Plants for Food II – Part A:

GM FOOD: Devil OR Angel?

基因改造食物疑圑
Dr. C.-M. CHOW (Cherry)
Rm SC EG01B
cmchow@cuhk.edu.hk
39434465
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 Choice Magazine 2003.5

35% of instant noodles and other snacks tested in

Hong Kong contain genetically modified ingredients
(Choice Magazine 選擇月刊 , 2003)
Choice Magazine 2011.9

Choice Magazine 2003.6

Choice Magazine 2013. 4

 http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/agric
ulture/problem/genetic-engineering/

http://www.greenpeace.org/china/ch/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/ge-food

"GMO-free agriculture"

http://www.mykitchenisnotyourlab.c
om/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-559965/GM-foods-
answer-worlds-food-shortage-crisis-report-says.html
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 No…Yes…Why?
 What is GM food?
 Would you avoid eating GM food? Why?
 Will you support the development of GM food? Why?

risks
benefits

evidence
 WHAT are genetically modified
organisms (GMO) ?
The World Health Organisation (WHO, 世界衛生組織):
 Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms in
which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does
NOT occur naturally
 The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene
technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic
engineering”
 It allows selected individual GENES to be transferred from one organism
into another, also between non-related species

• Foods with any ingredients from genetically modified

organisms are known as genetically modified (GM) foods
• GM = Genetically Modified
• GE = Genetically Engineered 5
Genes: genetic information
•Genetic information: the Blueprint (設計圖/藍
圖) of Life

DNA

Decoding

A gene

Genetics 101 Part 1: What are genes?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOvMNOMRRm8&feature=related
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0-2:50 minutes
“Recombinant DNA technology”
遺傳工程/重組基因技術

http://www.food.gov.uk/gmfoods/gm/gmtt/gmplantshow
 Selective breeding VS
Genetic modification?
• Selective Breeding
 Changed organisms' genetic make-up by selective breeding

Line 1 Line 2 Hybrid

=
 Genetic Engineering

Line 1 Line 2 Hybrid

Selective Breeding

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 Selective breeding VS
Genetic modification?
• Genetic modification

Unnatural!
 WHY are GM
crops produced?

(1) Improve crop protection

(2) Improve nutritional value and
food quality
(3) Increase the crop yield
 (1)Improve crop protection
•About 7% of the world’s maize (sweet
Female and male adult
moths corn) production
 European corn borer (a moth)
•larvae live inside the maize stalk
 Pesticides/ Insecticides
 Cost

The larvae

Stalk rot initiated from European corn borer Ear rot symptoms associated with US$ 2 billion
tunnels insect damage

http://www.ent.iastate.edu/pest/cornborer/
(1)Improve crop protection
• Insect resistance
Intestinal
Bacillus thuringiensis Bt protein walls
(toxin) damaged
(Bt gene)

BT corn

http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/BtCorn/Top.html

Non-Bt corn Bt corn

 BT corn

Get better quality

BENEFITS and more maize

Lower cost
Higher yield Less insecticide Less maize lost
(1)Improve crop protection
• Insect resistance
– BT toxin
» As a conventional insecticide in
agriculture
» Safe for human consumption
– GM crops that permanently produce this
toxin
» Lower quantities of insecticides in
specific situations

Genetically Modified Foods – BBC

Documentary
https://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/learnin
g/genetically-modified-foods-bbc/
2:17-8:36
 http://www.goldenrice.org/index.html

(2) Improve nutritional

value and food quality
• ~190 million children worldwide lack vitamin
A
– Developing countries
– 500,000 children/year: blindness  death in
a year (50%)
A GM crop: beta-carotene (β胡蘿蔔素)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4386933.stm

OTHER EXAMPLES:
GM FOR GOOD
 WHY are GM foods produced?
• Who will be benefited?
 Biotechnology company?
 Farmers?
 Consumers?
 Poor people?
•GM crops -a few large biotechnology companies
 Patents (專利權) on the GM crops genome and
technology
 Farmers: pay extra to buy GM seeds

http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/ge-food/patents-on-life
http://www.goldenrice.org/Content3-Why/why3_FAQ.html

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(3) Increase the crop yield

zmm28
• master switch for growth and yield
• “make the gene work harder and longer”
• Slightly bigger leaves: 8% to 9% better
at turning sunlight into sugars
• 16% to 18% more efficient at using
nitrogen
• 3-10%more grain than control plants

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/11/new-genetically-modified-
corn-produces-10-more-similar-types

• 辛世文的水稻世界
 http://library.cuhk.edu.hk/record=b3313749~S15
• 13.41min-17.38min
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 Is GM food safe to eat?
• World Health Organization (WHO)
 GM foods currently available on the international market: risk
assessments
• NOT likely to present risks for human health
• The safety assessment of GM foods

