PPT-14

Green Earth Movement An E-Newsletter for the cause of Environment, Peace,

Harmony and Justice Remember - “you and I can decide the future”

GENETICALLY MODIFIED

(GM) FOODS

Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, e.g. through the introduction of a gene from a different organism. Currently available GM foods stem mostly from plants, but in the future foods derived from GM microorganisms or GM animals are likely to be introduced on the market.

Most existing genetically modified crops have been developed to improve yield, through the introduction of resistance to plant diseases or of increased tolerance of herbicides. In the future, genetic modification could be aimed at altering the nutrient content of food, reducing its allergenic potential, or improving the efficiency of food production systems. All GM foods should be assessed before being allowed on the market. FAO/WHO Codex guidelines exist for risk analysis of GM food.

While there is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from GM crops pose no greater risk to human health than conventional food, critics have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including safety issues, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact GM plants (and potentially animals) that are food sources are subject to intellectual property law.

TWO METHOD OF GENETIC ENGINEERING

1] The Biolistic Method (or gene-gun method) The biolistic method--or gene-gun method--is most commonly used in the genetic engineering of plants. Pellets of metal are coated with the desirable DNA and are fired at plant cells. The cells take up the DNA and grow into new plants. This technique has proven quite effective in plant engineering.

2] AGROBACTRERIUM TUMEFACIENS METHOD

Agrobacterium is well known for its ability to transfer DNA between itself and plants, and for this reason it has become an important tool for genetic engineering.

Once satisfactory plants are produced, sufficient seeds are gathered, and the companies producing the seed need to apply for regulatory approval of field-test the seeds. If these field tests are successful, the company must seek regulatory approval for the crop to be marketed. Once that approval is obtained, the seeds are mass-produced, and sold to farmers. The farmers produce genetically modified crops, which also contain the inserted gene and its protein product. The farmers then sell their crops as commodities into the food supply market, in countries where such sales are permitted.

  Why do genetically modified foods exist? Researchers develop genetically modified foods for the purpose of creating an advantage to the producer or the consumer of these products. Such an advantage can be a new product which has greater overall benefits and can sell at a lower price compared to its competitors. The original objective for genetically modified food development was to enhance crop production, such as modifying a plant to age slower or to be resistant to diseases. Nearly 40% of the world's food crop is lost every year to insects, fungal diseases and spoilage. By genetically modifying plants to be less susceptible to these factors, the overall worldwide crop yield would dramatically increase.

BENEFITS OF GM FOODS

1] Saves the use of toxic chemicals. GM crops can be made resistant to pests, so pesticides do not need to be sprayed on them. This is also better on the environment!

2] Prevents wasted crops. If pests cannot eat the crops, nothing goes to waste. Therefore, farmers make more money!

3. It could potentially solve hunger. Many people agree that there is not enough food in the world to feed everybody.

As Genetically Modified foods increase the yields of crops, more food is produced by farmers. Of course, others argue that there is enough food to feed everyone, but it is unequally distributed. Others argue the GM crops do not produce higher yields.

4. We can begin to grow foods in different conditions. For instance, strawberries can be genetically engineered to grow in frosts. Other foods that grow in cold climates could be engineered to grow in hot climates (such as Africa where much of the continent does not have enough food).

5. Some foods can be genetically modifies to contain higher amounts of important vitamins and minerals. Vitamin A deficiencies cause blindness. In Africa, 500,000 go blind each year. If rice can be modified to contain more vitamin A, the amount of people going blind will decrease.

6. As more research is done the technology is bound to improve. Scientists are already considering genetic modification to make fish, nuts and plants grow faster.

Despite the above benefits of GM foods, many people refuse to eat genetically modified foods over concerns that it could be dangerous to their health. There is still no detailed study about the long term effects of eating genetically modified foods. There are also issues such as whether scientists should play God and whether biotechnology companies (the people that made the GM seeds) should have control over food supply (they could choose not to sell the seeds to certain people or countries).

TEN DANGERS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

1. Resistant WeedsFood crops grown from genetically modified seeds can affect the weeds that grow in the same area. Weeds can access the modified genes which make the crops resistant, and after some years the weeds themselves can become resistant. This will mean more chemicals needed, which can affect the safety of the food crops when consumed. Higher chemicals can mean food which should not be eaten.

2. Higher Levels Of Plant Estrogens

Glyphosate, which is applied to make crops resistant to weeds, causes higher plant estrogen levels. Estrogen affects all mammals, including humans, and children are very susceptible to higher estrogen levels, which can be dangerous and pose long term health risks.

3. Unknown Toxins

Genetically altering seeds and foods can pose unknown risks of toxins and allergens that have never been present before. This was seen with an L-tryptophan supplement produced in 1989. This supplement caused the death of thirty seven people and affected more than fifteen hundred more. The bacteria used was altered genetically, resulting in a new and toxic amino acid never found in this supplement before.

