SCH 4431

FOOD CHEMISTRY & BIOTECHNOLOGY

FINAL ASSESSMENT: REVIEW PAPER

TITTLE: THE OVERVIEW OF PLANT AND ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

NAME : NUR SYAZWANI BINTI SABARUDIN

MATRIC NO : 1716646

LECTURER’S NAME : ASST. PROF. DR. ERNA NORMAYA BT ABDULLAH

DATE OF SUBMISSION : 15th AUGUST 2020

INTRODUCTION
Genetic engineering means increasing, decreasing or removing of a gene that is
already exist in the organism. This method has been adjusted by utilizing the recombinant
DNA (rDNA) techniques. Thus, the product is called as Genetically Modified Organism
(GMO) plant, animal or microorganism. In other word, GMO means the insertion of gene
from other sources into the organism such as viruses, bacteria, animals or plants. The food
product derived by the GMO is usually called as Genetically Modified Food (GMF). Besides,
the crops that grow by using the GMO technique usually called as Genetically Modified
(GM) crops.
Next, there are many techniques applied for having GM crops. For example,
according to Caiping et al. (2004), Agrobacterium tumefaciens had been used as intermediate
organism to transfer the selected gene into the plant. The genes are neomycin
phosphotransferase (NPYII) and β-glucuronidase (GUS). The aim of this technique is for the
transformation and regeneration of the clone of Populus (cottonseed) which is known as
Nisqually-1. This research had been done in United States.
Besides, the second technique example is biolistic transformation. According to Lee
et al. (2003), the preferable genes are bombarded into the plant cells. The carriers that had
been used in this technique is DNA-coated beads. The third technique example is
electroporation. This technique uses the combination of genes into the host genome and
applicable for plant cells that does not have cell walls. It also involves the microinjection
method to make hole in plant cell for allowing the insertion of DNA. In order for researcher
to detect either the DNA had completely entered, they had attached the DNA with marker
gene before transferring. The result of this technique is it will soften the fruit and prevent
from any infection disease in plant. Figure 1 shows the demonstration of electroporation
technique.

Figure 1. The electroporation technique onto plant cell

According to Weale (2010), the number of farmers applied the GM crops in every
countries has been doubled. Plus, some country has given triple increase in GM crops
farmland with the most common crops such as soybean, cotton and maize. This is the prove
that the farmers use the benefits on the advance technology. Hence, this is to ensure that they
are in condition to have access to technology and to make a choice about its use in the light of
their own situation. Plus, not all developments regarding the GM crops is successful. For
example, regarding the development of virus resistant sweet potato in east Africa. This is why
case-by-case and further analysis is very important.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
According to Knight (2007), about 148 million hectares of farmland in this world
involves with the GM crops. The main suppliers of GM crop are United States of America
(USA), Canada, Argentina and China. In Canada, about 70% of processed food products use
genetically modified ingredients. Meanwhile, in USA, GM crops are applied in maize, cotton
and soya production for about 80% from the total production. Plus, with the rapid population
growth throughout the country, government had tried their best for ensuring good and enough
supply of food in terms of vegetables, fruits and wheat to prevent any hunger and poverty
within its citizens.
However, despite the rapid development of GM crops, there are presence of social
and ethical contradiction. According to Maghari and Ardekani (2011), people are debating on
how GM crop would produce high quality and high yield crops without give any harms to
ecosystem, biodiversity and human health. Many peoples are worried after consuming the
GM crops in daily life for the whole life, either it will give short or long term effects to
human health. Some of their concerns are antibiotic resistance, unnatural nutritional changes,
allergenicity and toxicity. According to WHO, the European consumer become less
confidence in the safety of food supply because of the number of food scares within
consumers took place in the mid of 1990 regarding the GM foods and crops.
Besides, there are some environmental experts claimed that from the GM crops could
give impact on global ecosystem. They concern on from the GM crops and agriculture would
grow superweeds and superpests that will disturb the balance of nature. Plus, it also may kill
the beneficial insects that will support the plant growth. For example, From the biolistic
transformation, there are issues arise from their successful gene transfer. One of them is
regarding the safety of GM crops in terms of the genotypic and phenotypic stability. Hence,
the objectives of this review are to identify the ethical issue and challenges towards the GMO
approach in food and agriculture industry.

ETHICAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES TOWARDS THE GMO APPROACH IN

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY
A. Human Health
According to Weale (2010), there are some cases and evidence presence towards
effect of GM crops that will give effect on human health. However, the cases are not
supported with critical observation or examination. In 2004, a farmer was very impressed by
the GMO technology and he started to produce Golden Rice as shown in figure 2. Golden
rice is one of the GM crops in terms of to enhance the micronutrients. However, there is no
firm evidence onto that issue. According to Alessandro et al. (2014), the recent scientific
research found that there is no significant hazard towards the use of GM crops. However, this
issue still has ongoing debate throughout the country. Thus, it can be concluding that the food
product derived from GM crops is no risk to human health.

Figure 2. The golden rice by using the GMO approach

In contrast, according to Bernstein et al. (1999), there are a health survey conducted
among the farm workers before and after exposure of Bacillus thruingieniensis (Bt)
pesticides. This is due to the health risk of the consumption of Bt have been very little, but
the potential allergenicity of Bt has nor been evaluated. The survey includes question
regarding their nasal lavages, ventilator function examination and skin test. The result of this
survey, a few exposed workers showed positive skin-prick test to several spore extracts were
observed. The number of workers that give positive skin-prick is higher with high exposed
workers onto Bt. Most exposed workers got positive for nasal lavage cultures. Besides,
particular Humoral Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody were
present in high exposure workers. These antibodies give responses to spore and vegetative
BT extracts in human body. Thus, the exposure of Bt sprays may lead to allergenicity to
exposure workers and impact on the rise of IgE and IgG antibodies.
From this issue, those reports are published by independent GM researchers that
concern about the risk of GM foods to human health. Therefore, it is important to examine
the GM crops and foods before release into the food chain by all organization. However,
there are some difficulties in examining the allergenicity of GM crops. Nowadays, the gene
that cause allergenicity had be known like the gene for the alpha-amylase trypsin inhibitors
by using in vitro tests. Plus, in order to test the stability of GM foods in human digestive
system, it requires human or animal as trials and the data bank studies. Thus, it is difficult to
detect allergenic by identifying the new GM crop with a gene transferred from as source with
unknown allergenicity.
B. Animal, plant and environment concern
According to Maghari and Ardekani (2011), many scientific data regarding the animal
fed by GM crops gave harm or even died to animal. For example, cows, buffalo, pigs and
other animals that eat grass within the GM Bt-maize, cottonseed and corn showed
complication such as early deliveries, abortion, infertility and even died. Based on Fares and
El-Sayed (1998), transgenic potatoes or known as delta-endotoxin-treated potatoes had
developed hyperplastic cells in the mice ileum. The potatoes carry CryI gene of Bacillus
thuringiensis var. kurstaki strain HD1. This issues had given mild changes in the structural
configuration of the ileum. Thus, further tests and regular inspection must be made to new
GM crops to avoid any risk before marketing. However, according to Munro (1999), the
studies had been conducted on GM crops company that the crops do not give any side effects
onto the mice.
Besides, according to WHO, there are some issues concerning on the effect of GM
crops onto environment. Some of them are the persistence of the gene after the GMO has
been harvested and the vulnerability of non-target organism such as insects that are not pest
to the gene product. Next, the stability of the gene, the reduction in the spectrum of other
plants and the rise consumption of chemicals in agriculture are the main concerns regarding
the effect of GM crops. This result is vary depending on the farmland and local conditions.
C. Ethical issues and challenges by country

