What is Genetically Modified Food?

The Case Against Genetically Modified Vegetables

According to VOANews.com, in February of 2010 the government of India announced its decision to refuse the commercial cultivation of a genetically modified eggplant, India’s first genetically modified food crop. This eggplant, better known as BT Brinjal, would have been the world’s first genetically modified vegetable.

India’s Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh cited a lack of clear consensus regarding whether the eggplant is safe for human consumption in this official statement, “When there is so much opposition from state governments, when responsible civil society organizations and eminent scientists have raised many serious questions that have not been answered satisfactorily, when the public sentiment is negative, and when BT Brinjal will be the very first genetically modified vegetable to be introduced anywhere in the world and when there is no overriding urgency to introduce it here, it is my duty to adopt a cautious, precautionary principle-based approach, and impose a moratorium on the release of BT Brinjal.”

Supporters of this genetically modified eggplant, which primarily consist of members of India’s Genetic Engineering Committee, stress the fact that this method of eggplant cultivation has the ability to boost eggplant yields by 50%.  This is significant in the sense that the eggplant is an extremely popular vegetable in India and a main ingredient in many Indian dishes. Yet, due to the fact that this crop is vulnerable to attack by a specific pest, commonly known as the eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodesorbonalis), eggplant crop yields in India are low and the cost of eggplants is high.

The environmentalists, government health organizations, and politicians opposing the cultivation of this genetically modified food by the Mahyco corporation, the Indian partner of the American company Monsanto, sited lack of substantial research and a series of unresolved environmental and health hazards as the reasons behind their opposition of this project.

What is Genetically Modified Food?

The term “genetically modified” applies to any food or food items that have had their DNA subjected to the latest molecular biology techniques in an effort to enhance such desirable traits as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content.

Contrary to popular belief, the genetic modification of crops is not new. However, the problem with conventional plant breeding methods, According to csa.com is that, “The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of B.t. genes in corn and other crops. B.t., or Bacillus Thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B.t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer”.

This is a short list of the thousands of genetically modified food items lining our grocery store shelves today:

• Vegetable Oil
• Canola Oil
• Cotton Seed Oil
• Non-Organic Corn
• Non-Organic Tomatoes
• Non-Organic Potatoes
• Non-Organic Honey
• Non-Organic Meat
• Non-Organic Dairy Products
• Tobacco

What is Wrong With Genetically Modified Food?

The fact of the matter is that scientists are not capable of providing a definite answer regarding whether genetically modified foods are harmful or helpful to human health and environment because of lack of definite and conclusive research.

One of the suspected dangers of genetically modified foods is the possible creation of new allergens. According to CSA.com “Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions. Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies”.

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