Tuesday, April 10, 2007

INTRODUCTION TO GENETIC ENGINEERING


HAMID M. SADEGHI
Pharmaceutical Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran



The most commonly engineered crops are canola, chicory, corn, cotton, squash, tomatoes, and soy. Currently in the US, 35% percent of all corn is genetically engineered as well as 55% of all soy and cotton. Although cotton is most commonly thought of as a material, cottonseed oil is used in foods. Soy is more widely consumed than many would think, as 60% of processed foods contain soy. Consumer Reports of September 1999 shows that products such as Boca Burgers, Jiffy Corn Mix, Ovaltine Malt, Bravo Tortilla Chips, various infant formulas, and Bac-Os Bacon Flavor Bits contain genetically engineered ingredients
Nutritional effects

No tests have been conducted on the effects of genetically engineered food on the human body. At this time, we could not do longitudinal studies on people who are consuming foods containing genetically engineered ingredients because foods are not labeled. Thus, it would be impossible to develop a control group.
One significant problem with genetically engineered foods is the risk to people with specific food allergies. For example, Brazil nut genes were inserted into soybeans to increase their protein content. The product was ready to go to market when tests showed that the soybeans caused allergic reactions in people with allergies to Brazil nuts. In addition, new allergens may be introduced into the food system through genetic engineering.
Why are crops genetically engineered?

Currently, 85% of genetically engineered crops are engineered for herbicide or pest resistance. The other 15% are engineered to be viral resistant or have more "desirable traits" such as increased oil content or shelf life. These desired traits are not necessarily preferred by or beneficial to the consumer, but they fit within the framework of our industrialized, concentrated agriculture system, which entails large-scale production and long distance transport.


Key words: Genetic , Transgenic organism , Genetic Engineering
more ...