Genetically modified food – a creation from hell?
What do we know about GM foods? Is there cause for concern and fear? Which foods are most frequently subject to modification? We will examine this ambiguous topic through the eyes of a nutritionist; it will be controversial but also very substantive. We invite you to have a read!
The fame of genetically modified food
Genetic modification arouses extreme attitudes. A sceptical attitude towards this branch of genetic engineering prevails in our society. A 2016 survey in Poland found that 61% of respondents have a negative attitude towards genetically modified foods, and the situation is similar across Europe. But are our fears correct?
The notorious GM food is associated with something artificial, alien, toxic and very complicated. Many food producers are increasingly bold in advertising their products as GMO-free, which further strengthens the negative image of genetically modified food, and instils fear in us potential consumers. On a large scale there are many organisations that are developing various types of action to inform people about the harmful effects of GM foods. The people responsible for these actions generally have little in common with the scientific community.
Regulation
In the EU countries, the relevant legislation obliges the Member States to introduce appropriate measures for traceability and labelling of genetically modified products placed on the market.
This means that GM food at any stage of production must be traceable and can only be introduced with a range of documentation proving its safety. In addition, food producers are obliged to provide information on the label about the use of GMOs.
It can be seen that the legislator checks the safety of GMO foods in every respect before deciding to put them on the market. Is there really anything to be afraid of?
Where can we find ‘food from hell’?
Currently, there are few products containing genetically modified foods available on the European market. GM plants are mainly used to prepare feed for farm animals. Traces of them can be used in the production of food additives, so you will usually find information about GM content in processed products.
The situation is different in the United States, Canada and China, where genetically modified food is widely available. In these countries we can find on the shelves bananas, apples, melons, papayas, plums, grapes, potatoes, aubergines, tomatoes and many other vegetables and fruits subject to genetic modification. In addition, in 2016, Canada was allowed to grow and sell a genetically modified salmon known as Aquadvantage – previously only GM plants were allowed.
Opportunities offered by genetically modified food
Genetic engineering has many possibilities – potentially with its help we can create any product tailored exactly to our requirements and needs.
In developing countries, the problem of hunger, nutritional deficiencies and related diseases is still present. Diets are often deficient in complete protein, vitamin A, calcium and iron. Food modification could help solve this issue by enriching food with ingredients that are deficient in a given area.
Insufficient vitamin A is considered one of the main causes of blindness and child death in countries with low levels of material wealth. Golden Rice was developed with this in mind – it has three times the beta-carotene content of unmodified rice.
An unbalanced diet based on incomplete protein results in protein-energy malnutrition. This manifests itself in decreased immunity or retarded growth in children. The problem usually affects developing countries and people on an (unbalanced) vegan diet. Increasing the lysine content of rice, maize and soya is expected to solve the problem of lysine deficiency in developing countries.
The BioCassava Plus Program is a project to increase the nutritional value in cassava roots, which is an important part of nutrition in many African countries. Transgenic cassava has a higher content and bioavailability of deficient nutrients.
Developed countries can also benefit from this. It is true that the aforementioned problems do not directly affect developed countries, because the variety and quantity of food is at an adequate level.
A large number of people are diagnosed for allergies, food intolerances or diet-related diseases. Situations in which it is necessary to eliminate many product groups create a risk of deficiencies. With the use of genetic engineering we could “exclude” certain elements from the composition, which are unsuitable for these people – thus eliminating specific products.
More essential saturated fatty acids at the expense of saturated fatty acids, or foods richer in polyphenols could act as preventive measures against many of the diseases of civilisation.
Imagine food modified so that it tastes like your favourite delicacy and its nutritional composition is comparable to a bowl of vegetable salad! This is far from happening, but the possibilities of genetic engineering seem to have unlimited potential.
More and more companies are devoting their attention to changes in food production, as the increasing demand for livestock products requires it. Industrial animal breeding has a significant impact on climate change, so new ways of producing milk or meat are being sought. A great example is Perfect Day, a cow’s milk produced by genetically modified yeast. The production of this milk “costs” as much as 98% less water than milk production in the classic way.
Enriched products through genetic engineering are currently not authorised. GMO products available on the market are modified for traits that make them more efficient for cultivation.
What are the opponents of genetically modified food afraid of?
Opponents of genetically modified foods most often cite carcinogenic effects on the human body – this means that eating GMO foods can contribute to cancer. Their arguments are supported by several selected studies. In one of the experiments conducted, rats were fed genetically modified maize. Photos of the rats with huge tumours and information about the devastating effects of GM food circulated around the world.
The study has been widely criticised by scientists for a number of errors in the study design and interpretation of the results – unfortunately science is not free from manipulation. The main errors are the selection of rats with a tendency to develop spontaneous tumours (in up to 45% of individuals) and the lack of a control group.
A potential risk of genetically modified foods could be the appearance of allergens in products where they were not originally present. When genetic modifications are made, new proteins are sometimes created in a given product. This risk has been anticipated. Every new GM food is tested for allergenicity.
Another argument present in the anti-GMO space is that modified genetic material from food can become embedded in the consumer’s genome. No studies have confirmed these suspicions.
Summary
Genetically modified food, which is widely demonised, poses no risk to consumers. Its safety appears to be greater than that of conventional food, as up to several years of research are carried out before its introduction.
There is huge potential in genetic food modification – we can reduce hunger and shortages in developing countries, enrich food with health-promoting compounds or test the production of more environmentally friendly food.
Negative opinions are caused by fear, and this fear is caused by ignorance or misinformation spread by people who often have little to do with the science of the subject.
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