin A to the people to protect them from the dangers of Vitamin A deficiency. The article states that only about one banana is needed each day to give that protection, and for billions of people in these areas it can make a life changing impact.

The creators of the enriched banana acknowledge though that while they have beneficial goals, they have a hard fight ahead of them to bring the plan to fruition. People are afraid of genetic modification of food, although the Shape article points out that it would be more correct to label the banana a genetically engineered organism, rather than a gmo. This is because the enriching of the bananas isn’t achieved from inserting a gene into the banana that isn’t naturally there- it’s actually using the existing genetic structure of the banana and just changing how it operates. Some hope the naming difference of geo and gmo might be enough to dodge the controversy that often stalls or outright shuts down the implementation of such foods. The scientists aren’t so sure, and are already prepared for activists to against the video porno gratis, the article points out.

The controversy, while time consuming in developed countries, can pose a bigger danger to people in developed countries. The article reports that golden rice, though also fought against, has managed to save upwards of one million children’s lives per day, and the hope is that the bananas can achieve something similar. Also like the golden rice, the bananas look just a little physically different from regular bananas- whereas regular bananas often look green or yellow on their peels, the enriched bananas have a more orange tinge to their skins.

For now, the enriched banana is set to go through a series of clinical trials so as to see if it meets the rigorous testing standards for toxicity, allergens, side effects, and other categories as set forth by the FDA and other regulatory government bodies. It is hoped that, if the bananas can pass such trials, and if they can survive the scrutiny and protesting that follows the food approval process that they can begin to be distributed around the world by 2020. From there time will tell if the enrichment process of the genetically enriched organism is enough to save the millions in need of Vitamin A each year, or if the project itself wasn’t quite as super as everyone else had believe it was.

Source:
Anderson, C.H. (2016). Genetically Engineered Bananas: Frankenfruit or Life-Saving Miracle? Shape. Retrieved on May 5, 2016 from http://www.shape.com/blogs/fit-foodies/genetically-engineered-bananas-frankenfruit-or-life-saving-miracle

Sugar Beets- The Cautionary Tale of GMO Acceptance

Sugar beets seem to be an innocuous crop, not spoken of as much as other modified plants. However, the story of the rise and fall of the modified sugar beet gives a possible outlook to how the mass adoption of genetically modified foods can backfire when the public perceptions and political forces change to go against such adoptions.

According to the Reuters article “GMO backlash threatens beet farmers as foodmakers swap sugars”, the problem occurred when all American beet growers, located in agrarian states like Michigan, North Dakota, and Idaho, had all switched their crop production to genetically modified variants. The farmers had done this in an effort to stay competitive in the world sugar marketplace where importation of sugars such as cane sugar had begun to eat into American market share. The hope was that the genetically modified various would benefit farmers two-fold, giving American producers an increased yield as well as a decreased cost in maintaining the seed and growth. Uniquely among any other farming segment in America, while there is contention between growers and their switch from all natural to gmo crops (and the unintentional spread of gmo seeds during pollination to non-gmo farms), the seeming success of the beet crop had a 100% conversion rate. Soon all American beet farmers were growing only the genetically modified versions of the crop.

However, this success couldn’t last forever. Eventually the sentiments against the gmo community grew to a fever pitch and both consumers and distributors stopped buying the modified crop. With this boycott also came the rising imports of cane sugar from abroad. These two factors led to disastrous result for the beet growing community- the U.S. of beets in satisfying the sugar demands of the American public fell to just 41%, the Reuters article reported, which was a record low.

One of the biggest economic blows that effects gmo growers is when large, established businesses refuse to use the modified ingredients in their products. Beet producers felt the sting of this type of decision when the Hershey Corporation announced that it would stop using the modified sugar crops in the production of its popular chocolates. Hershey announced this move was to better connect with the target market of health conscious millennials. But what are they afraid of?

Again, the article gives some clues. It states that some of the biggest worries regarding genetically modified plants was whether the use of gmo seed has led to a greater industrialization of the farming sector, where it has becoming harder for mom and pop farms to keep operating amongst billion dollar companies. While the loss of one of the oldest types of American dream is hard to deal with, the other problem is that many contend that there isn’t enough research yet to prove that genetically modified crops are safe for the ecosystem or consumption. Both arguments are ones that are used often in the controversy surrounding the gmo movement, and there are voices on both sides.

But the modified beet farmers are holding tough, because many can’t afford to go back to non-altered seed given the investment they’ve already made into the modified variety. So instead they are trying numerous efforts, from lobbying the government and surviving off of federal quota systems that pay the difference of a shortfall crop year to social media campaigns where they are trying to promote the idea of using beet sugar as beneficial to the modern consumer. In an uncertain economy, beet growers are doing all they can to keep their genetically modified businesses running.

Source:
Prentice, C. (2015). GMO backlash threatens beet farmers as foodmakers swap sugars. Reuters. Retrieved on May 5, 2015 from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sugar-gmo-insight-idUSKCN0SN0C720151029

Bt Cotton and the promise of Toxic Pest Protection

One of the biggest threats to a growing, successful farm of any kind of crop is the unstoppable hunger of pests. In biblical days this was represented by locusts devastating entire fields of crops, leaving thousands hungry. The article “Cotton” on “GMO compass” states that in the modern day, cotton- an especially valuable crop due to its varied uses in textiles, animal feed, and processed food ingredients- struggles against destruction from pest populations, including a few types of caterpillar that bore into the bolls of the cotton ruining quality of harvest and reducing the yields of that harvest. One answer that farmers had been using to deal with the insect threats had been the use of pesticide poisons to try and eradicate the populations as they came, but the introduction of bt cotton offers another line of defense for the crop: the cotton itself.

