Genes by Design-An Introduction to Food Biotechnology

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BiotechnologyAn Introduction to the World!
by John Rist Irene Benson Viborg High School
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Introduction

• Enduring Understanding
• Biotechnology and its applications can be used to
  solve world problems.
• Essential Questions
• What are the current uses and purposes for
  biotechnology in animal science?
• What bio-ethical issues are facing the world as a
  result of biotechnology?
• How can biotechnology be used to solve world
  problems?

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Genes by DesignAn Introduction to Food
Biotechnology

• by
• Sharon Guthmiller, Cheryl Jacobs,
• and Lavonne Meyer
• South Dakota State University
• FCS Extension Educators

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A. Definitions of Food Biotechnology

• Includes both the traditional forms of
  fermentation and crossbreeding
• The use of living organisms to move specific
  desirable traits from one organism to another

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B. Traditional and Conventional Methods

• Date back to the first attempts (8000 BC) to
  improve the food supply (saving best seeds)
• Include yeast and fermentation processes (using
  microorganisms to create different foods)
• Include crossbreeding and hybridization (to
  create superior plants or animals)

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C. Conventional traditional crossbreeding
methods

• Had their beginnings with Gregor Mendels
  discovery in 1860 of dominant and recessive
  heredity traits in crossbreeding peas
• Can be inexact and time consuming
• Have led to development of seedless grapes,
  tangerines, and nectarines through conventional
  breeding and physiology

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One exampleHow would you select for a medium
sized red rose, enhanced with white, with a
yellow center?

• This would be a very slow process by natural
  selection methods!

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D. Biotechnology today

• Is a precise scientific process including
  techniques to obtain genetically engineered or
  transgenic plants and animals. (Gene Splicing)
• Involves gene transfer from one organism to
  another.
• Provides tools to help combat disease, fight
  hunger, promote human health, and protect the
  environment.
• Uses DNA and recombinant DNA.

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E. Biotechnology advances

• 1970s- the discovery that a soil bacterium causes
  disease in plants by transferring its own DNA
  intothe plant.
• 1982- insulin used in the treatment of diabetes
  is from one of the first genetically engineered
  organisms. By inserting a human gene into the
  genetic code of a bacterium, researchers found
  they could generate a consistent, reliable source
  of insulin.

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F. Fighting disease

• Interferon used for the treatment of cancer,
  heart disease, and anemia is a genetically
  engineered product
• Genetically engineered foods have potential to
  offer higher levels of antioxidant vitamins to
  reduce risk of disease.

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G. Human health

• In the not-too-distant future, many foods may be
  genetically engineered to deliver higher
  proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
• Golden rice is an example of this. The rice
  contains beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
  Vitamin A deficiency affects 230 million
  children throughout the world. It is hoped this
  product can help alleviate the problems
  associated with vitamin A deficiency.

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H. Genetically engineered foods

• 1. Must be labeled only if they differ
  significantly from the traditional plant or food.
  
• For example if the nutritional value is altered
  or the potential to cause an allergic reaction is
  altered.
• 2. Include tomatoes, potatoes, canola, corn,
  soybeans, and sugar beets.

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I. Regulatory Agencies

• 1. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is
  responsible for holding plant varieties to the
  safety standard of any traditional food product.
  
• Consults with developers to ensure that foods
  derived from new plant varieties are safe to eat.
• Provides guidance on needed information to insure
  food safety

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Regulatory Agencies cont

• 2. USDA-APHIS (USDA Animal Plant Health
  Inspection Service) regulates the safe field
  testing of new genetically engineered plant
  varieties.
• Time from research starting on a new genetically
  engineered plant until it receives clearance
  could take up to 10 years.
• APHIS has strict rules about how lab and field
  trials are conducted. Materials must be
  incinerated when the project is completed!

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Regulatory Agencies cont

• 3. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has
  authority over all new pesticides. This includes
  all new genetically engineered plants that
  produce their own protection against pests.
• Considers human safety, effectiveness on the
  target pest, impact on the environment, and
  endangered species before registering a new
  product.

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J. Future crops and foods may include

• 1. Release and acceptance of golden rice as
  part of the answer to vitamin A deficiency
  concerns.
• 2. Wheat grown to eliminate allergic reactions.
• 3. Edible vaccines in fruits such as bananas.
• 4. Pharmaceuticals synthesized in corn.

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K. Concerns and controversies

• Are the food safety issues being met?
• What are the regulatory processes that
  genetically engineered food must adhere to before
  approval?
• Have enough long-term studies been done toverify
  safety?

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Concerns and controversies cont

• 4. Have potential dangers to the environment and
  genetic resources had enough study to merit total
  acceptance?
• Examples the monarch butterfly, StarLink? corn,
  creation of a super weed, etc.

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Concerns and controversies cont

• 5. Other concerns controversies
• Labeling of genetically engineered food
• Social issues
• Economic and trade issues
• Religious issues
• Ethics

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L. The future

• Biotechnology, for the most part, has been
  readily accepted and welcomed as a new science
  for products today. It offers hope for 1) food
  security, 2) better nutrition, 3) healthier
  individuals, and 4) resistance to disease
  world-wide.

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M. Reasons for continued search for answers

• To provide answers to questions about the effect
  of biotechnology and its effects on the
  environment, society, economy, and ethics.
• To verify that food biotechnology is a vital link
  in the continual process of improvement of foods.
• To ultimately be accepted or rejected by the
  consumer.

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Conclusion

• Biotechnology has been accepted in the
  laboratories and the farm fields.
• If it will be readily accepted in the grocery
  store and on your dining room table, is up to
  you.
• Genes by Design empowers you with knowledge
  about biotechnology and will help you make
  critical decisions about how biotechnology will
  affect you in the future.

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Resources

• South Dakota State University Ag Research
• Websites Iowa State University
  http//www.biotech.iastate.edu/ National
  Agricultural Library http//www.nal.usda.gov/bi
  c/
• South Dakota State University class Plant
  Science 593 Agriculture Biotechnology