Food Biotechnology Ethics

Food Biotechnology Ethics
Clark Ford, Ph.D. Food Science and Human Nutrition Iowa State University
What is Food Biotechnology?

Food technology based on biology
Ancient food biotechnology:
Fermentation by microbes
Cheese Beer Wine Bread
Modern food biotechnology

Tissue culture Genetic engineering
Different from plant and animal breeding
Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering involves manipulating DNA molecules DNA from one species is spliced into the DNA of another species
Called: Recombinant DNA
Genetically Engineered organisms are called:

Genetically Modified Transgenic
Milestones in Food Biotechnology

1953: Structure of DNA discovered 1973: First gene cloned in microbes 1977: Asilomar Conference in USA Recombinant DNA safety Regulation Risk assessment Containment

Enzyme for cheese making Originally from calf stomach Bovine gene expressed in GRAS microbes In 80% of U.S. cheese Vegetarian cheese in England
1990: Recombinant Chymosin Approved by FDA
Other Products from Genetically Engineered Microbes

Food enzymes
Bread HFCS Sweeteners
Amino acids Peptides

Nutrasweet
Flavors Organic acids Polysaccharides Vitamins

1994: FDA approves Flavr Savr Tomato
Prolonged shelf life Improved quality Voluntarily labeled
Other Genetically Engineered Plants

Agronomic traits
BT Corn Roundup Ready Soy Disease Resistance
Food quality Nutrition Metabolic products Vaccines
Bt Corn
Natural insecticide from Bacillus thuringiensis Non-toxic to humans Target insect: corn borer Potential to:
reduce insecticide use reduce mycotoxins
40% U.S. Corn crop Bt (2006)
Bt Concerns
Bt pollen harms non-target species? Bt crops select for resistant insects Bt pollen can drift to organic fields Food system failed to keep BT Starlink corn out of human food products
Herbicide Resistance
Roundup Ready Soy, Corn, Canola Allows post-emergence herbicide spraying Increases yield Facilitates no-till farming 89% U.S. Soy crop (2006)
Herbicide Resistance Concerns

Encourages herbicide use Groundwater contamination Kills beneficial soil microbes Cross-pollinates weeds Fosters dependence on Agrochemcial companies
Disease Resistance
Canola Cantaloupes Cucumbers Corn Rice Papaya Potatoes Soybeans Squash Tomatoes Wheat
Genetically engineered papaya resistant papaya ringspot virus
Health and Nutrition

Golden Rice
Vitamin A and Iron enhanced Seeds given to the poor for free
Improved Amino Acid Balance for Soy, Maize Banana Vaccines

1999: GM corn and soybean products are present in 80% of processed foods in USA
Corn: starch, high fructose corn syrup, oil Soy: oil, Lecithin, protein

1999: European Union requires GM labels, blocks import of GM corn, beans
Ban lifted 2004 but no change in anti-gm sentiment in Europe
1999: Gerber and Heinz baby foods GM-free 2000: Mc Donalds and Frito-Lay products GM-free

2000: USDA Organic Foods Standards
Must be GM-free

2005: 222 million acres worldwide
Planted in Genetically modified crops
55% in USA
Soy Corn Cotton

India, China
Canola
http://www.isaaa.org/kc/bin/briefs34/es/index.htm http://www.newscientist.com/data/images/archive/2483/24833301.jpg
Controversy over Biotech Foods

Debate pits consumer and ecology groups against Multinational Corporations Many farmers, scientists, government agencies caught in the middle
Arguments for Genetically Engineered Food

Potential to:
Increase productivity Increase purity Increase safety Improve nutrition Improve food quality Improve sustainability Benefit ecosystem
Similar to traditional Plant and Animal breeding Unless misused, outcome expected to be beneficial
Is a powerful technology that could help humanity
Process not inherently harmful
Bad ideas weeded out by the market, regulation, lawsuit --Paul Thompson
Arguments against Genetically Engineered Foods

Potential safety risk for humans
Unintended Consequences
Genetic Engineering is playing God

Not Natural to move genes between species
Potential safety risk for environment

Could spread
Genetically Engineered label not required in U.S. Benefits multinational corporations

not consumers or developing nations
Frankenstein Foods: Unintended Consequences?

Random gene insertion Toxicity
New gene products? Allergies
Eating DNA!
Arguments for Labeling

Not Substantially equivalent to nonGM Must use Precautionary principle Is uncertainty in risk assessment Labeling indicates process used Consumers right to know and choose Countrys right to know and choose
Arguments against labeling

Suggests non-existent hazard Expensive to segregate crops and change labels FDA labels required if change in: Allergenicity Nutrition Food Quality
Will it Feed the World?

Disease resistance will benefit developing nations Technology requiring increased inputs benefits wealthy, multinationals, plantations Small, subsistence farmers cant compete, lose land Inequity, poverty increase Thus more food and more hunger Green Revolution unsustainable

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Food Biotechnology Ethics

What is Food Biotechnology?

Modern food biotechnology

Genetically Engineered organisms are called:

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

1990: Recombinant Chymosin Approved by FDA

Other Products from Genetically Engineered Microbes

Amino acids Peptides

Flavors Organic acids Polysaccharides Vitamins

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Other Genetically Engineered Plants

Food quality Nutrition Metabolic products Vaccines

40% U.S. Corn crop Bt (2006)

Herbicide Resistance Concerns

Genetically engineered papaya resistant papaya ringspot virus

Health and Nutrition

Improved Amino Acid Balance for Soy, Maize Banana Vaccines

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Milestones in Food Biotechnology

Soy Corn Cotton

Controversy over Biotech Foods

Arguments for Genetically Engineered Food

Process not inherently harmful

Arguments against Genetically Engineered Foods

Genetic Engineering is playing God

Potential safety risk for environment

Genetically Engineered label not required in U.S. Benefits multinational corporations

Frankenstein Foods: Unintended Consequences?

Arguments for Labeling

Arguments against labeling

Will it Feed the World?

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