The way bt cotton works is similar to other types of genetically modified plants that protect themselves from insects. A gene was inserted into the cotton that allows the plant to produce a toxin that kills the attackers. When the insects (in this case most often the caterpillars mentioned) start to nibble into the plant, the toxin enters the insects causing an enzyme reaction in them that halts the attack and ends in their death. Now, this inborn defense is very important because one of the largest producers of cotton in the world is China, and before the modified bt cotton was introduced into their agricultural system, the main way they combatted their pest problems was through heavy use of pesticides. While spraying tons of poisons over the plants can have a few questionable consequences- such as killing helpful insects in the vicinity, and the thought of poisons dripping all over food that is to be eaten- the biggest problem of this method of cultivation was that the way evolution worked it resulted in the flourishing of resistant pests. Because they could withstand the normal amounts of pesticides being sprayed, the farmers would have to spend more money on spraying even more pesticides, which would still result in more resistant pests down the line.

But, as the “cotton” article states, now more than 68% of cotton grown in China is of the genetically modified variant, and because of this Chinese farmers have been able to reduce their use of pesticides on their crop drastically. With the successful use of the crop shown in China, there is hope that the bt cotton will be used in many more places too- it already accounts for most cotton growth in other countries such as India, the U.S., Chile, Mexico, Australia, and South Africa.

However, while bt cotton is grown in many places, there are still a number of countries that refuse to grow the crop. The chief holdout is the European Union, where many applications have been submitted for review but the process and decision is still pending. However, there is hope on the horizon as the EU does allow for lines of genetically modified cotton to be imported into their territory for use as food and feed. Given the expansive list of uses for cotton other than in textiles, including as cooking oil, food additives, animal feeds and milks, and even margarine, there are a lot of reasons for the EU to seriously consider bt cotton into their farming community as another alternative to using greater amounts of pesticides to protect their yields of crops. As with any genetically modified crop there are stigmas to be overcome, and time will only tell.

Source:
Gmo-compass. (2016). Cotton. Gmo-compass. Retrieved on May 5, 2016 from http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/161.genetically_modified_cotton.html

Golden Rice and the Possibility of Overcoming World Famine Through Genetic Modification

Golden rice is a crop that has been in development in one way or another since 1984. The crop itself is named after the golden yellow color it has, which contrasts greatly with the normal white color of rice. The signature trait of golden rice is that it is infused with beta-carotene, an extremely important nutrient that is the source of Vitamin A. It is the addition of that nutrient that also gives the rice its distinctive color.

According to the article “In A Grain of Golden Rice, A World of Controversy Over GMO Foods” on NPR, the idea for golden rice came about from a group of master plant breeders talking after a Rockefeller Foundation funded meeting at the International Rice Institute. Peter Jennings, who had helped to orchestrate the Green Revolution that had saved billions, suggested that altering rice to include beta-carotene could vastly improve the lives of millions or even billions itself.

The reason for this was simple. In many poorer and less developed countries in the east, most children grow up on rice from a young age. Because rice lacks the ability to give meaningful amounts of Vitamin A, children tend to grow up malnourished and suffer from that lack for their whole lives. Because parents in many of those countries wean their children on rice gruel predominantly, it would be imperative to have some way of introducing the absolutely important vitamin into the diet of the less wealthy masses.

One of the hurdles that must be overcome in selling the long developed idea of golden rice to people in both the developed and developing world is to overcome the stigma of the odd coloration. While gold is not a color that is generally looked at with disdain, it still triggers the parts of our brain that warn us about off coloration of food. Those parts of the brain were evolved to protect us from spoiled food and edible items that may have been poisonous, and they also allowed us to notice the natural warning colors that dissuaded us from trying to touch harmful plants or animals. But now it is serving to scare people away from trying the healthier rice for their benefit.

On the goldenrice.org website under the heading “Sociocultural Issues”, the team behind golden rice points out that early in their inception carrots were actually white or purple. They state that while they understand why people may be hesitant to try their golden rice out of tradition for using only their specific kinds of grains, they hope that the curiosity of people in places ranging from Africa to Latin America to Asia will have them try out their golden rice.

Back on the NPR article, the writer states that while golden rice has taken decades to cultivate and turn into a viable product, the developers have gotten close to the release of the rice and were working on passing rigorous testing standards and accompanying legislation so that they could plant in countries like the Philippines and Bangladesh. Being that the rice was designed so that very low income people would have access to the nutrient it provided, it was important to make the most headway in those locations. Even with their positive goals, though, the comments were ripe with anti-gmo sentiments, and illustrated how even with the best intentions it would still be hard to get the passage approved to where the rice could do the most good- in some of the most tradition focused areas on earth. However, there was hope that all the effort that has gone into the rice would pay off for those in need.

Source:

Charles, D. (2013). In A Grain Of Golden Rice, A World Of Controversy Over GMO Foods. NPR.

Golden Rice Humanitarian Board. (2016). Sociocultural Issues. Golden Rice Project.