SAFE, SAPID AND SUSTAINABLE BIOTECH FOODS

SAFE, SAPID AND SUSTAINABLE BIOTECH FOODS:

SAFE, SAPID AND SUSTAINABLE BIOTECH FOODS

The use of pesticide, herbicide and disease-resistant crops is something that could be achieved only by genetically engineering the plants. It could eliminate the use of chemical pesticides; reduce the cost needed to bring a crop into the market, curb the dangers of agriculture waste run-off and reduce the risk of tissue damage because of diseases. 

Not just this, the plants can also be made drought, salinity and other extreme conditions resistant. The apprehensions regarding the safety of these plants could be faded by the studies carried out by almost every major international science body in the world that has reviewed multiple independent studies that GMO crops are as safe as (or safer) than conventional or organic food.

Ameliorate Nutrition and Health

GM plants are being developed by many companies and research institutes like the international maize and wheat improvement center, CIMMYT for better nutritional yields. Some GM soybeans could offer improved oil profiles for processing healthier edible oils. 

Few other examples of GM crops having improved nutrition value are genetically modified cassava with lower cyanogens glycosides, enhanced with protein and other nutrients, Golden rice developed by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) as a cure for Vitamin A deficiency, enriched sweet potatoes, and edible vaccines are also awaiting its approval.

The ethical and religious issues surrounding the GM crops have always overpowered the advantages it might have in store. Eluding the alteration with crops as 'playing with God' or concerns over the ill effects that the introduction of foreign material might have on the body, GM food has faced criticism of all sorts. William Muir and Richard Howard of Purdue University, Indiana, US, have proposed the "Trojan gene" hypothesis which claims that GM crops get into the population looking like something good but end up destroying and contaminating the entire population! But unfortunately, the effects of long term human exposure to a diet of GM foods have never been scientifically researched. 

Moreover few independent scientists reject claims that GM crops contaminate or produce Trojan genes in any manner. In fact, we should promote the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming since these three are the major forms of agriculture. Since there is no proof as yet of GM crops being harmful, co-existence is possible if growers are willing to work together and follow the recommended procedures for crop separation.

Enriching conventional and organic farming

With an ever-increasing global population, massive 3rd world hunger, an increasing number of malnourished people and the rising graph of children dying of starvation every two seconds, there is a great promise in the use of GM crops to benefit not only farmers but society too.

Naturally Self GM Crops

The term Genetically Modified carries a peak of conflict and discussion along with it. They have been argued to be hazardous for human consumption and also called frankenfood. Formerly, new research from Ghent University (UGent) and the International Potato Institute have put forward evidence that nature itself has been genetically modifying plants way before scientists. While accomplishing metagenomic analysis of the sweet potato genome for viral diseases, the UGent researchers made an interesting discovery of transfer DNA that was homologous to Agrobacterium species.

"Agrobacterium existence naturally in sweet potato and its durable inheritance during evolution is a stunning example of the possibility of DNA exchange across species barriers," clarified Lieve Gheysen, (Ph.D., Molecular Genetics- Department of Molecular Biotechnology- UGent).

The transfer of DNA between related and unrelated species, through horizontal gene transfer (HGT), has been observed as a common occurrence among bacteria for many years. New genetic techniques have uncovered that the frequency of HGT in these organisms is much greater than previously perceived.

Gheysen and the team are hoping to extend the discussion surrounding genetically modified crops and bring in a change in the understanding by people that science is not really posing any damage to the environment.

The fixation of foreign into the sweet potato genome arose during the evolution and domestication of this crop, which is one of the world's most consumed foods. 

This Ending could influence the publics current perception that transgenic crops are unnatural (Dr. Gheysen and team. Ghent University).

(All content and images are for educational purpose).

Thanks...