Genetically Modified Foods

1. Genetically Modified Foods Done by: Giovanna Heron

2. GM Foods (Overview) • Genetically Modified Foods or Organisms, are foods that have been biologically changed to create desired traits. • GM Foods have characteristics that would make them less vulnerable to such adverse effects as drought, or certain diseases. • In order to achieve these enhanced traits, scientists have isolated different genes in certain plants or animals that cause them to be resilient, and then transplant these genes into other plants or crops. • This method is called Genetic Engineering, and yields more crops at a faster rate than conventional farming, that would take more time and does not always give the desired results.

3. The Promises of GM Foods • Right now, the world’s population is over 6 billion people, and in the next 40+ years, is expected to double. • For this growing population, and with major farmlands being substantially decreased to make way for residential homes, it will become increasingly hard to ensure adequate food supply • With genetically modified foods, scientists are trying to solve these problems in a number of ways: • Pesticide/ Herbicide Resistance: There is high crop loss yearly due to pests. Farmers typically use tons of chemical pesticides to rid crops of pests. Many consumers do not wish to buy foods that may contain pesticides due to potential health risks, as well as run-off from pesticide use can poison the water supply. By transplanting genes that are lethal to pests into these crops, they too become pest resistant without the need for pesticides. • Disease Resistance: Plant biologists are now trying to find genes in various plants or animals that are resistant to diseases.

4. Promises of GM Foods (cont’d) • Cold Tolerance: Frost can damage seedlings, and anti-freeze genes from fish can cause them to be frost resistant. Cold water fish genes have been introduced to such crops as potato and tobacco. • Drought Resistance: Creating plants that can be tolerant in drought, and can grow in high salt-content areas, will allow people to grow crops in areas otherwise unsuitable. • Nutrition: In third world countries, where people rely on one staple for their main diet (such as rice), they are like to miss out on essential minerals and proteins, which can lead to malnutrition. Blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a problem in less developed countries, and the Rockefeller Foundation has funded ‘golden rice’ which contain high vitamin A. They would also like to be able to increase the iron content as well, but due to anti-GM food protest, this will not be possible. • Pharmaceuticals: Due to the high cost of medicines and vaccines, as well as their required storage conditions, it can often be unavailable to third world countries. By transplanting edible vaccines in such vegetables as tomatoes and potatoes, it will make the vaccines more readily available and easier to store and ship. • Phytoremediation: In places in the world, where soil and groundwater pollution are a problem, the use of such plants as poplar trees can be genetically engineered to clean up heavy metals from contaminated soils.

5. Adverse Effects to the Natural Environment (issues) • Genetically Modified foods have come under sharp criticism from many group, including environmental activists and public interest groups for a variety of reasons. These being: • Unintended Harm to other Organisms: In one such case, a 1999 laboratory study in the environmental magazine “Nature”, showed that there seemed to be high mortality rates in monarch butterflies due to B.t. genes (a naturally occurring bacteria lethal to pest larvae) that is used in corn and other crops as a pesticide. B.t. genes in pollen from the corn crops would blow onto nearby milkweed crops that the caterpillars would eat and eventually die. • Reduced effectiveness of Pesticides: There is growing concern that pests will become resistant to pesticides (such as B.t.) in the same way that mosquitoes eventually became resistant to the now banned substance DDT. • Gene Transfer to Non-target Species: There is the possibility that plants containing herbicide resistant genes will crossbreed with weeds, creating ‘super weeds’ that will be herbicide tolerant. There is also the possibility that plants containing GM genes can crossbreed or cross-pollinate with non- GM plants nearby.

6. Adverse Effects to the Natural Environment • Adverse Effects to Human Health include: • Allergenicity: The possibility exists, that introducing new genes to certain foods can create new allergens. This could be a possible explanation for the fact that so many children have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. • Unknown Effects on Human: There was a study and report published by ‘Lancet’, a group that tried to genetically modify potatoes and feed them to rats, while studying these rats against others that were fed no-modified potatoes. Their report found that there was marked difference between the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes, and the intestines of rat fed non-GM potatoes. This report, however, is considered scientifically flawed, as Lancet used snowdrop flower lectin genes (known to be toxic to animals) in their study, and the potatoes were not really intended for human or animal consumption. Overall, Genetically Modified foods are not considered to be harmful to humans, without the exception of allergenicity, which is still not proven by studies.

7. Applicable Legislations to GM foods- Internationally • Genetically Modified foods will affect many countries around the world, and the acceptance of these foods depends heavily on the social, economical and political climates of different countries. • In Japan in April 2001, it was announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare that testing of GM foods should be mandatory. • As of 2001, there were no guidelines regarding modified foods in India. This may be due to the fact that India does not modify foods, and no GM foods are available in supermarkets. It is expected, however, that India will be accepting of GM foods as a way to combat the high poverty rates in the country, and also because they support genetic transplanting. • In Brazil, the Institute for Defense of Consumers and the Greenpeace organization have banded together to prevent farming and importing of GM foods. Some farmers, however, have smuggled GM soybeans into the country so they can stand a better chance of competing on the global market. • In Europe, the outbreaks of Mad Cow’s Disease in Britain, and dioxin-tainted foods in Belgium, have caused anti-GM food protests. This has led to the mandatory labeling of GM foods in Europe. • In the United States, the EPA, USDA, and the FDA monitor and conduct risk assessment studies on genetically modified foods as well as provide licenses to producers of modified foods.

