Caraig, Kristine Angel C.

BSC 1-YA-2

FINAL ACTIVITY 2

Impacts of GMOs: The Golden Rice and Bt Corn

Golden Rice

Golden rice is a type of rice that has been genetically modified to contain higher levels of
beta-carotene, which is not normally found in rice. According to NYU Langone Health (n.d.), this
biofortification increases the nutritional benefits of crops wherein in the case of Golden Rice,
beta-carotene is further converted into Vitamin A when metabolized by the human body which is
significant for healthier skin, immune system, and vision.

There are both advantages and disadvantages to Golden Rice. One advantage is that it has the
potential to improve the health of people who have inadequate access to Vitamin A and it could
help to reduce the incidence of blindness and death due to Vitamin A deficiency. Since genetic
modification is also fast and more efficient for replication, it can improve crop yields which may
also help reduce hunger around the world. Another advantage is that Golden Rice may also be
resistant to insects and pests when developed by producing toxins that would discourage them
from eating the crops. It can also help reduce the incidence and spread of diseases like malaria,
dengue fever, and the Zika virus as the Golden Rice cultivates sterile insects such as
mosquitoes that would only breed and lead to infertile offspring (BBC, 2019)

However, there are also some disadvantages to Golden Rice. One disadvantage is that it is not
yet clear whether or not Golden rice is safe for human consumption. According to BBC (2019),
toxins from the crops have been detected in some people's blood. In some cases, it also caused
allergic reactions in people. Besides from its negative reactions to people, some also believe
that it is unethical to interfere with nature in this way. Furthermore, it is more expensive than
traditional rice, thus people in developing countries, especially the farmers, would have a hard
time to afford and grow Golden Rice.

Overall, Golden Rice has so much potential to improve different aspects of people's lives.
However, it is important to remember that what benefits one may harm another. There are still
risks associated with Golden Rice, and further research is needed to assess its safety and
effectiveness.

Bt Corn

Bt corn is a genetically modified crop that has been designed to be resistant to certain pests. It
has an active ingredient which is a protein produced by a soil bacterium called Bacillus
thuringiensis. This protein is toxic to certain insects, but is not harmful to humans or animals. It
was also first introduced in the United States in 1996, and made a significant impact to the
portion of the country's corn crop.

Despite its major breakthrough to corn crop, there are still positive and negative impacts of Bt
Corn. On the positive side, Bt corn has helped to reduce the use of chemical pesticides
(Agricultural Research Service, 2016). This is because of its Bt protein component that kills
pests, aiding to fewer use of chemicals in agriculture which contributes to the betterment of the
environment. In addition, it has also helped to increase yields because they are more likely to
survive damage from pests thus beneficial for farmers to harvest more corn per acre.

On the other hand, there are also critics that argue Bt corn is harmful to the environment. One is
that Bt protein could not only kill pests, but also those beneficial insects. This could disrupt the
natural balance of the ecosystem and lead to problems in the long term. Overtime, insects
exposed to Bt protein would also develop resistance that could affect the efficiency for
controlling ECBs (European Corn Borer). Furthermore, some also argue that Bt corn is not safe
for human consumption and that it should be extensively tested for safety to prevent potential
health problems that it may cause to humans (Elise, n.d.)

References:
Agricultural Research Service. (2016, October 05)). EPA Approved Bt Corn Commercialization.
Agricultural Research Service. Retrieved November 27, 2022 from
https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/br/monarch/bt-corn-commercialization/

BBC. (2019, August 08). Potential benefits and risks of genetic engineering. BBC. Retrieved
November 27, 2022 from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztwg7p3/revision/8

Elise, L. (n.d.). BT Corn: Advantages & Disadvantages. eHow. Retrieved November 27, 2022
from https://www.ehow.co.uk/list_6572725_bt-corn_-advantages-disadvantages.html

NYU Langone Health. (n.d.). Genetically Modified Organisms: The Golden Rice Debate. NYU
Langone Health. Retrieved November 27, 2022 from
https://med.nyu.edu/departments-institutes/population-health/divisions-sections-centers/medical
-ethics/education/high-school-bioethics-project/learning-scenarios/gmos-the-golden-rice-debate