Figure 3. Some of ethical issues regarding the GMO approach in food and agriculture
industry
Argentina is the largest applied the GM crops in the world after the USA and Brazil.
Law on Seeds and Phytogenetic Creations and the Law on the Promotion of the Development
and Production of Modern Biotechnology, and under administrative regulations issued by the
Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food are regulated in Argentina
concerning on GMO and GM crop. Meanwhile, in Belgium, this country considered as an
intermediate level of restrictions upon GMO. Plus, mostly people opinion in Belgium are
against the GMO production. Regulation of GMO in Belgium is directly and indirectly
derived from European country and their main focus in authorization requirements are
towards production, the usage and the distribution. Plus, it also focusses on the mandatory
technical needs to limit the potential release of GMO crops into the non-GMO fields,
information and transparency measures.
Next, in Brazil, there are law that concern on GMO development, the concept of
GMO and regulation for the research laboratories that work with them. Plus, it also set up
authorization regulation for GMO research in that country. The rule also covers the
production and marketing of GMO, how to release the GMO into environment and
appropriate system for GMO cultivation process. Then, it also includes the requirements for
inspection and monitoring of GMO research activities and its commercial release and the
limitation of GMO in food product. If someone disobey this rule regarding GMO production,
there will be punishment of administrative violation and criminal offenses. Hence, Brazil
regulation regarding the GMO research and production is quite strict and comprehensive.
Furthermore, in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is an agency that
responsible for regulating the GM crops and approving the GM feed to animals. Canada is
one of the country that focus on traits or characteristic from the GMO and not the method
used to introduce the traits. Meanwhile, Health Canada is assigned to check the safety of
GMO foods and foodstuffs for human consumption. They also mandated to control the sale
of GMO foods in Canada. Some country, it is mandatory to mention GMO on food
packaging, labelling and advertising. However, in Canada, it is voluntary to mention the word
GMO on the food product unless there is health or safety concern.
Moreover, in China, the law regulated concerning on GMO is under the agricultural
GMO regulation enacted by the State Council in 2001 and any relevant administrative
regulation. This regulation not only concerning on crops, but it also covers GMO animals,
microorganism and food. Any GMO company in China that want to test their research,
produce their product or market it need to have approval from government. Plus, any import
GMO product or GMO raw materials from foreign company need to apply application to the
Ministry of Agriculture China and obtain the GMO safety certificates.
Besides, it is different happen in Egypt. Egypt takes the open-minded approach
toward the GMO including crops, plant, animal and microorganism. Plus, the public policy
does not prevent any grow, import and export of GM crops in the country. The Egyptian law
does not contain any limitation towards GM crops and food product research, production and
marketing. Egypt also does not have regulation on releasing the GM crops into the
environment. Because of this permissive approach, there are some activists that against this
policy because it is too liberal. Hence, a draft law on biosafety is drafted and presented,
however, it is not approved by the Egyptian parliament.
Last but not least, in South Korea, they had signed the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety in 2000 and make law and legislation regarding the GMO on the following years.
GMO is permitted in South Korea including its research, export, import, cultivation and
development as long as the researchers and producers follow the rules provided. Although,
the GMO research is rapidly developing in Korea, the citizens are still concern and worried
about the GMO product. There is no authorized GMO cultivation in here. Regulation on GM
food product includes safety assessment, risk examination and permissible procedure.
Producers of GM foods must follow the labelling requirement such as mentioning the word of
GMO product on its label and advertisement.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the objective of this review is achieved. There are many ethical issues
and challenges related to Genetic Modified Organism (GMO) approach in food and
agriculture industry such as in terms of human health, biodiversity and environment. Some of
these issues are uncertain because of lack of evidence and prove by researchers or experts.
Plus, with the citizens concern and worry that may lead to misconceptions in GMO
production. Therefore, a few seminar or exhibition need to set up in every country to give
understanding and knowledge regarding the GM food and product from plant, animal and
microorganism. Government should involve to give awareness to people and avoid
misconceptions between them because it may give effect to our economy etc.
It is very important to take everything into consideration. GM crops are alive as they
may spread and migrated through many ways such as air, animals like bird and many other
ways. Hence, many GM company need to take care and avoid any unintended harm to human
health, biodiversity and environment.
Overall, the GMO technology may give benefits to our society and economy. GM
crops should be grown in inhospitable areas to overcome the food shortage problems within
consumers. Plus, GM crops apply the new world technology development and use less
agriculture things like pesticides and herbicides. Hence, it lessens the costs in crop and food
production and give advantages to the company to cut their budgets. Some may say that GM
crops may give more profits to producer because of some of the GM crops does not need
pesticide or herbicide because of the modification on its seeds that can withstand pests.
Besides, the GM crops also important to feed the rapid population growth in this world and to
provide edible plant-based vaccines. Thus, GM crops give more pros rather than cons for
human being.
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