8. Applicable Legislations to GM foods- Canada • Ontario currently does not play a role in the regulation of biotechnology products. • Health Canada created the Food and Drugs Act to assess the safety of new food products before they can be sold to consumers. • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) created in April, 1997 enforces the standards set by Health Canada by focusing on the environmental safety of foods, fertilizers and plants that have been made through biotechnology. • The CFIA’s role is to: - coordinate agri-food information requirements with relevant departments; - inspect and register facilities, food animals, and licensed fruit and vegetable dealers; - monitor quality, grade packaging and labeling practices against national standards; - design and conduct laboratory testing programs to ensure that agricultural products meet safety standards; - certify products for import or export trade. • In 1999, most of the Federal Ministries of Canada came together to create the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee (CBAC) to assist in regulating GM foods in Canada. This group deals with the policy issues concerning ethical, social, regulatory, economic, environmental and health aspects of the GM technology.

9. Applicable Legislation to GM foods- Canada • The most recent Regulation for GM foods is Food and Drug Regulation 946- “Novel Foods”. Amendments B.28.001, B.28.002 and B.28.003 were added after section B.27.005 on September 26, 1998. • These three amendments set out to define: - “genetically modify” which means to change the traits of a microorganism - “major change” which means changing the acceptable natural limits of the food with regards to: the composition, the manner in which the food is metabolized, and the microbiological safety. - “novel foods” is defined as (a) foods that do not have a safe food history, (b) foods that are packaged in ways that were not previously used and (c) foods that have been derived from other modified foods. • Section B.28.002 and B.28.003 describe who is allowed to manufacture, advertise and import novel foods and under what authorization. As well as, these sections give guidelines for labeling of novel foods. • The main purpose of adding these sections to the Regulation was to provide pre-notification of the sale of novel foods in Canada, in order to develop data and regulate their safety.

10. What section of the Legislation is being contravened /breached? • Currently, the legislation set out by the Food and Drugs Act is being adhered to very well. This is because industries know the protocol for assessment of modified foods (as set out in the guideline), and follow these before offering their product up to be assessed by Health Canada. • Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency receive, on average, 15- 20 novel foods per year for assessment before they can be imported into the country, or before they are recommended as ‘safe for use’ by the consumers. This average is small enough to give the associations ample time to thoroughly examine data and testing done on these foods. • The biggest concern from consumers is the labeling of GM foods. Currently, labeling is voluntary, and may exist as … ‘this product contains’ or ‘this product does not contain’ in response to foods that cause known allergens such as nuts. There is, however desired change for labeling to be mandatory. • On November 26, 2002, an article entitled “Free Trade stopping Canada from labeling GM Foods” reported on concerns that the United States seemed set to use their influence as a major trading partner with Canada to impede the process for mandatory labeling of GM foods in Canada, since they (the U.S.) do not support labeling. It is believed that the U.S. would challenge mandatory labeling by stating that it contravenes the North American Free Trade Agreement.

11. Proposed Solutions (What else could be done?) • As suggested by Green Ontario, some suggestions for solutions surrounding the safety of modified foods are: - An indefinite discontinuation of modified foods, until there is a consensus from all parties involved on how safe modified foods really are. - Creating public review of modified foods, that would give public consultation of what is to be considered safe/ sound science, as well as other ethical, environmental, social or economic issues. - Funding should be considered for environmental and health research and assessment, instead of the bulk going towards development (as $700 million goes into development alone). - Strengthen the weaknesses in the CEPA and Food and Drugs Act so that modified foods are not simply recognized as hazardous material or a substantial equivalent to non-modified foods. - Label foods so that consumers can have the choice of which to purchase and so that government can be able to identify the product in the marketplace to be able to make long-term health studies on their effects. To consumers: know what you are eating

12. Lobby Groups created as a result • Currently campaigning for a halt to genetically modified foods are: The Sierra Club of Canada, Council of Canadians, Greenpeace Canada, among others. • Currently lobbying for the use of modification in foods and other product are: DOW Agro-sciences Canada Inc., Pioneer High bred International Inc., and Monsanto.

13. References • http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php • http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/2002/2002_reg-gmf-agm_e.html • http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/gmf-agm/index_e.html • http://www.greenontario.org/strategy/biotech.html#Major%20Activities • http://www.nupge.ca/issues/environment.htm • http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/food/gmfood/cfia1.html VIDEOS