Is Genetically Modified Food Food Chain Safe?

Recently, Chen Xiaohua, deputy director of the Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed that China has formulated guidelines on accelerating research, promoting application, standardizing management, and scientifically developing GM biotechnology. In other words, although the vast majority of people still have suspicion or even resistance to genetically modified foods, in the near future more GM foods will be available in large quantities. At present, the genetically modified foods in the end are either good or bad. The two major camps in the world still have their own words, but the genetically modified organism chain has gradually taken root in people's daily diet.

What are the "transgenic" crops approved?

In fact, genetically modified foods have been available on the market for a long time, such as the blending of oils, many of which use GM soybeans and genetically modified rapeseed crushers. The reporter walked around the market. The “non-transgenic” words on the market for non-genetically modified food labels are very large and eye-catching, but the “transgenic” logo on genetically modified foods is very small, even hidden in a row. In the description of characters, it is impossible for most people to notice them without paying attention.

According to the reporter’s understanding, in accordance with the "Administrative Measures on the Labeling of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms" that China has implemented since March 20, 2002, the GMO products listed in the catalogue must be identified. However, so far, many GM foods on the market have not been implemented and implemented. Even if they are, they still “have some problems” and the regulatory authorities have not conducted effective monitoring and investigation.

The reporter reviewed the list of the first batch of agricultural genetically modified organisms under the Ministry of Agriculture's implementation of labeling management. There are a total of 17 categories of 5 categories, including soybean seeds, soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, soybean meal, corn seeds, corn, corn oil, corn flour, and rapeseed. Seeds, rapeseed, rapeseed oil, rapeseed meal, cotton seed, tomato seed, fresh tomato, tomato sauce, and transgenic crops that have been approved for planting by the Ministry of Agriculture include sweet peppers, tomatoes, papaya, potatoes, corn, and rice. The reporter reviewed the safety certificate for genetically modified rice. On November 27, 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture issued for the first time two safety certificates for genetically modified rice and a genetically modified corn, but did not approve its large-scale commercial cultivation. Before and after 2005, In some areas, genetically modified rice has been planted in violation of regulations. These GM rice are mixed and sold in ordinary rice. The sales channel for transgenic rice seeds has spread throughout Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Hunan, Henan, and Zhejiang.

Strangely enough, when reporters attempted to interview some industry experts on GM issues, they were pushed and rejected. They either refused to understand this piece or refused to hear the problem. Experts in the industry even slammed it with “sensitive issues”. .

Transgenic food chain has become

It is understood that the current GM food has formed a complete industrial chain, and consumers may not be able to escape. For example, after genetically modified soybeans are pressed, does the oil contain genetically modified components? “The edible oils and fats contain almost no genetically modified components,” Wang Ruiyuan, chairman of the Oils and Oils Branch of the China Grains and Oils Association, told reporters. “Transgenes are mainly found in proteins. All kinds of oils are made by pressing or leaching, and proteins are finally separated. In the oil cake, edible oils and fats do not contain any protein after refining, so no genetically modified components are detected in the oil."

But where are these oil pancakes? This is the best feed for cattle, sheep and pigs. Some of them are also processed into fish feeds. For example, genetically modified rice and soybeans are the main raw materials for processing chickens and fish feed. Will livestock, poultry, and fish that have grown up on feed containing genetically modified proteins transfer the genetically modified components to the human body? No one has yet given a definitive answer.

“Not only these, China currently has more than 100 genetically modified projects, covering almost all food categories, and many have already illegally entered the market.” A Huanong professor, who declined to be named, told reporters that Nestle coffee sold in China had been detected. Containing genetically modified ingredients, rennet that produces cheese is now mostly a genetically modified product. As for vegetables and fruits, there are genetically modified products sold on the market, but many of them are not clearly identified and people simply have no way of knowing.

An insider of the food industry, who declined to be named, believes that “regardless of whether genetically modified foods are good or bad, as long as they contain genetically modified ingredients, they must be clearly marked to allow people to understand consumption”. However, according to previous GM rice seeds, rice, corn, vegetables, fruits and other all genetically modified seeds, the process of food entering the market is sneaky, consumers have fallen into the siege of genetically modified foods and lost the GM foods. Options.

