Genetically modified foods research paper

Genetically modified foods research paper

Genetically Modified Food Research Paper science behind genetically modified food has been around since the nineteen-seventies with a respectable safety record to support its production. The advances have helped saved millions of lives in places like India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia with the production of Golden Rice Jun 17,  · genetically modified foods, and discussed some of the arguments for and against genetically modified foods. The paper looks, in particular, at the decision by the U.S. To send GM grain, via the WFP of the UN, as part of their food aid to Africa This research paper discusses genetic modification of food. As the topic has raised many ethical concerns and points of view, it will examine different ethical issues as well as frameworks related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) locally, regionally, and globally

Genetically Modified Foods and Social Concerns

Try out PMC Labs and tell us what you think. Learn More, genetically modified foods research paper. Biotechnology is providing us with a wide range of options for how we can use genetically modified foods research paper and commercial forestry lands. The cultivation of genetically modified GM crops on millions of hectares of lands and their injection into our food chain is a huge global genetic experiment involving all living beings.

Considering the fast pace of new advances in production of genetically modified crops, consumers, farmers and policymakers worldwide are challenged to reach a consensus on a clear vision for the future of world food supply. The current food biotechnology debate illustrates the serious conflict between two groups: 1 Agri-biotech investors and their affiliated scientists who consider agricultural biotechnology as a solution to food shortage, the scarcity of environmental resources and weeds and pests infestations; and 2 independent scientists, environmentalists, farmers and consumers who warn that genetically modified food introduces new risks to food security, the environment and human health such as loss of biodiversity; the emergence of superweeds and superpests; the increase of antibiotic resistance, food allergies and other unintended effects.

This article reviews major viewpoints which are currently debated in the food biotechnology sector in the world, genetically modified foods research paper. It also lays the ground-work for deep debate on benefits and risks of Biotech-crops for human health, ecosystems genetically modified foods research paper biodiversity, genetically modified foods research paper. In this context, although some regulations exist, there is a need for continuous vigilance for all countries involved in producing genetically engineered food to follow the international scientific bio-safety testing guidelines containing reliable pre-release experiments and post-release track of transgenic plants to protect public health and avoid future environmental harm.

Genetically Modified Organisms GMOs are being made by inserting a gene from an external source such as viruses, genetically modified foods research paper, bacteria, animals or plants into usually unrelated species. Biotechnology has granted us the ability to overcome insurmountable physiological barriers and to exchange genetic materials among all living organisms.

The use of recombinant DNA technology has the potential to allow the creation of an organism which is desired and designed by human. Genetically Modified Food GMF means any food containing or derived from a genetically engineered organism 1. Describing biotechnology methods is beyond the scope of this paper however, it is genetically modified foods research paper to only name some of the vastly used techniques in creating GM crops: Agrobacterium has been used as an intermediate organism for transferring a desirable gene into plants 2.

This has been a successful method for modification of trees and cereal crops. Biolistic transformation is a physical method by which the genes of interest are bombarded into the plant cells and DNA-coated beads are usually used as carriers 3, genetically modified foods research paper.

Another technique which facilitates the in-corporation of genes into the host genome is called Electroporation. This is a suitable method for plant tissues without cell walls. DNA enters the plant cells through minute pores which are temporarily caused by electric pulses 4. These holes can be also created by microscopic crystals. Another recent method consists of Microinjection which is direct introduction of DNA into genome 5.

Antisense technology is also a useful method for deactivation of specific genes such as those responsible for softening of fruits and fighting against plant viral infections 6.

With currently available techniques the favorite DNA are inserted to only a few numbers of the treated cells. Therefore, in order to detect whether the incorporation of genetically modified foods research paper gene to the cell has taken place, the desired DNA are generally attached to marker gene before their transfer.

These marker genes allow researchers to verify whether transfer of the desired DNA has properly occurred. However, after the successful gene transfer, important factors that have triggered debates over the safety of GM crops are the genotypic and phenotypic stability and permanence inheritance 7. The majority of the Biotech-crops available on the global market have been genetically manipulated to express one of these basic traits: resistance to insects or viruses, tolerance to certain herbicides and nutritionally enhanced quality.

At present, more than million hectares of farmland are under cultivation for biotech crops throughout the world 8. There has been a fold rise in the application of Agri-biotechnology sincewhen the first biotech-crop was commercially produced 9.

Major producers of GM crops include USA, Argentina, Canada, and China Developing countries are rapidly accepting the technology with the hope of alleviating hunger and poverty. It is predicted that, genetically modified foods research paper, bymore than million hectares of lands will be planted by biotech crops in about 40 countries 9.

Genetically modified foods research paper emergence of agricultural biotechnology has created social and ethical contradictions. The widespread debate exists as to how biotechnology can be used for planting high quality high yield crops while protecting eco-system and human health, genetically modified foods research paper.

