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Regulations and Ethics

Regulations and Ethics. There are two sides to every issue…. Do I look like a Frankenfood?. Pubic Perception vs. Prudent Regulatory Policy. Biotechnology - GMOs. The United States grows many transgenic crops. ~ 88% of the corn ~ 83% of the cotton ~ 90% of the soybean.

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Regulations and Ethics

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  1. Regulations and Ethics

  2. There are two sides to every issue… Do I look like a Frankenfood?

  3. Pubic Perception vs. Prudent Regulatory Policy

  4. Biotechnology - GMOs • The United States grows many transgenic crops. ~ 88% of the corn ~ 83% of the cotton ~ 90% of the soybean • Ingredients from these crops show up in everything from fast-food milk shakes to bags of tortilla chips.

  5. Current Estimates and Genes Involved http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food

  6. Trends in GM Crop Production

  7. Trends in GM Crop Production

  8. Consumer Acceptance – U.S.

  9. Scientific & Ethical Issues • Safety Issues - Human Health: • Allergenicity of foreign proteins - e.g. - Nut proteins expressed in plants • Identity of food sources (religious consequences) • Increased pesticide residue levels in plants made tolerant using pesticide resistance genes • Increased numbers of antibiotic resistant organisms due to antibiotic selection markers • Safety of “natural” pesticides in transgenic plants • Altered nutritional properties • Long-term safety issues – chronic toxicity

  10. Scientific & Ethical Issues Safety Issues: Environmental: • Increased use of chemicals on crops, resulting in increased contamination of our water supply and food • The creation of herbicide-resistant weeds; “Superweeds” • The spread of diseases across species barriers • Loss of bio-diversity in crops • Increased sickness and suffering for genetically engineered animals • The disturbance of ecological balance

  11. Potential Advantages • Increased crop production - less loss due to plant pathogens, drought, spoilage etc. - “feed the world” • Increased nutritional benefits of food: e.g. vitamin A in rice • Increased animal product yield - “more milk” (e.g. rBGH injected or transgenic cows) • Production of biopharmaceuticals and possible “edible” vaccines (e.g. E. coli toxin genes) • “Safer food?” Less plant damage - lower levels of mold infestation - lower amounts of mycotoxins

  12. What is Regulation and Who is Doing the Regulating? • A principle, rule, or law designed to control or govern Agencies: • USDA – United States Department of Agriculture • EPA – Environmental Protection Agency • FDA – U.S. Food and Drug Administration

  13. Regulatory Agencies • USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Regulates environmental release of transgenic plants • USDA, Food Safety Inspection Service - Regulates transgenic livestock and poultry • EPA - Registers pesticides including those produced in plants • Since no plant produced pesticides are toxic to humans, an exemption has been granted from setting a tolerance • FDA • Regulates all feed and food not regulated by USDA

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