Tag: food

THE ADVANCE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS INCREASING

THE ADVANCE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS INCREASING

Alarms about a global food crisis are growing by the day. In a context of wars, especially Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, coupled with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the expectation of an economic recession, many countries have been forced to review their policies on GM foods.

According to UN estimates, 1.7 billion people in 100 countries will be affected by Ukraine’s dwindling grain supply this year, as the country is considered the “breadbasket” of Europe. However, this goes beyond the old continent as, post-pandemic, the number of food insecure people has risen to 276 million.

This, coupled with impending climate change that also puts crops at risk, has put GM foods at the centre of the conversation. These, also known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), can be an alternative to secure food amidst adverse conditions.

 

What are GM foods and why are they controversial?

GM foods are foods whose genetic material has been deliberately altered, and which are not one that is likely to be produced naturally through breeding or selection. These modifications are usually obtained by introducing genetic material from one species into the genome of another xnxx.

There are different foods that have been modified, one of the best known of which is Bt maize. To achieve this, the gene of a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, is introduced, with the aim of making it resistant to certain types of pests, and therefore, it lasts longer. This maize is marketed in the United States.

What are GM foods and why are they controversial?

The controversy surrounding GM foods lies in their environmental impact. Once genetically modified seeds are used on a field, they cannot be used again without modification. And it is possible that, if these areas are not controlled, the planting of GM food will cause soil disturbance.

As most GM foods are intended to withstand heavy herbicide use, their use can have undesirable effects. For example, new “superweeds,” which are extremely resistant to herbicides, have been found in the United States and have impacted millions of acres in 22 states.

On the other hand, there are concerns that such foods may increase allergies or the risk of cancer or other diseases. On this issue, it can be said that research has been inconclusive, while voices within biotechnology defend its effectiveness in helping crops grow faster and even safer.

 

Why might the EU change its position on GM food?

In several countries the use of GMO foods is widespread, such as in the US, Brazil, Canada and India. Others are also beginning to lift regulations, such as Kenya and Colombia. However, the European Union is very wary of GM foods and their use is regulated by the European Regulation 1829/2003 on genetically modified foods.

In most EU member states, GM crops are banned, but pro-biotech voices claim that these bans are made for non-scientific reasons or under dubious research. Even so, the EU’s stance on GM crops is taking a turn.

In March, the EU approved the use of GM soy, rapeseed and cotton crops for the food and feed sectors, prompted by uncertainty over the invasion of Ukraine. Another country that could also change its position is the United Kingdom, especially after its independence following Brexit.

Although this position on GMOs is “transitional,” and only for grain exports in the context of the war, it may be the first step towards greater tolerance of this technology. After all, the climate crisis could also pose an obstacle to food security.

 

 

RELATED POST

 

Healthier GM Potato Hits the Shelves

Simplot, a large food company from Idaho announced that they will begin with mass production of healthier genetically modified potato that is resistant to bruising. They spent more than a decade developing and perfecting this new sort of potato that will reduce the food waste and carry more healthy fats which might be appealing to the health conscious people who are interested in getting the right micro nutrients from their meals.

Besides the obvious changes in the appearance of the genetically modified potatoes who are bruise resistant, Simplot also developed a non-browning apple. They managed to do so by applying the so-called gene silencing technology that is a new way of genetically modifying various fruits and vegetables. The scientists extract certain genes from already cultivated products and they put them in the fruits or vegetables they are trying to improve. The extracted genes mute the ones that are already existing in a said product and modify the genetic sequence that is the cause of bruising, browning, etc.

Gene silencing is not a standard way of modifying the fruits and vegetables because no foreign genes are introduced, so this might be one of the new methods of biotechnology that will bring changes to the production in the future. Plus, gene silencing will activate numerous other processes in a crop that was treated with this method.

So what makes this potato healthier than the others? The gene silencing method modifies the acrylamide production in the said plant as well. Acrylamide is released during frying and it adds unnecessary carbohydrates to a potato. As you already know, excessive consumption of carbohydrates can lead to obesity and that is one of the main causes of health problems in the United States. As a matter of fact, numerous foods release larger quantities of carbohydrates during cooking, frying, or deep frying xxx.