While it is claimed that food biotechnology, by improvement of the plant productivity and developing nutrient-fortified staple food, is the promising solution to malnutrition and food shortage, genetically modified foods research paper, the accumulating evidence over 20 years of GMF introduction to the market does not fully support these claims. The consumers are mainly concerned about the long term human health effects of the bio-tech crops such as antibiotic resistance, aller-genicity, unnatural nutritional changes and toxicity.

Furthermore, Agri-biotech companies and their affiliated scientists present GM food as an environmentally friendly crop. It is excessively stated over the media and through their dependent scientific publications that GM crops containing genes expressing herbicide tolerance and pest resistance lead to reduction of broad spectrum pesticides and herbicide use.

Also, they profess that GM crops help diminishing greenhouse global emissions by reducing needs for plowing replacement of energy-intensive by low-till agriculture. On the other hand, environmentalists believe that engineering of the genetic materials could deeply transform the global ecosystem from all possible aspects They are concerned about the long term consequences of GM agriculture on biodiversity as it may create superweeds and superpests which can potentially disturb the balance of nature and cause serious hazards for beneficial insects.

In this article, different views on agricultural biotechnology which has given rise to debates between advocated and opponents of GM crop are provided. The information presented in this review was collected through extensive web searches of databases such as Regulatory Framework on Food Biosafety implemented by UNEP-GEF; guidelines of European Parliament's committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, biosafety guidelines for crop production and food labeling and also scientific data presented by independent scientists of non-profit international organizations and many others.

Much of the current debates on agricultural biotechnology have focused on the potential risks of GM crops for human health. Some of the health risks pertinent to unapproved GMFs include antibiotic resistance, aller-genicity, genetically modified foods research paper, nutritional changes and the formation of toxins To address the possible drawbacks of biotechnology application in engineered foods, we point out some of the problems stemming out from genetic modification techniques.

GE techniques have been used to transfer single gene traits such as herbicide tolerance from soil microbes into plant cells. However, recent studies in higher eukaryotic cells have shown that genes do not function independently from each other.

For example, it has been discovered that human genome is not a simple collection of independent genes. Genes, instead of being constant and static, are dynamic and operate in an interactive system and intertwined with one another. Furthermore, proteins do not function separately; rather they behave in interactive network systems. Gene traits work in the cell by inter-communication and reciprocity Hence, one gene might not determine one trait, be it herbicide tolerance, genetically modified foods research paper, or resistance to pest.

Therefore, the genetic engineering techniques seem to be imprecise and must include gene optimization steps to minimize this concern. The new understanding of genome function has changed the genetic concept which launched biotech industry a couple of decades ago To make a GM crop, genetically modified foods research paper, the genetically modified foods research paper of interest genetically modified foods research paper inserted into the crop's genome using a vector.

This vector might contain several other elements, including viral promoters, transcription terminators, antibiotic resistance and marker genes. The genes incorporated into a genome, could reside anywhere, cause mutation in the host genome, and move or rear-range after insertion or in the next generations, genetically modified foods research paper. Transgenic DNA might break up and reintegrate into the genome again recombination leading to chromosomal rearrangement in successive generations genetically modified foods research paper could potentially change the transgenic crops in a way to produce proteins that are allergic or cause other health problems 17 As DNA does not always fully defragment in the digestive system, genetically modified foods research paper, human gut microflora and pathogens can take up GM materials including antibiotic resistance genes This may cause the reduction of the effectiveness of antibiotics and therefore increasing the risk of antibiotic-resistant diseases.

Some scientific advices have proposed that such markers should be replaced by non-antibiotic marker system in GMF production In this regard, the Food Safety Unit of WHO has been assessing the safety of antibiotic resistance marker genes However, the proponent of commercial production of GMF believe that DNA are abundant in all the foods we eat, but there has not been any evidence of the gene transfer from the food source to gut bacteria.

However, there is a concern that the existence of viral promoters in the vectors carrying the foreign genes might expose the consumer to the viral infection. For example: the Cauli-flower Mosaic Virus CaMV promoter is exploited to induce the expression of transgenes in almost all GM crops commercially released- in Round Up ready soy of Monsanto, Bt-maize of Novaris, and GM cotton and canola.

It is of concern that this promoter could potentially becomes activated in human and animal cells 22 Seed companies argue that viruses have been engineered to be dormant in plant cells and therefore they are safe. Contrary to these claims, studies have shown that viruses, lacking the gene needed for movement, can easily gain it from neighboring genes 24 Many scientific data indicate that animals fed by GM crops have been harmed or even died. Rats exposed to transgenic potatoes or soya had abnormal young sperm; cows, genetically modified foods research paper, goats, buffalo, pigs and other livestock grazing on Genetically modified foods research paper, GM cottonseed and certain biotech corn showed complications including early deliveries, abortions, infertility and also many died 26 — However, this is a controversial genetically modified foods research paper as studies conducted by company producing the biotech crops did not show any negative effects of Genetically modified foods research paper crops on mice Although Agri-biotech companies do not accept the direct link between the GMFs consumption and human health problems, there are some examples given by the opponents.

