Lawi-An, Rina Mae 6385 Genetic Engineering

Rina Mae S.
Lawi-an BSA-3
6385 GE STS MWF 3:30-4:30 PM
1. List and explain the disadvantages or problems associated with the use of genetic
engineering.
• Possibility of Human Health Problems
Solving an issue by transferring genes to the organism is the goal of genetic engineering. The
scientist still didn’t know its long-term side effects to humans. Sometimes, this can cause
side effects. There are no studies yet for longer time frame of using genetically modified
organisms. According to the Center for Food Safety, a US-based nonprofit organization, “Each
genetic insertion creates the added possibility that formerly nontoxic elements in the food could
become toxic.” Antibiotic resistance, cancer, unknown harms to health and production of toxins
are possible dangers to our human health.
• New Allergens in the Food Supply
Making small changes in order to repair through genetic makeup of plants introduce toxins or
trigger allergic reactions because of the possible changes in the food supply. A joint commission
of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
(FAO) identified two potential unintended effects of genetic modification of food sources: higher
levels of allergens in a host plant that contains known allergenic properties, and new proteins
created by the gene insertion that could cause allergic reactions. Genetic engineering routinely
moves proteins into the food supply from organisms that have never been consumed as foods.
Some of those proteins could be food allergens, since virtually all known food allergens are
proteins. Recent research substantiates concerns about genetic engineering rendering previously
safe foods allergenic. A study by scientists at the University of Nebraska showed that soybeans
genetically engineered to contain Brazil-nut proteins cause reactions in individuals allergic to
Brazil nuts. Scientists have limited ability to predict whether a particular protein will be a food
allergen if consumed by humans. The only sure way to determine whether protein will be an
allergen is through experience. Thus, importing proteins, particularly from nonfood sources, is a
gamble with respect to their allergenicity.
• Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is when the bacteria and fungi which is supposed to be killed by the drugs
develop the ability to vanquish the drugs and that germs are not killed but continue to grow.
Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant germs are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat.
Genetic engineering often uses genes for antibiotic resistance as "selectable markers." The
presence of antibiotic-resistance genes in foods could have two harmful effects. First, eating these
foods could reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics to fight disease when these antibiotics are taken
with meals. Second, the resistance genes could be transferred to human or animal pathogens,
making them impervious to antibiotics. If transfer were to occur, it could aggravate the already
serious health problem of antibiotic-resistant disease organisms. Although unmediated transfers of
genetic material from plants to bacteria are highly unlikely, any possibility that they may occur
requires careful scrutiny in light of the seriousness of antibiotic resistance.
• Production of New Toxins
An article in Food Science and Human Welfare said, “Three major health risks potentially
associated with GM foods are: toxicity, allergenicity and genetic hazards.” The authors raised
concerns that the GMO process could disrupt a plant’s genetic integrity, with the potential to
activate toxins or change metabolic toxin levels in a ripple effect beyond detection. The toxic
substances produced by plants help to defend stationary organisms from the many predators in
their environment. Some plants contain inactive pathways leading to toxic substances. Addition of
new genetic material through genetic engineering could reactivate these inactive pathways or
otherwise increase the levels of toxic substances within the plants.
• Concentration of Toxic Metals
Heavy metals like mercury from the soil can be removed because of the new genes added. These
genes added concentrate in the plant tissue. Making the use of municipal sludge as fertilizer is the
purpose of creating such crops, but often cannot be used as fertilizer because it is contaminated
with toxic heavy metals. The idea is to engineer plants to remove and sequester those metals in
inedible parts of plants. Such products pose risks of contaminating foods with high levels of toxic
metals if the on/off switches are not completely turned off in edible tissues. There are also
environmental risks associated with the handling and disposal of the metal-contaminated parts of
plants after harvesting.
• Enhancement of the Environment for Toxic Fungi
Removal of genes and gene products can also cause problems. Fungal toxins, such as aflatoxin,
are potent human toxins that can remain active through processes of food preparation.
• Unknown Harms
Understanding of physiology, genetics and nutrition are limited so we may never know what could
go wrong and there’s really a big possibility of mistakes that could harm the environment or us.
As with any new technology, the full set of risks associated with genetic engineering have almost
certainly not been identified.
2. Comment on the safety issues and ethics of genetic engineering.
The safety issues and ethics must both be known to all those who are affected especially to those
doctors. Through this, those people will be aware and can put a suggestion towards the ongoing
topic. The safety issues and ethics of genetic engineering must really be discussed because we still
didn’t know the long-term effects of genetic engineering. I do believe that altering the nature into
something artificial can have consequences. Altering what is natural to something artificial has a
price. I do hope that the cost will not be more than the gains we receive. I hope that the cost is
worth to use these genetically modified organisms. Humans are really abusive. Resources start to
be limited. Populations are increasing but scarcity of resources arise. In order to solve this problem,
people start to create genetically modified organisms. It sure has positive effects but there is no
guarantee that the positive effects are long-term. We won’t know that there could be negative
effects that will be very detrimental to human health and the environment. One thing that is very
certain in the safety issues and ethics of genetic engineering is that it is uncertain on how it could
affect especially us humans and how it will affect to the next generation.
References:
Hagedorn, C. (2000, February). Risks of Genetic Engineering.
Https://Www.Sites.Ext.vt.Edu/Newsletter-Archive/Cses/2000-02/Risks.Html.
https://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/newsletter-archive/cses/2000-02/risks.html
ProCon.org. (2020, October 3). GMOs - Top 3 Pros and Cons.
https://www.procon.org/headlines/gmos-top-3-pros-and-cons/

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Rina Mae S.

6385 GE STS MWF 3:30-4:30 PM

• Possibility of Human Health Problems

• New Allergens in the Food Supply

• Production of New Toxins

• Concentration of Toxic Metals

• Enhancement of the Environment for Toxic Fungi

Hagedorn, C. (2000, February). Risks of Genetic Engineering.

ProCon.org. (2020, October 3). GMOs - Top 3 Pros and Cons.

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