scientists – GMO SAFETY

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.

The Importance of GMO Labeling

The products that have been genetically modified are vastly superior, scientists say. They benefit all levels of production and it is clear why they might be more profitable than the others. But of course, there is a certain percentage of consumers that oppose these positive aspects and claim that genetically modified organisms are dangerous to both people and the environment.

If we take a look at the broader picture, it is obvious that the advances in GMO technologies are extremely important and we are learning more and more every day on how to perfect them. But there is still so much we need to learn. However, we are not entirely clear on the issue of GMO food’s long term influence on people. There are plenty of researches we need to conduct and they should be done over a longer time period in order to get the most accurate results. The researchers from University Kebangsaan in Malaysia tackled the issue of GMO labeling in that country since the data that is currently available is simply not enough. Surely, this is an extensive research and the results so far have been partial.

The scientists who are advocating the positive sides of GMO products are certain that the biotechnology used in producing these foods are harmless and that the end result of the effect it has on humans is the same as in the non-GMO foods. However, having in mind the very size of GMO industry and the amount of money involved, not everyone is convinced. Many opponents of GMO technology are entirely sure that the scientists who claim that GMO products are safe for consumption are corrupted. Further research is required and we will not know the final outcome for quite some time.

Consumers should be aware of both positive and negative sides of this argument and be able to decide for themselves whether they want to consume genetically modified foods and products, or not. But until we have concrete proof on the negative effects genetically modified organisms can pose on humans, animals, an environment, it is hard to say that these products are safe or unsafe. But what we can say is that the researchers are doing their best to reach that result and they think that putting labels on GMO products is the best approach we can take at the moment.

GMO labeling might add some extra costs to food production, but the researchers from University Kebangsaan in Malaysia are claiming that it is simply necessary at the given time, especially in that country. Educating the consumers is a must and putting a clear label on a GMO product can prevent the unwanted results in the future. Therefore, Malaysia’s strict labeling law is completely justified.

The safety of the consumers should be the primary goal and given the lack of evidence that will persuade us in either way, the labels should be obligatory. The research team at the Kebangsaan University has done an excellent job so far and they dived deep into all the documentation available from Europe, North America, and Asia. They covered the majority of important points such as regulations and general labeling laws that are enforced in various countries.

The conclusion is obvious – the labeling law in Malaysia is reasonable and can only benefit the consumers. Until we get the results from the long term researches that will finally put an end to the debate about the safety of GMO foods, putting a warning label and letting the consumer make a decision is the best approach we have available at the moment. Surely, we will see more and more advances in the field of biotechnology in the years to come and educating people about them is definitely a must.