Another concern is that a couple of unofficial studies have shown that acrylamide can be cancerous. Even though there is no concrete proof and further investigation should be done in order to determine the validity of these findings, numerous people started avoiding potatoes due to the fact that it produces this chemical when it is deep fried. However, Simplot’s potatoes are completely safe since it has very low amounts of acrylamide even after it has been cooked at very high temperatures.

On the other hand, we know for sure that acrylamide is a neurotoxin and that it is not harmful in low doses. It is released during frying but it cannot leave any permanent damage to human health even if you work in a restaurant and you are exposed to it on a daily basis. So if you still have any concerns about this chemical, using Simplot’s potato in your diet might be the way to go.

Simplot really did their best to develop this sort of potato and their efforts have been met with fairly positive feedback from the scientific community. However, it might not be as successful with the consumers because people are still concerned about the genetically modified foods and have reservations about buying the products that are being marketed as altered fruits and vegetables.

Trial Run: The Success of Bt Corn in Kenya

Corn is one of the staple products in Africa. It gained popularity due to the fact it can be cultivated everywhere and in every possible temperature. Surely, the conditions in Africa are difficult and droughts are common but there are other issues that are causing a lot of trouble for the local farmers.

A couple of species of stem borers are known for attacking corn that is cultivated in Africa. This is a huge problem because thousands and thousands of people are relying on these plants as the source of food. Luckily, Bt corn did show great results in standing up to these pests and managing to thrive perfectly.

The research

A study that examined three harvest seasons in Kenya was released this month in the journal called Crop Protection. The scientists analyzed the produce to the smallest details, measuring both the number of successful crops, as well as the damage that was made by stem borers. This research included eighteen different sorts of crops and they were put to test at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization. The examined corn ranged from the high-quality GMO hybrids, to local corn species that were not treated with Bt.

So over the course of three planting seasons, scientists measured the damage that was done to all planted crops as well as the general productivity. It was clear that the first planting season was an overall success with all crop variations. However, the number of healthy products did reduce in the second and third season. It was also evident that Bt corn hybrids yielded more produce than any other planted crop. Mon810 hybrids came in second place, while the non GMO corn gave the least amount of usable corn.

Bt and Mon810 corn hybrids performed really well against pests and they were able to keep all species of stem borers away. Since Bt corn is resistant to these pests “from the inside”, there is no need for farmers to spend their funds on various chemicals in order to treat the outside of their crops. Therefore, Bt corn has a huge impact on the economy, and it can be an excellent source of affordable food to the entire region.

Conclusion

Even though GMO seeds are not widespread in Africa, it is clear that the countries that have implemented the new technology into their agriculture are generally more successful. South Africa is the leading force in producing GMO corn and the surrounding countries are following the same path. Since Bt corn seems to thrive in harsh African weather and the crop is resistant to pests, it is clear that this plant might be the future of farming on this continent.

Everyone would benefit from planting and producing Bt corn, but most importantly – a large number of people would stop worrying about their next meal. Famine is a real problem in Africa and since technology did come a long way, this is a step forward in helping those in need. Bt corn did pass the tests and now we can only hope that it will be accepted by the government in Kenya.

Source: Breaking.com.mx

Genetically modified plants

    The aspect of genetic engineering is not something new. For a century now, farmers have depended on selective breeding techniques and cross-fertilization to alter plants and animals to give rise to particular traits that are deemed desirable. This is aimed at improvement of food production as well as human health hence creating a food secure and disease free planet. In this case, the use of biotechnology is central to achieving these goals both in the agricultural and medical system. The use of these biotechnological techniques in agriculture includes bio-fertilization; marker assisted breeding, tissue culture as well as transgenic.