For example: The foodborne diseases such as soya allergies have increased over the past 10 years in USA and UK 32 and an epidemic of Morgellons disease in the US There are also reports on hundreds of villagers and cotton handlers who developed skin allergy in India 34 Recent studies have revealed that Bacillus thuringiensis corn expresses an allergenic protein which alters overall immunological reactions in the body 36 The aforementioned reports performed by independent GM researchers have lead to a concern about the risks of GMFs and the inherent risks associated with the genetic technology.

It is therefore essential that the safety and long-term effects of GM crops should be examined before their release into the food chain by all organizations responsible to produce GMFs. In order to give the public the option of making informed decision about the consumption of GMF, enough information on the safety tests of such product is required.

Unfortunately, such data are scarce due to a number of factors. For example it is hard to compare the nutritional contents of GM crops with their conventional counterparts because the composition of crops grown in different areas might vary depending on the growth and agronomic conditions.

At the present there is no peer-reviewed publication on clinical studies of GMF effects on human health. Current testing methods being used in bio-tech companies appear to be inadequate.

For instance, only chemical analysis of some nutrients are reported and generally consider the GM crops equal to its conventional crops when no major differences are detected between the compound compositions in both products. Such approach is argued to guarantee that the GM crop is safe enough to be patented and commercially produced 38 It is strongly believed that animal trials should be used to evaluate the probable toxic effects of genetically modified foods 38 Herbicide and glyphosphate resistant soybeans 41 — 43 as well as GM cotton resistant to insects are claimed to be substantially equal to conventional soybeans or cotton However, in these studies other than the use of inappropriate statistics, instead of comparing GM crops with the control grown at same locations, samples from different areas were measured, while it is known that environmental genetically modified foods research paper could have major effects on the components levels 4144 Another example are from the results of toxicological studies conducted on a variety of animals fed with glyphosate-resistant soybean GTS which were shown to be similar for GTS fed and control group.

However, these experiments were not scientifically sound since high dietary protein concentration and very low level of GTS have hidden any real effects of GM and basically these experiments were more a commercial and not scientific studies Also, there are some false claims on the improvement of the protein content of GM crops expressing the desired protein from an inserted gene.

For example, studies on GM potato and containing soybean glycine gene did not show considerable increase in the protein content or even amino acid profile genetically modified foods research paper as for GM rice the rise in protein content was due to the decline in moisture rather than the increase in protein content 28 Also, there are some difficulties with assessing the allergenicity of GM crops.

When the gene causing allergenicity is known, such genetically modified foods research paper the gene for the alpha-amylase trypsin inhibitors, or cod proteins, it is easier to recognize whether the GMF is allergenic by using in vitro tests 48 — Since insertion of a non-allergenic gene might cause over expression of already existing minor allergen, it is difficult to specifically identify whether a new GM crop with a gene transferred from a source with unknown allergenicity is allergenic before its introduction to the food chain.

In order to verify whether people have been harmed over the years by consuming GMF, specifically in countries like the US where people's dietary are mainly composed of such products, the law for mandatory labeling is highly required. However, the genetically modified foods research paper is not just about health issue rather, it is about consumer rights to make an informed choice on GMF.

Although a consensual system on GMF labeling is crucial, it seems unlikely that an internationally agreed labeling system can be set up in proximate future. Nevertheless, different GMF labeling schemes have been established in different countries, ranging from stringent to extremely lenient or even non existent legislations

What is genetically modified food? - BBC What's New

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Topic Guide - Genetically Modified Food - Research Guides at Broward College

Dec 19,  · Currently, there are a number of food species in which a genetically modified version exists (Johnson ). Some of the foods that are available in the market include cotton, soybean, canola, potatoes, eggplant, strawberries, corn, tomatoes, lettuce, cantaloupe, carrots etc. GM products which are currently in the pipeline include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds Cited by: The labeling of genetically modified (GM) food is an extremely contentious issue. The way the law deals with it is of the utmost importance for future research and public acceptance. In this paper I will argue that the benefits of biotechnology outweigh the risks, and that the FoodFile Size: KB May 11,  · Genetically Modified Food (GMF) means any food containing or derived from a genetically engineered organism. Describing biotechnology methods is beyond the scope of this paper however, it is informative to only name some of the vastly used techniques in creating GM crops: Agrobacterium has been used as an intermediate organism for transferring a desirable gene into Cited by: