Genetically modified food

Key concepts:

•Definition.•History .•Process of genetically modified food.•Why is labeling GM foods important ?•Status of GMOs in Pakistan.

Genetically modified Food…????Genetically modified foods or GM foods, also genetically engineered foods, are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering.

History ….!!!!•The first genetically modified food fit for the consumption was the “flavr savr” tomato was developed in 1994 by the Mansanto corporation.•The tomato was engineered to be more resistant to over repining and rot, thus giving a longer shelf life.•Since then, numerous fruits and vegetables have been modified to increase resistance to disease, crop yield and nutrition.

Process…!!!

Why is labeling GMOs important..???

"We have the Right to know what is in Our Food" GM foods and ingredients (including food additives and processing aids) that contain novel DNA or novel protein must be labeled with the words ‘genetically modified’. 

•Role of Pakistan government in labeling of GM foods.

Status of GM food in Pakistan :•Pakistan is an agricultural based country with more than 47% of its population dependant on agriculture.•Pakistan is also an agricultural supplier •But over recent years Pakistan is facing some serious challenges. •To tackle challenges one approach that has been used in Pakistan is GM food.•Few controversies in use of GM foods.•Only approved GM food is Bt. Cotton.

Genetically modified

crops:

•What is a GM Crop.!?• How are GM Crops Made?• Bt cotton• Fruits and vegetables:• Corn• Soy

Key concepts:

What is a GM Crop:• A GM or transgenic crop is a plant

that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology.

• For example, a GM crop can contain a gene(s) that has been artificially inserted instead of the plant acquiring it through pollination.

How are GM Crops Made?

• GM crops are made through a process known as genetic engineering. Genes of commercial interest are transferred from one organism to another.

Methods:2 methods currently in use.

• Gene gun method• Use of bacterium

Bt cotton:• Botanical name = Gossypium

hersutum • Family = Malvaceae• Introduced in 2005 in

pakistan.• cash crop(white gold) for

Pakistan.• Adds $2.5 billion to national

economy.• Yield per acre ranks 13th in

the world.

Genetic modification of Bt cotton:

• BT gene extracted from Agro bacterium and transfer in cotton plant through genetic engineering.• This BT gene produces resistance against boll worm pests.  

Mechanism:

Fruits and vegetables:• Papaya was genetically modified to

resist the ring spot virus. • Fortuna potato. The potato was made

resistant to late blight by adding resistant genes blb1 and blb2.

• Arctic Apples, . Gene silencing is used to reduce the expression of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), thus preventing the fruit from browning.

Corn:• Corn used for food and ethanol has

been genetically modified to tolerate various herbicides and to express a protein from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that kills certain insects.

Soy:

Genetically modified soybean has been modified to tolerate herbicides and produce healthier oils. 

BENEFITS AND RISKS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD

BENEFITS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD:Decreased Use of PesticidesMore incomeLess Deforestation Decrease in Global Warming Insect Resistance

Longer Shelf Life Stronger CropsLarger ProductionDecrease in Food Prices More Nutritious Foods

Positive Environmental Impacts of GMO's:Alleviating Hunger and Malnutrition Around the World.Soil salinity has become a major problem in all agriculture especially in the San Joaquin Valley. This has made crops less able to grow .Notice the white soil, cause by excessive salt.

use the genes of salt tolerant plants species (eg: mangrove) in our agricultural crops.Creating a Sustainability through GMO's:The genetic engineering of plants has the potential to provide edible plant vaccines.For Example:BananaPotato

RISKS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD Health Effects:Allergic Reactions Less Effective AntibioticsHigher risks of toxicity

Negative Environmental Impacts of GMF:Not 100% Environmentally FriendlyEndangering many species of extinction:e.g,the monarch butterflies has shown high mortality rates to the bio-pesticide pollen that was created by genetically modified cornExploitations

Regulationson GMOs

These regulation includes:

_ Convention on biological diversity(CBD)

_ Cartagena protocol on biosafety

_ International plant protection convention(IPPC)

GMOs ̛ status in Pakistan in perspectives of varies conventions and

protocol

• Pakistan has ratified both the convention on biological diversity in 26th July 1994.

• Cartagena protocol in May, 2009. • Pakistan has also notified the Pakistan Biosafety

rules on 21st April, 2005 under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 

• After the notification of Biosafety Rules, 2005, the Biosafety guidelines were developed.

The biosafety rules establish a three-tier system to ensure risk

assessment and reduction: Institutional Biosafety

Organisations that conduct field research

Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) that evaluates applications for import,

use or sale and National Biosafety Committee

(NBC) that is the final approving authority for

GMO use in Pakistan.

Regulatory agencies in Pakistan

• National Biosafety Center (NBC)• PAK-Environmental Protection Agency• Ministry of Science and Technology• Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)

CONTROVERSIES AGAINST GMOs IN PAKISTAN

MAIN POINTS:Controversial debates against GMOs.Controversies in the Seed Amendment Bill 2015.Heated Controversies Against GMOs.NGOs And Farmer Organizations Against GMOs.Conclusion.

Controversial debates against GMOs :• It is important to discuss both sides of the problem.1. responsible for promoting a

healthy lifestyle, increasing crop yields, generating employment, producing vaccines and other drugs for use.

2. Ethical, Nutritionist and Political Parties concerns.  

CONTROVERSIES IN THE SEED AMENDMENT BILL 2015 

With the enactment of this Act, the government hopes that it would serve as an effective handicap against the sale of fake and substandard seeds.

But the controversy is likely to persist because the law allows the import and commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops in Pakistan

Senate chairman refer the bill to the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security: to address the concerns farmers, lawyers, civil society and seed company associations had about the legislation.

Senator Mohammad Mohsin Khan Leghari:

“why are we pushing for passing the bill when nations from Asia to South America have had terrible experiences with GM crops?’’

Dr Azra Sayeed:GM foods are “fresh onslaught of imperialist corporations” and the government’s “unquenchable thirst for profits”

Federal Secretary Food Security and Research Seerat Asghar:

“this bill ensures checks and balances. It lays down a strict procedure to check and regulate GM crop seeds.”

HEATED CONTROVERSIES AGAINST GMOs : A heated controversy is raging over whether or not the government has given a go-ahead to some multinationals to make commercial sale of GM corn seeds

The companies claim to have received a formal permission and licenses from the Ministry of Climate Change.

Federal Ministers Khurram Dastgir and Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan: denied that the government had given license to any multinational company for commercial trial of GM corn seeds.

Q.The question that remains unanswered is which authorities have given permission to the seed companies?

NGOs AND FARMER ORGANIZATIONS AGAINST GMOs.

CONCLUSION :Standards are followed in using the GMOs and are being continuously monitored.

Pakistan should ensure strong scientific capacity and research based approach in the field of genetically modified organisms.

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency should fully concentrate and equip their manpower in growing emerging technology (biotechnology).

Pakistan must concentrate on synthetic biology as an alternative to the emerging field of biotechnology, as it poses least risk as compared to traditional biotechnology.

The funding organizations should allocate a good quantity of financial resources to encourage the research on synthetic biology.