By: Jennifer D'Cruz
“We are what we eat,” is an age-old adage familiar to almost everyone, but today it is becoming increasingly more questionable with the advent of genetically modified (GM) foods. Initially, in 1940’s the Green Revolution transformed farming practice to create high-yielding crops through use of pesticides, intense breeding and better access to irrigation. However, that has shifted into the Gene Revolution which includes transgenic or GM foods. Advocacy groups such as Greenpeace and the Council of Canadians argue that GM foods are a health risk and that with proper distribution of food (“sharing”), these GM foods are unnecessary. However, I disagree with these statements and instead believe that GM foods are important and necessary in our society.
All living organisms have instructions (gene) coded in DNA. GM foods contain additional genes cut and pasted from another organism to acquire a desired trait. In this way, crops can be genetically modified to be salt-tolerant, drought tolerant, pest resistant, herbicide tolerant and disease resistant. Having these characteristics are important in yielding a higher productivity of crops, especially in such a time of need. It is estimated that the world’s population will grow from the current 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) predict that such a population growth will require a boost in food production by 70%. Moreover, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) predicts that crop yields in developing countries will reduce by 50% due to climate change. Added to that is the fact that 30% of crops harvested are lost due to pests. Combined, these three metrics stress the importance of increasing crop productivity in the future. Otherwise, food prices may continue to rise, as seen in February of 2011 when the UN FAO reported a record high food price index particularly for rice and maize. By adding pesticide resistant gene to GM foods, we are also reducing our carbon footprint; in 2007 alone, GM foods saved 15.6 million tons of CO2, which is equivalent to 6.3 million cars off the road by just cutting back on herbicide and pesticide usage.
The benefit of GM foods can also be found in its capacity to deliver essential nutrients where regular diet would not. For example, reports from the World Health Organization have warned about the harsh reality of Vitamin A deficiencies in Africa and South-east Asia. This nutritional deprivation results in 500,000 children becoming blind each year and half of them dying within the next 12 months. In 1999, the third world breathed a collective sigh of relief when Dr. Ingo Potrykus and Dr. Peter Beyer created GM Golden rice. The edible seed of this rice contains an additional gene for β-carotene that codes a precursor (inactive form) to Vitamin A, which would otherwise not be present. Research shows that every gram of Golden rice contains 35μg of β-carotene. Hence, one cup (nearly 200 grams) of rice delivers 55-70% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and women. According to an article published in Nature, unjustified and impractical legal requirements are delaying its entrance into markets. Had Golden rice been allowed to cultivate in 2002, when it was prepared, approximately 22 million deaths might have been prevented due to vitamin A deficiency. This is sadly equivalent to a nutritional massacre via artrition. Fortunately, in 2005 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded $450 million to this project to increase the levels and quality of pro-vitamin A, Vitamin E, iron, and zinc through biotechnology.
Back home in North America, GM foods may also play a similar role in Vitamin D supplementation. A recent survey conducted by Statistics Canada found that 70% of Canadians have inadequate levels of Vitamin D. Short summers and a tendency to stay indoors have deprived Canadians of sufficient exposure to sunlight, which is a key source of this nutrient. Studies show that Vitamin D is important in the prevention of certain cancers, multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes and heart disease. It is also needed to promote calcium absorption in the body, which is crucial to the development of strong bones and prevention of osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. Dr. Schwalfenberg, clinical professor in department of family medicine in Alberta stated that 3000 International Units (I.U.) of Vitamin D is required to have an anti-cancer benefit. However, one glass of milk contains only 100 I.U, thus, sole dependence on this dietary source of Vitamin D would evidently not meet the RDA. As had been done with Golden Rice, perhaps Vitamin D could be the next candidate for genetic integration into another food to provide 70% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance.
In today’s society, there is much concern targeted towards GM foods due to their novelty and possible harmful effects. For instance, prior to 17th century, only white carrots were available in markets. However, later on Dutch growers crossbred cultivated and wild-type carrots to harvest only orange carrots since they were sweeter and bred in tribute to Prince William III of Orange. In this way, generations of white, yellow and purple carrots were wiped from history. Perhaps similarly, white rice may one day become food of the past!
Overall, GM foods are important for increasing productivity and quality of crops amidst the growing population. The reduced usage of pesticides results in a cleaner environment with increased savings. Most importantly, GM foods permit the production of more nutritional crops which may decrease mortality. Together, these facts bring new light to the old adage, “good health comes from the farm, not from the pharmacy.”
References
1) http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/focus/2004/41655/article_41667en.html
1) http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/focus/2004/41655/article_41667en.html
2) http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/genetics_modification/
3) http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef130.asp
4) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/23/gm-foods-world-population-crisis
5) http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/wfs-home/foodpricesindex/en/
6) http://knowledge.allianz.com/health/food_water/?500/gm-crops-facts-and-figures
7) http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/vad/en/
8) http://goldenrice.org/
9) Tang, G., Qin J., Dolnikowski G., Russell, R., Grusak, M. (2009). Golden Rice is an effective source of vitamin A. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89: pp 1776-1783.
10) Potrykus, I., Ammann, K. (2010). Regulation must be revolutionized. Nature, 466: p561.
11) http://www.gmobelus.com/
12) http://www.grandchallenges.org/about/Newsroom/Pages/GroundbreakingProjects.aspx
13) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/statscan-finds-widespread-vitamin-d-deficiency-in-canadians/article1510334/
14) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/statscan-finds-widespread-vitamin-d-deficiency-in-
15) http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind
I think I still have many concerns about the safety of GM foods though I think we can strike a middle ground. We often approach these issues as a binary with either a in or out answer. Perhaps we ought to heed caution to the warning but still attempt to best utilize GM foods. If we could still utilize Gm foods for large crops like grains which would help support the poor but limit there use on less proprietary crops like raspberries or blueberries (I assume these have GM versions), we might strike a more prudent balance.
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