Bio Technology & Myths

Bio Technology & Myths

AG/2005/2162 AG/2005/2167

R.G.D. Kumari H.R.M.K.K.K. Ranasinghe

Introduction Modern biotechnology …. is a refinement of techniques that have been used to improve plants & animals for thousands of years. But.. The knowledge distribution about the biotech is questionable and it causes for many myths on the biotechnology and its uses.

Many of the myths were build up by the people who agreed and disagreed to the biotech. So… It makes a confuse on the biotechnology among the people.

Myth 01. Modern biotechnology is inherently different from conventional breeding and poses greater risks.

Fact; Many authoritative scientific bodies have concluded that crops enhanced using modern biotechnology are as safe as crops improved through classical breeding methods. One example of improved safety is a biotech crop that may lower exposure to naturally-occurring toxins. Because of advanced knowledge and greater inspection by regulatory agencies, biotech crops and foods may even be safer than their conventionally bred counterparts. Because the traits being transferred using modern biotechnology are fewer and more predictable than when hybridization is used, scientists have a better understanding of the changes being made and are in a better position to assess safety.

Research has shown that Bt corn helps prevent damage to corn stalks by the corn ear worm. That damage often leads to invasion by fungi that produce the toxin fumonisin. Therefore, protection against corn ear worm lowers exposure to fumonisin, which may be linked to esophageal cancer in humans.

Myth 02. Foods produced through biotechnology are not tested for health and environmental safety. Fact; Biotech companies conduct a safety review of the new food that includes an assessment of toxicants, allergens, and nutrient levels. If the original plant and the transferred trait have been consumed in the past without negative consequences, they are considered “GRAS”, or “generally recognized as safe” . However, if the original food or the transferred protein has not been previously consumed in the diet, or if the transferred protein was derived from a common allergen, extensive toxicology and allergy testing is required.

Inclusion of a trait from a common allergen, although not applicable to any food product on the market today, would require a special food label, as would a significant change in nutrient levels

Myth 03. Whole foods developed using biotechnology contain genes, while foods derived from traditional plant breeding do not. Fact; All whole foods, whether gathered from the wild or harvested from crops in the field, contain genes, which break down during digestion. For thousands of years, mankind has been altering the genetic make-up of plants—most recently through modern biotechnology—to improve their characteristics. These changes have resulted in hardier crops that produce greater yields of nutritious, wholesome foods.

Myth 04. Meat, milk, and eggs from livestock and poultry that fed biotech feed are not as safe as similar products from livestock and poultry that fed conventionally produced feed. Fact; Scientific evidence supports the safety of meat, milk, and eggs derived from livestock raised on biotech feed. Dr. Jimmy Clark, a professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, reported the results of a review of 23 research studies involving animals fed biotech crops. These independent studies found that feed crops developed using biotechnology are as safe as feed crops developed using conventional breeding

Myth 05. Biotech foods will introduce new allergens into the food supply, putting susceptible people at risk. Fact; All known food allergens are proteins, but only a very small number of proteins are allergens. Common sources of food allergens include such widely consumed foods as milk, eggs, wheat, fish, tree nuts, peanuts, and soy. Biotechnology also is being used by researchers to remove allergens from foods. Experimental rice has already been modified through biotechnology to remove allergenic proteins, and work is underway to remove or neutralize allergenic proteins from other foods, such as peanuts. The future development of allergen-free foods may expand the choice of wholesome foods available to allergy sufferers.

Myth 06. Crops and foods developed from biotechnology will increase an individual’s resistance to antibiotics. Fact; In past years, scientists have used genes derived from bacteria (also known as "selectable marker genes") to determine whether or not a specific trait has been successfully added or extracted from a plant. On occasion, antibiotic proteins are used as selectable markers, raising concerns the genetic material producing the antibiotic proteins could be transferred to disease-causing bacteria, making them resistant to these antibiotics. However, in its review of this method, the FDA has determined that it is safe. (FDA:- Food & Drugs Authority, USA)

Myth 07. Foods developed using biotechnology do not have the same nutritional value of comparable foods developed using traditional breeding. Fact; All biotech foods reviewed by FDA have exhibited nutritional values within the normal range (nutritional values can vary for many reasons, such as growing conditions). Independent, peer-reviewed research also has shown that the nutritional composition of current biotech food products is equivalent to that of conventional foods.

Myth 08. Having foods produced through biotechnology on grocery store shelves will not be a reality for many years. Fact; Currently, at least 60% to 70% of the foods on grocery store shelves contain ingredients derived from plants, such as corn, soy, or canola, enhanced through biotechnology. These ingredients are substantially equivalent to ingredients derived from traditionally bred crops. In 2002, 34 % of corn, 71 % of cotton, and 75 % of soybeans grown in the United States were biotechnology-enhanced varieties. Biotech varieties of canola are also planted widely.

Myth 09. U.S. consumers are opposed to biotechnology in food production. Fact; In a recent survey conducted for the International Food Information Council (IFIC) by Cogent Research (April 2003), a majority of Americans said they would buy food enhanced for insect protection (69%) or better taste or freshness (56%).

Also, 62% expect to gain benefits from the technology within the next 5 years.

Myth 10. Widespread planting of herbicide-tolerant crops will lead to increased use of harmful herbicides and the development of herbicide-tolerant weeds. Fact; Crops developed to resist the herbicide Glyphosate allow farmers to control weeds more effectively. Glyphosate actually is less harmful to the environment than other commonly used herbicides. It degrades quickly in the soil and groundwater, has low toxicity, and is harmful only to plants, not mammals, making it is safe for wildlife that lives near crop fields and for humans who care for and eat the crops. Moreover, herbicide-tolerant crops allow no-tillage farming, a practice that greatly reduces water loss and soil erosion.

Myth 11. Agricultural biotechnology will not benefit developing countries. Fact; As the rapid increases in food production brought about by the "Green Revolution" begin to level off and the availability of arable land shrinks, increasing demand for food and fiber, coming largely from the developing world, will have to be met primarily through increased yields.

Myth 12. Because it is controlled by multi-national companies, developing countries will not have access to biotechnology. Fact; Developing countries have recognized the potential of biotechnology as an option to improve the lives of their people. Biotechnology companies do not provide the only avenue to this technology. Private-sector companies, governments, international organizations, charitable foundations, and research universities all have an obligation to make biotechnology available to farmers in developing countries.

Is those things are only myths? Bio tech is not more familiar to the people yet. Lack of distribution of facts is the cause of it. There is not a common agreement on the bio tech even among the scientists. The scientists both who agreed and disagreed with bio tech make their own conclusions. (Some researches are funded by biotech companies ) The requirement is unbiased researches. If not biotech will make a confuse which will cover +points as well as –points.

Thank you !

Thank you