The debate surrounding genetically modified foods has left consumers both confused and sceptical. Interest groups seem to produce experts whose views are so convincingly opposed that consumers simply don’t know who to believe. Are genetically modified foods safe? Are they adequately labelled? Are they good for you? Are they bad for you? Will they save the earth or destroy it? Will they result in the cornering of the global food market by multinationals or will they bring to mankind the same benefits as genetically engineered medicines?
Due to huge advances in science and technology, scientists can now identify and isolate individual genes responsible for producing specific characteristics. By altering such genes, or transferring them to another organism, scientists can ‘engineer’ the genetic makeup of that organism producing a new variety. This technology is what is commonly defined as genetic modification, and has been used for the productions of medicines, pharmaceuticals, and most recently GM plants and animals.
There are potential benefits from such new gene technology, considerable advances in medicine, such as the development of new vaccines and medicines have evolved, but can the same be said for GM foods? Currently the only apparent benefits from growing GM crops are to the farming and biotechnology industries. Nonetheless it is true to say that this technology does have the potential to produce foods that could be of great consumer benefits such as: Tomatoes with increased vitamin content, food (such as peanuts) with reduced of no allergenicity, potatoes with higher starch content (which absorbs less oil when cooking), wheat with increased levels of folic acid to prevent spina bifida, wheat with increased fibre to reduce the risks of colon cancer, and rice with increased pro-vitamin A content to help combat blindness in rice-dependent developing companies.
While gene technology has the potential to generate healthier foods, it could also provide crops that are designed to survive in harsh climates, or on land that has been rendered useless by high salt or mineral levels. These advantages will help both developed and developing countries reclaim some food producing land and help increase food production to cater for the ever-expanding global population. With the global population expected to rise to 9 billion within 50 years, feeding the world has never seemed such a daunting task. But GM technology is giving hope to developing countries, where many people think biotechnology can offer improved nutrition, health and prosperity.
A number of concerns about the use of this technology have been expressed in contrast to its supposed benefits. Such concerns are food safety, potential environmental damage, disruption of ecosystems, as well as moral and ethical objections. Others may be against genetic modification in food production on socio-economic or marketing grounds, because they wish to promote alternative farming practices or they may object to multinational companies gaining some control over the food sector.
The process of transferring genes from one plant to another is complex and imprecise. Only a small fraction of the plant cells targeted with the new gene will actually incorporate that gene, it is difficult to identify altered cells. To combat this problem an antibiotic resistance gene marker is used, many concerns have been expressed about the possible transfer of antibiotic resistance genes to gut micro organisms which could reduce the efficiency of antibiotics as a treatment.
Genetically modified foods differ from normal conventional foods in that it contains or is produced from genetically modified organisms. GM foods are subjected to an extensive range of analytical tests for food safety evaluation. Such tests include composition analysis, allergenicity tests, toxicological analysis, nutritional evaluation and many more. In my opinion, GM foods cannot be classed as wholly beneficial or not, they come with both their advantages and disadvantages. It is simply up to the individual whether the choose to opt for this new-found technology, or to stick with conventional food.
