Susan M. Morgan, CFCS
County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Education
Bolivia, NC 28422
March 23, 2001

TOPIC: Agricultural Biotechnology and Your Food

In the fall of 2000, consumers became alarmed when news broke about a corn variety, StarLink, that had not been approved for human foods but had found its way into taco shells. Just recently StarLink was again in the news because seed companies have detected its presence in current stocks of seed corn. StarLink corn is one of many genetically modified plants that are currently on the market. This corn contains a gene which has been spliced into its existing DNA. (DNA contains our genetic information.) The new gene expresses a protein naturally made by a bacterium called Bacillis thuringienis, or Bt. This protein kills the destructive European corn borer, which causes millions of dollars of crop damage each year. Thus StarLink corn is much more disease resistant which results in less crop loss and more money for the producer.

The Beginnings of Agricultural Biotechnology...
Agricultural biotechnology actually began around 8000 B.C. when humans decided to stop their wandering lifestyle and grow crops. These first farmers saved seeds from the best plants to use as seed for the next year's crop. Around 1800 B.C. people began using microorganisms to create new foods, such as yogurt. Currently, we use the principles of biotechnology to make wine, beer, leavened bread, cheese, and pickles.

In the years between, farmers learned to cross breed or combine plants to create new varieties, however, this process took at least 10-12 years. First, one had to produce a plant with the desired characteristics, such as flavor, and then to remove the undesirable traits through back-crossing. In 1973 scientists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer removed a gene -- a specific section of DNA -- from one organism and inserted it into another organism. This opened the door for the efficient and precise splicing of a single gene from one plant to another in the laboratory eliminating the years required for cross breeding and then for back breeding. Genetic modification is a precise form of biotechnology.

Benefits of Genetic Modification
Genetic modification has a lot of known benefits. For example:

• Protection of the environment. Some foods, like papayas and potatoes have been genetically modified to be more resistant to disease, thereby requiring the use of less pesticides. In Brunswick County most farmers have been growing "Round-Up Ready" soybeans for the past four or five years. These fields of soybeans can be sprayed with the herbicide Round-Up to kill weeds, reducing the amount of tilling required and saving topsoil. Corn that contains less phylate can reduce the unwanted phosphorus in animal waste, a potential threat to water quality.
• Greater crop yield from hardier plants. Plants are being developed that require less water and that can grow in poorer quality soils.
• Better tasting, fresher produce in the grocery store. Some products include sweeter peppers, tomatoes that ripen more slowly, and seedless grapes.
• Keep food safe to eat. Scientists will be able to find unwanted plant viruses and bacteria in food earlier and more accurately; therefore, lowering the risk for foodborne illnesses. Genetic modification also has the potential to remove allergens from food making it safe for those who suffer from allergies.
• Designing nutritionally enhanced foods. It is projected that 8-10 million people will live on Earth by 2050. In developing countries where populations are expected to grow the most, nutritionally enhanced food, such as golden rice which has increased vitamin A, will be instrumental in helping to reduce disease. The level of cancer-fighting antioxidants, Vitamin C & E, could also be increased in foods. Potatoes can be modified so they can contain more carbohydrates and hence will absorb less oil during frying.

Risks
Food biotechnology raises some ethical issues for vegetarians and for religious or cultural groups that honor food restrictions. Safety concerns include increasing the levels of toxic substances or introducing new ones, altering nutritive content, and the introduction of allergens. Indeed the concern with StarLink corn centers on the fact that the protein breaks down more slowly, raising fears that it could cause allergic reactions in select population groups.

It is the responsibility of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that genetically modified foods are safe. While consultation is not mandatory, developers of genetically modified foods consult with FDA prior to commercialization of the product. The evaluation addresses introduction of known allergens, no increases in toxic substances or new hazardous substances, and no compromising of the nutritional value of food. Genetically modified foods must meet the same FDA safety standards that all foods must meet. FDA only requires special labeling if the nutritional content of the food changes or a substance that may cause allergies is added.

Susan Morgan is Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Education for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Brunswick County. For more information or questions, contact Susan at 253-2610 or P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422.

Please e-mail Susan Morgan, CFCS, County Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Education for further information or assistance.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. References to trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is implied.

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Date Created 4/3/2001