    For instance, scientists have been able to utilise the traditional fermentation methods in the process of transforming grains into bread and beer; and milk to form cheese thereby contributing to food security and alleviation of poverty. Transgenic applications, on the other hand, involve the process of modifying the genetic makeup of one organism by introducing a gene of interest from another organism. This technique has been widely exploited in the modification of a wide range of plants, animals, and micro-organisms. The products of these genetically engineered plants are used as vaccines, drugs, foods, food additives, among other purposes. The biotechnological modification of these plants may be beneficial in molecular diagnostics, drug delivery approaches, and bioinformatics among other techniques beneficial to humans. Additionally, this can be used as a way of bioremediation of the surrounding environment.

GM Crops

Bt Cotton

    Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a bacterial toxin naturally occurring in the soil. This gene has been isolated for production of the bacterium that in turn is used for genetic modification of cotton and maize. The main reason for this kind of change is to increase their resistance to pests. Since 1997, farmers in South Africa have relied on cotton growing for their upkeep. However, since the introduction of the Bt cotton that showed pest resistance traits, over 70 % of the farmers were growing Bt cotton by the end of 2003. This led to a yield increase of over 20 % while limiting the amount of chemicals used in the control of pests.

Potatoes

    Many poor communities in developing countries cannot afford vaccines and even the local clinics in remote areas do not have the infrastructure for the appropriate storage of the vaccines. This poses a significant challenge to safeguarding the health of millions of children and adults across the globe. Scientists have exploited potatoes for the development of edible cholera vaccines against the deadly cholera disease causing severe diarrhea in patients. Part of the cholera bacterium can be recognized by the human immune system and thus could be used for development of vaccines. This gene was transferred from the bacterium and engineered into potatoes so that it is consumed as a vaccine.

    However, the primary challenge is the fact that people do not consume raw potatoes. The hope thus has been that even in cooked potatoes, the vaccine is still active and thus upon consumption, the vaccine triggered the immune system to produce antibodies against them and thus offering protection against cholera infections. This is cost effective, less labor involved and the fact that the delivery system of the vaccine into the body is not invasive.

Rice

    Research has been done in the creation of genetically modified rice with high levels of beta-carotene. This was an inspiration from the bright yellow daffodil and the mechanism it employs in the production of beta-carotene. There was evidence that rice has the molecules that are required for manufacture of bête-carotene but does not have the enzyme that rearranges in the kernels. Can rice be engineered with this gene to make it work? Researchers managed to insert the genes into two Agro-bacteriums. The bacteria were then infected on the rice, and soon Golden rice was produced carrying the three genes. Selection of the golden rice was quite easy because the rice kernels had a golden glow thus providing sufficient Vitamin A for a human health.

    Another rice project focused on improving the efficiency of CO2 to boost its productivity. This involved relying on the photosynthetic pathway of rice. The gene derived from corn was transferred into rice for the CO2 pump protein synthesis. This led to the faster growth rate of rice and over 35 % lusher grain production due to efficient utilization of CO2. This technique can also be used in the future on such plants as potatoes, wheat, and oats among other cereals that have poor CO2 efficiency.

Maize

    Years ago, farmers discovered the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) infected and killed the caterpillars that often destroyed their crops. This bacterium produces a protein that is not harmful until it transforms in the stomach of the caterpillars due to protein lock action. Scientists, therefore, came up with a way of inserting the gene that codes for the BT protein into crops such as maize to prevent destruction by caterpillars. The gene codes for the protein in the leaves of the plant and hen the caterpillars feed on the leaves, they die. This is a pesticide-resistance strategy thus protecting crops from pest destruction. This approach gave rise to GM maize resistant to parasites and thus ensuring food security in different parts of the world.

    Many people believe that GM plants are quite unnatural and thus the reason for the heated disputes and debates across the media houses around the globe. However, there are some that believe that the most promising approach is through sustainable organic farming rather than the gene revolution technological approaches. The aspect of genetic engineering of plants has paved the way for improved nutrition content of foods, improved resistance to pests by crops as well as drought resistance, It is, therefore, important that we all stop debating and tap into the DNA language of genes. This is by only learning the most beneficial ways of practicing plant genomics to catalog all genes that possess desirable traits while eliminating harmful genes. The results of which is promising in leading to the production of safe foods for human consumption, food security and poverty eradication.