Plants Genetics Engineering: GM product

1
Plants Genetics Engineering GM product

• Mercer University School of Engineering
• Professional Practice, Dr. Davis
• Y, Shin

2
Did you know?

• In the U.S. in 1999, more than 40 of corn, more
  than 50 of cotton, and more than 45 of soybeans
  were genetically modified crops (Hesson, 2002). 
• At least 60 of products in US supermarkets
  contain GMO (Genetically Modifed Organisms)
  (Ahmed, 2002)
• FDA approved that GM foods are safe as much as
  non-GM foods

3
What is genetically engineered food?

• Food produced by a crop whose genetic composition
  is genetically modified, or bioengineered for
  improvement

Image from ww.gm.org/?p42
4
Pros

• - Less time consuming
• Obtain specifically desired traits from single
  gene
• Improve agricultural production
• Help reduce world hunger

• Advantage
• Herbicide resistance
• Nitrogen fixation
• Virus / diseases resistance
• Hardier
• Higher yielding / higher productivity
• More nutritious
• Less cost of production
• Higher tolerance to extreme environment
• Better taste
• Creation of new species of crops

5
Cons

• The technology is still in infancy and is not
  tested thoroughly.
• Safety is not guaranteed
• There are no global agreement on safety standards
  to test safety of GM food
• GM food might affect us genetically as well
• GMOs might affect wildlife and its environment

• Potential effects
• May develop new diseases
• Weeds might become immune to herbicides
• May lack nutrients
• May develop new allergens
• May harm human growth
• May develop toxin
• Narrowing plant species

6
Sample GM products
Chart from http//sitemaker.umich.edu/sec006group5
/gm_food
7
Genetically Modified Soy in Russia

• Summary of Article
• A research performed in Russia showed affect of
  GM soy on posterity of living creature.
• This research suggest that parents with GM-based
  food diet may have impact on their newborn.
• For the experiment three groups of female rats
  two weeks prior to conception and during
  conception and nursing were tested as following
• First group were fed with GM soy flour,
• Second group were given no soy,
• Third group received conventional soy flour.
• And birth and death of baby rats were counted.
• The result showed that diet had no impact on
  number of offsprings produced. However it
  affected death rate.
• The first group had 6.8, second group had
  55.6, and third group had 9 of death rate.

Original article and picture in courtesy of Good.
And Hasslberger
8
Technological Evolution

• Past- Classical breeding
• Cross-fertilization
• Isolated and selected desired traits within a
  plant and breed it with other plants
• Present Genetics engineering
• Recombinating DNA Inserting a gene of an
  organism (virus, bacteria, or plant of different
  species) that contain desired traits into a
  desired plant

9
Societal Inputs

• FDA have approved of GM food safe
• Biotech tech companies are pushing GM products in
  the market
• Many people disapprove of GM foods
• Many people are unaware that many food products
  are either GM or contain GMOs

10
Is genetics engineering ethical?

• We must ask ourselves Does humans have rights to
  play god and to manipulate animals and plants
  genetically?

11
GM food and you

• Impacts of GM food on society

12
So What?

• GM food must be tested further for human and
  environmental safety before commercialized
• GM production will increase in developing
  countries
• GM food may be the food in the future

13
Reference

• Bren, L. Genetic Engineering The future of food?
  FDA Consumer Magazine, 37. Retrieved March 15,
  2008, from http//www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2003/6
  03_food.html
• Gert3d. GM food and me. Retrieved March 25, 2008
  from http//www.youtube.com/watch?vB8p7M0WF_7A
• Good, R Hasslberger,S. November 02, 2005.
  Genetically modified soy in Russia Retrieved
  March 26, 2008 http//www.biotech-weblog.com/50226
  711/genetically_modified_soy_in_russia.php
• Hesson, N. Debate and Policies on Labeling GM
  Foods. Retrieved March 24,2008 from
  www.bio.davidson.edu/.../GMevents/NH/NH.html
• McDonagh, S. Ethics and Genetic Engineering.
  Retrieved March 15, 2008, from http//www.voice.bu
  z.org/genetic_engineering/ethicsandge.html

14
Reference continued

• MORLEY, E. Frankenfood approved. Economist, 370.
  Retrieved March 15, 2008, from http//web.ebscohos
  t.com/ehost/detail?vid4hid109sid58b98f05-085d
  -4008-a21d-5693c4c7b0f840sessionmgr104
• National Research Council Staff (1984). Genetic
  Engineering of Plants Agricultural Research
  Opportunities and Policy Concerns. Retrieved
  March 15, 2008, from
• http//site.ebrary.com/lib/mercer/Doc?id10056707
  ppg64
• New weapon for farmers is discovered (Sep
  23,1994). New York Times. Retrieved March 15,
  2008, from http//www.lexisnexis.com/us/lnacademic
  /auth/checkbrowser.do?ipcounter1cookieState0ra
  nd0.7858060772632571rbhcp1
• The Regents of the University of Michigan
  (1997). GM Crops Costs and Benefits. Retrieved
  March 24, 2008 from http//sitemaker.umich.edu/sec
  006group5/gm_food
• Newman, J (21 June 2003). Is GM food safe?
  Retrieved March 24, 2008 from www.non-gm-farmers.c
  om/news_print.asp?ID486