4. Risk Of Negative Interactions

With genetically modified foods, there is always a risk of interactions or reactions that have never been seen. This can be an interaction between two different foods with modified genes or between the genes in the food and certain medications. There is not enough evidence because these crops and foods have not been in use long enough, and new varieties are frequently being produced.

5. No Long Term Research

Genetically modified foods have not had long term research done, and very little short term information. The government approved the use of these foods in the food chain under the assumption that the risks were the same as the unmodified plants, and this was a big mistake. The genetic modification done on the plants can have a dramatic effect on the risks and safety concerns, and there is no long term risk information available to determine if these foods have long term risks.

6. Genetically Modified Food Is Not Labeled:One of the biggest dangers with genetically modified foods is that there is no labeling requirements. These foods make up one fourth of the food supply in the United States, and is in more foods than you may think. Without labeling it is impossible to know which foods have higher risks so that you can avoid them and protect the health of your family.

7. Unknown Genetic Effect On Humans

There is no way to tell if Genetically modified foods can have an effect on the genetics of people. At first it was believed by scientists and researchers that the modified genes were destroyed during the digestion process, but recently modified food genes have been found in the brains of some infant mice. This can be very dangerous in infants and children, and poses unknown risks for anyone who eats these foods.

8. Higher Fat Content In Some Foods

When genetically modified food crops are fed to animals, the result can be unexpected. When genetically altered soybeans were used as part of the diet for dairy cows, the resulting milk had higher percentages of fat in it. This factor shows that the genetically modified foods should not be considered just as safe as the traditional food.

9. Insect Resistance

Foods which are genetically altered to minimize the need for pesticides can actually cause an increase in chemical use over time and produce insects which become resistant to commonly used pesticides. This can create insect problems that can threaten the food supply and result in food shortages.

10. The Little Information Currently Available Is Skewed

The small amount of information available about genetically modified foods is skewed and not accurate at times. When the application for Roundup Ready genetically modified soybeans was completed for market approval of the soybeans, the information in the application was based on the safety level and compound concentration levels of traditional soybeans and not from testing on the genetically modified version.

In India, GM Crops Come at a High Price

Bt cotton is currently India’s only genetically modified crop, but it accounts for 95 percent of all cotton farming in the country. The seeds can cost anywhere between 700 to 2,000 rupees ($38) per packet, or about three to eight times the cost of conventional seeds. Let’s conclude with one quote each -

for, against and neutral on G. M. Foods/Crops

FOR

GM technology is the only technology to be regulated from its inception, before any mishaps had occurred. Researchers who developed the technology set up a series of voluntary regulations in 1974 which have generally become officially incorporated by governments throughout the world. GM crops have been extensively tested in hundreds of thousands of field tests. Foods from these crops have to pass much more rigorous regulations than from conventionally bred crops.

Ben Miflin , Harvard Website

AGAINST

"GM crops are not the solution to feeding the world. As a farmer, I am an environmental manager and do not see the need to start tinkering with nature when the outcome could have very serious long-term risks… We have pushed the land to the limit and GM is supposed to be the solution. This isn't true."

Henry Birkbeck, one of Norfolk's biggest landowners, farming 8,500 acres

NEUTRAL

To generalise and declare 'all GM is bad' or 'all GM is good' for the environment as a result of these [farm scale evaluation] experiments is a gross over-simplification, but statements from both sides in the GM propaganda war have claimed 'victory' based on these findings. Rather than closing the case for or against GM crops, these results should drive society to ask more questions, not just about GM crops, but about agriculture more generally. They should be used as a catalyst for a debate about the future of modern agriculture.

Lord May of Oxford, President of the Royal Society, the UK national academy of sciences.

This educational PowerPoint Presentation (editable) is prepared by GEM Team (courtesy:

internet). For other similar GEM PowerPoint Presentations on various environmental issues see next slide.

These PPTs may be downloaded from our website www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in

The GEM PPTs can be creatively used for various groups like school/college students, NGOs, government officials, Church groups,

SCC groups, housing society members and so on.

Zero Garbage Solar Energy Junk Food Twenty Tips To Save Nature Plastic – a boon or bane? Green Passion Soft drink – A Health Hazard Waste to energy Rain Water Harvesting Eco-friendly Religions Happy Green Diwali Climate Change The future of Biodiversity Genetically Modified Foods Waste Water Treatment

Give thanks, Give Life (Body, Organ, Tissue Donation)

Organic Farming Waste to cooking gas Reduce, Reuse. Recycle Protect Mangroves Say NO to Bottled water Save Lakes and Ponds Forests are green lungs Coal Mining and Ecology Sin of Food Waste Climate change and Poverty Stop Water Pollution Carbon Footprints Parks and Open Spaces Rising Sea Levels

For Free Weekly GEM E-Newsletters visit – www.stfrancisxavierpanvel.in – every

Friday. Go to GEM section, click GEM E-NEWSLETTERS