Source of gene, expressed protein, new allergen

Generally investigates:
• (a) direct health effects (toxicity)
• (b) tendencies to provoke allergic reaction (allergenicity)
• (c) specific components thought to have nutritional or toxic properties
• (d) the stability of the inserted gene
• (e) nutritional effects associated with genetic modification
• (f) any unintended effects which could result from the gene insertion
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 Importance of safety
assessment
 A trial was conducted in 1996 to improve the
nutritional content of soya bean
Soya bean
Brazil nut
a gene from Brazil nut
To increase methionine
content

•High methionine content

Low content of
methionine
(蛋氨酸 )
 Importance of
GM Soya bean
safety assessment
Stop the development

High content of
methionine
(蛋氨酸 )

An allergen from
Brazil nuts
Safety Assessment
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http://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/safefood_2/pamplets/Myths/2.html
Extra Information

http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/ 25
 But….. WE ARE THE WHITE MICES!!!

• The first GM food was

marketed only in 1994. Less lifespan!!
 Just 28 years Not as clever as us!!
 Long term effects
• Animal tests
 animal =/= human
• Trials
 Developers
 Independent researchers

• Genetic pollution
 Intact plants (seeds), pollens
 Cannot be recalled

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering/ge-
agriculture-and-genetic-pol/genetic-pollution
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/gm/international-politics
 Environmental impacts by GMOs
Outcrossing
• Outcrossing: The movement of genes from GM plants
into conventional crops or related species in the wild

Selection for
Outcrossing resistant
insects
 Environmental impacts by GMOs
GM food Contamination
• The mixing of crops derived from conventional
seeds with those grown using GM crops
 May have an indirect effect on food safety and food
security
• In the United States of America

GM corns for feed use

Corns for human

consumption

 Strategies to reduce mixing: difficult

Environmental impacts Environmental
by GMOs impacts by GMOs
Harm the Wildlife Reduction in
biodiversity
 The susceptibility of non-target  The reduction in the spectrum
organisms to the gene product of other plants including loss of
biodiversity
• beneficial insects
 GM crops may grow and
reproduce faster.
• Out-compete other plants in
an ecosystem.

http://www.easy-vegetable- 29
gardening.com/vegetable-rotation.html
 Moreover….
Antibiotic-resistant marker genes in addition to the desirable gene
Why?? Desirable gene Antibiotic-resistant gene

For selection:
Antibiotic
-resistant
Target protein
Protein

Adding antibiotics 抗生素 …

Transfer between GMOs and germs: possible but rare

Extra Information

“We determined that extracellular

DNA released from digestion
appears to be ubiquitous in
wastewater treatment in the U.S. –
it’s much more persistent in the
environment than we originally
thought,” said Gardner. “Historically,
I think it’s likely that this probably
has contributed to the spread of
antibiotic resistance in the
environment.
“The magnitude of that contribution
is still unknown — it is something we
are trying to determine,” she added.

https://news.wsu.edu/news/2019/10/18/researchers-find-
persistence-antibiotic-resistant-gmo-genes-sewage-sludge/

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Extra Information

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07352689.2013.870422

https://perso.univ-rennes1.fr/antoine.gravot/index.htm/M1%20BiotecVeg%202011- 32
2012/SYNTHESEBIBLIO-BIOTEC/2000-Iamtham-RemovalMarkerTobacco-natureBiotech.pdf
 Ethical problems?
• Do we have a right to
alter ANY genetic
material?

• Is genetic engineering
unnatural?

• Is genetic engineering
‘playing God’?
 Benefit a few
Increase food
large
supply and quality
of nutrition in companies
poorer countries May cause health
problems to
Benefit humans in the
Improve human long run
health farmers
Cause serious
Safe for damage to
humans ecosystems

Benefits the
environment Non-ethical

GM food
Key References and Further Readings
• 你在吃甚麼? 基因改造食物 (香港大學教育學院黃小玲博士)
http://learningscience.edu.hku.hk/GMFood_c.html

• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Transgenic Crops and Recombinant DNA

Technology https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-
organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732/

• 基因改造食物資料庫
https://www.cfs.gov.hk/tc_chi/programme/programme_gmf/programme_gmf_gfd.php

• Food, Genetically modified (World Health Organization)

http://www.who.int/topics/food_genetically_modified/en/

• Quick guide: GM Food (BBC NEWS)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5098468.stm

• What Is a Genetically Modified Food? - Instant Egghead #45

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMPE5wlB3Zk

• Genetically Modified Foods – BBC Documentary

Video duration: 29 minutes
https://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/learning/genetically-modified-foods-bbc/

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