GM Revolution

Humans have been cropping traditionally for thousands and thousands of years. When genetic engineering was introduced, it has brought many new exotic traits species to the world and safe time during the cropping process.

The whole idea of genetic engineering started from a bug having the potential to use it’s foreign genes into plants. From them, geneticists developed several of crop types. From the beginning to now, they are modified to be resistant to pest or any other harmful causes. Some include soya, wheat, walnuts, potatoes ,peas, and etc. According to the article, “GM Organisms” by John Pickrell, it states “The bacterial gene Bt is one of the most commonly inserted. It produces an insecticidal toxin that is harmless to people.” Does that mean that humans agree to the idea of genetic engineering? Does it have any side effects on people slowly?

Some plants were genetically engineered to improve flavors, allergen-free, and hardiness. According to the article, geneticists have created no-tear onions and novel caffeine-free coffee plants. How can we imagine what will be next? Will any thing in the world be natural anymore?

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/gm-food/dn9921

GM Organism's Future

As we all know, the most common GM organisms are crop plants. But technology nowadays has broaden GM organisms from crop plants to different forms of life. Examples from previous posts: glow in the dark animals, bacteria to prevent HIV, pigs having spinach genes, and goats that produces spider silk.

According to the article, “GM Organisms” by John Pickrell, mentions genetic modified tomatoes appeared in British during the 1996, but a different GM tomato appeared in the United States during the 1994. Although it has been a decade, but the genetic modified food issues didn’t arouse until the 1999. Because there were studies that genetic modified potatoes might be toxic to the rats in the laboratory. There were many critics for the news, especially from a biochemist Arpad Pustzai in Scotland.

There are very little genetic modified crops in Europe nowadays. Because there was an anti-GM food campaign in United Kingdom after the critics from Pustzai aroused. But in the end, it pushed forth trade disputes with the U.S. Therefore, GM crops are very rare in Europe. They have strict labeling laws and regulations. “Several UK government reports have offered qualified support for GM crops and produce, though they argue that the economic benefits of the technology are currently small.” Some African nations rejected international food aid to oppose engineered crops.

In contrary, United States do not require to label the food. Other places that do not require labeling include India, China, Canada, Argentina, Australia, and some other places.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/gm-food/dn9921

Can We Really Trust GM Food?

The article on the following link was written by Arpad Pusztai in June 2001. In the article, he discusses the health effects of GM food and also shows results of GM food tests on animals. The author feels that information regarding GM food are scarce. The author mentioned that GM food has the chance to cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics and create allergies for certain people.

A GM tomato test was performed on rats. The rats between control group and GM-fed were not a big different, however, after two weeks, seven out of forty rats died for unspecified reasons. Also, rat’s digest ability was decreased after GM corn. Unfortunately, this was a poorly designed study, further questions were not valid.

There were many disputes about GM food, however, many studies are showing risks of GM food instead of actual harm. For example, even if GM food is harmful to animals, it doesn’t mean it’s harmful to human, or many health organizations have allowed and tested the safeness of GM food.

http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/pusztai.html

GM Tomatoes

Genetically-modified tomatoes were introduced in February 1996 in United Kingdom by J. Sainsbury and Safeway Stores. The modified tomatoes were first grown in America, then developed at Nottingham University and at Zeneca Seeds in United Kingdom. J. Sainsbury and Safeway Stores labeled clearly on the cans, “made with genetically modified tomatoes.” They used publicity to broadcast their products. Along with the modified products, they also provide non-GM products. They also had information help lines regarding the products. They did not hide the fact that their products were genetically modified. They allowed the consumers to choose which type of product they’d rather buy.

http://www.ncbe.reading.ac.uk/NCBE/GMFOOD/menu.html

Health Effects of GM Food

1. In 1989, Showa Denko, third largest chemical company is Japan, had to pay $2 billion dollars for settlement because dozens of Americans died and thousands were harmed by a genetically altered version of L-tryptophan – food supplement. (Mayeno and Gleich, 1994).
2. In Brazil 1996, nut genes were mixed with soybeans by a company called Pioneer Hi-Bred. A near death allergic reaction occurred to certain people. The people had a severe bee sting reaction.
3. In 1994, FDA allow rBGH, growth hormone, to be injected into cows. But scientists “warned the resulting increase of IGF-1, a potent chemical hormone, is linked to 400-500% higher risks of human breast, prostrate, and colon cancer. According to Dr. Samuel Epstein of the University of Chicago, it "induces the malignant transformation of human breast epithelial cells."
4. Injection of rBGH in cows “causes a increase in birth defects and shorter life spans.”
5. Journal of Medicinal Food (Dr. Marc Lappe, 1999) showed that certain genetically modified food lowered nutrition. It also said milk from cows with rBGH has higher level of bacteria and fat.

http://www.cqs.com/50harm.htm

Stats Update

Knowing that foods that are combined with genes from different organisms are called genetically modified food, they can also be named genetically engineered or transgenic. Some current genetically modified products in the market today include vaccines and medicines, food ingredients, and food in general.

Transgenic crops are very common in developed countries. In 2003, six countries grew 99% of the global transgenic crops. They include “the United States (63%), Argentina (21%), Canada (6%), Brazil (4%), and China (4%), and South Africa (1%).”

In 2003, 167 million acres of land planted transgenic crop by 7 million farmers. The main crops were soybeans, corn, and canola. Other crops include sweet potato that’s resistant to a virus that could destroy African harvest, rice with iron and vitamins added to it, and other plants that will survive under severe weather.

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml