Food Biotechnology

Biotechnology

• the movement or transfer of genetic material from one source to another

• the application of living organisms to carry out functions or develop new products

Genetically Modified Organisms

Microbes, plants, and animals that have had genetic material transferred into them from another source.

Genetic Engineering

• the alteration of one or more genes in an organism

• done to improve yields, enhance product quality or to lengthen storage life of raw food crops or animal products

• genes are altered in one organism

Traditional cross breeding(genetic techniques)

• Modification of plants and animals using techniques like hybridization and breeding to cross different plant varieties or animals

• Done to improve properties like quality, yield, and other desirable traits

• two organisms are cross-bred

Advantages of genetic engineering

• allows traits to be transferred between species

• take much less time

• specificity: only the desired gene is transferred

Examples of biotechnology

• insect protection

• herbicide tolerance

• disease/virus protection

• food quality and food processing traits

Effect of utilizing biotechnology techniques on crop yield

Effect of utilizing biotechnology techniques on insecticide use

Effect of utilizing biotechnology techniques on herbicide use

Regulations over biotechnology

• FDA - food

• EPA - crops

• USDA - meat and poultry

FDA requires a company to consult with them if…

• Food from donor of genetic material is commonly allergenic

• Unusual plant structural features are introduced

• Digestibility of plant is altered

• Structure or composition of fats and oils is altered

Organic food marketing concerns with GM

• Potential for cross pollination between biotechnology modified crops and organically grown crops

• Potential for insects to develop resistance to the B.t. insecticide

• Potential for weed developing resistance to glyphosate

• Human health effects: allergens and gene transfer

Potential positive outcomes of bioengineering

• improved production yields

• reduction of production costs

• improved nutritional value

• reduction of pesticide usage

• reduction of tillage erosion

Potential negative outcomes of bioengineering

• herbicide resistant genes spreading to weeds

• farmers overusing herbicides

• GM crop patents being concentrated in a handful of “greedy multinational corporations”

• GM pollen contaminating organic crop

• GM crops placing small growers at a disadvantage

Genetic modification vs Genetic engineering

Genetic modification refers to any process to alter the genetic information of organisms, including traditional breeding.

Genetic engineering typically refers to transgenic or RNA interference techniques