Contents
The fame of genetically modified food
Genetically modifying raises extreme attitudes. Our society is skeptical about this branch of genetic engineering. The research conducted in Poland in 2016 shows that 61% of respondents have a negative attitude towards genetically modified food, and the situation is similar across Europe. But are our fears right?
The infamous GM food is associated with something artificial, foreign, toxic, and very complicated. Many food producers boldly advertise their products as GMO-free, which additionally perpetuates the negative image of genetically modified food, and in us – potential consumers – fuels fear. There are many organizations operating on a large scale, creating various types of campaigns informing about the harmful effects of GM food. As a rule, the people responsible for these activities do not have much in common with the scientific community.
Legal regulation
In the European Union countries, the provisions of the relevant legal acts impose an obligation on the Member States to introduce appropriate measures enabling the tracking and labeling of genetically modified products placed on the market.
This means that GM food at every stage of production must be traceable, and its introduction is possible only after presenting a number of documentation proving its safety. In addition, food producers are required to include information on the label about the use of GMOs.
It can be seen that the legislator checks its safety in every respect before deciding to place GM food on the market. Is there really anything to be afraid of?
Where can we find “food from hell”?
Currently, there are few products containing genetically modified food on the European market. GM crops are mainly used to prepare feed for farm animals. Their trace amounts can be used in the production of food additives, so usually information about the content of genetically modified products can be found in processed products.
The situation is different in the United States, Canada or China – where genetically modified food is widely available. In these countries, we can find bananas, apples, melons, papayas, plums, grapes, potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes and many other genetically modified vegetables and fruits on the shelves. In addition, in 2016, a license was issued in Canada to breed and sell genetically modified salmon known as Aquadvantage – previously only GMO plants were allowed.
The chances of genetically modified foods
Genetic engineering has many possibilities – potentially with its help, we can create any product tailored exactly to our requirements and needs.
In developing countries, the problem of hunger, food shortages and related diseases is still present. the diet is often deficient in wholesome protein, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Food modification could help solve this issue by enriching food with nutrients scarce in a given area.
Vitamin A deficiency is considered to be one of the leading causes of child blindness and death in countries with low levels of material wealth. With this in mind, Golden Rice, or golden rice, was created – it has three times more beta-carotene content compared to unmodified rice.
An unbalanced diet based on incomplete protein results in protein and energy malnutrition. It manifests itself as a decrease in immunity or delay in the development of children. The problem usually affects developing countries and people on a (unbalanced) vegan diet. Increasing the content of lysine in rice, corn and soybeans, according to forecasts, would solve the problem of this amino acid deficiency in developing countries.
The BioCassava Plus Program is a project aimed at increasing the nutritional value of cassava roots, which is an essential part of the diet in many African countries. Transgenic cassava has a higher content and bioavailability of deficient nutrients.
Developed countries can also benefit from this. It is true that the above-mentioned problems do not directly concern developed countries, because the variety and quantity of food is adequate.
A large proportion of people are diagnosed for allergies, food intolerances or diet-related diseases. Situations in which it is necessary to eliminate many product groups pose the risk of shortages. With the use of genetic engineering, we could “exclude” certain elements from the formulation that are unsuitable for these people – thus eliminating certain products will not be necessary.
A greater amount of essential saturated fatty acids at the expense of saturated fatty acids, or food richer in polyphenols could prevent many diseases of civilization.
Let your imagination run wild – imagine a food modified in such a way that it tastes like our favorite delicacy, and its nutritional composition is comparable to a bowl of vegetable salad! It is still a long way to go, but the possibilities of genetic engineering seem to have unlimited potential.
More and more companies are paying attention to the change in food production, as it is required by the increasing demand for animal products. The industrial breeding of animals has a significant impact on climate change, therefore new ways of producing milk or meat are being sought. A great example is Perfect Day – it is cow’s milk produced by genetically modified yeast. The production of this milk “costs” as much as 98% less water than the production of milk in the classic way.
Enriched products through genetic engineering are currently not authorized. GMO products available on the market are modified in terms of features that help them grow more efficiently.
How are the opponents of genetically modified food scared?
The opponents of genetically modified food most often refer to the carcinogenic effect on the human body – this means that the consumption of GMO food may contribute to the formation of cancer. Their arguments are supported by several selected studies. In one of the experiments performed, rats were fed genetically modified corn. Pictures of rats with huge tumors and information about the devastating effect of GMO food circulated around the world.
This study has been widely criticized by scientists for a series of errors in study design and interpretation of study results – unfortunately, science is not free from manipulation. The basic mistakes are the selection of rats which tend to develop spontaneous tumors (even in 45% of animals) and the lack of a control group.
A potential risk of genetically modified food may be the appearance of allergens in products where they were not originally present. When genetic modifications are made, new proteins are sometimes created in a given product. Such a threat was foreseen. Each new GM food is checked for allergenicity.
Another argument that is present in the space of GMO opponents is the information that the modified genetic material from food may be embedded in the consumer’s genome. None of the studies have confirmed these suspicions.
Summation
Genetically modified food, commonly demonized, poses no risk to consumers. Its safety seems to be greater than that of conventional food, because even several years of research are carried out before its introduction.
There is a huge potential in the modification of genetic food – we can reduce the problem of hunger and shortages in developing countries, enrich food with health-promoting compounds or check the production of food that is more environmentally friendly.
Negative opinions are caused by fear, and this is caused by ignorance or dissemination by people who often have little to do with science on a given topic.
References
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