The Agricultural Genetically Modified Organism Safety Management Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and most experts pointed out that the GM products that are approved by the government to enter the market are safe. However, the most favorable evidence for the opposition to the GM camp is that Chinese special food, the World Expo, the Asian Games, the Universiade, and all international sports games around the world are strictly prohibited.

Deconstructing the transgene

Genetically modified foods refer to the use of genetic engineering (transgene) technology to embed (non-homogeneous) exogenous genes in the genome of a species. Transgenic as an emerging biotechnology approach, its immature and uncertainties, will inevitably make the safety of genetically modified foods become the focus of attention. The GM rice to be promoted in China, which is approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, is to insert bacterial toxic genes (Bt) into the genetic material DNA of rice so that rice can produce its own Bt insect-resistant toxin and kill grain-fed foods. insect.

Mark management regulations: The Regulations for the Administration of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms promulgated and adopted by the Ministry of Agriculture in March 2002 stipulates that direct processed products of genetically modified agricultural products shall be marked as "transgenic × × processed products (products)" or "processed raw materials for genetically modified ××”; Products made from agricultural genetically modified organisms or products processed from products containing agricultural genetically modified organisms. If the products that no longer contain or detect genetically modified components are sold in the product, the product is labeled as "Transgenic × × processed. Made, but this product no longer contains genetically modified ingredients" or labelled "This product has genetically modified raw materials × × ×, but this product no longer contains genetically modified ingredients." In July 2002, the Ministry of Public Health promulgated the “Measures for Sanitary Management of Genetically Modified Foods”, which states that genetically modified foods should be labeled “transgenic ××food” or “transgenic ××food as raw material”.

The two parties in the international community hold different opinions

For the safety of genetically modified foods, there is currently no unified statement in the world. But now it has become a central issue of environment and health in many countries in the world. And, it is rapidly splitting the public's ideological camp: Those who agree with it believe that technological progress can greatly improve our standard of living, while those who fear it believe that scientific practice has gone "too fast." The focus of the debate should be on whether genetically modified foods produce toxins, whether they can pass DNA protein allergies, and whether they affect antibiotic resistance. Research by Martha Crouch, an associate professor of biology at Indiana University, is even more striking as some biotech companies have “sterilized” genetically modified seeds sold to farmers in order to protect their intellectual property rights. The sterilization gene may inadvertently make other crops infertile. As of 2009, more than 4,500 genetically modified plants have been planted in various countries, but only 40 to 50, or about 1%, of the varieties approved by the government have been listed.

Greenpeace, an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is a flag of the global gene reversal campaign. They revealed that although the United States is a large producer of genetically modified food, few genetically modified foods are consumed in the country, and its transgenic plants are grown. Soybeans and corn are mainly used for animal feed and ethanol production in the United States, and they are exported to developing countries including Africa and China. The governments and citizens of the EU member states have adopted a resolute resistance to the majority of genetically modified crops. From 2008 to 2009, the governments of France, Greece, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Austria have all issued bans prohibiting the cultivation of genetically modified crops. In Asia, Japan only approved the planting of genetically modified carnations. In India, only cotton is the only genetically modified crop that is grown commercially.

However, in contrast to this, another data, the WHO, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and European and American authoritative organizations have confirmed that the genetically modified products in the international market have passed the risk assessment and they have no risk to human health. So far, most people in the world have consumed processed foods from GM crops such as corn, soybeans, and rapeseed, and have not found any evidence of adverse effects. By 2010, the cumulative planting area of ​​global transgenic crops has increased by 87 times. At present, 29 countries in the world (including Germany, Spain, Sweden and other EU countries) have approved the commercial cultivation of 24 kinds of genetically modified crops, and 53 countries have approved more than 110 genetically modified products to enter the market. The cumulative planting area of ​​global genetically modified crops has reached 1 billion hectares, which is equivalent to 8 times the area of ​​cultivated land in China. Genetically modified technology has become an important means for increasing agricultural production in the world in recent years.

List of recessive GM foods

At present, rice, soybeans, carrots, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, and papayas all have genetically modified agricultural products. Among them, the earliest, most widely used, and most widely used transgenic maize is Hawaiian papaya. Most of them are transgenic products. There are also many "recessive" genetically modified foods. In fact, the foods made from genetically modified agricultural products are genetically modified products.

Edible oil: Most of the blend oil and soybean oil sold are genetically modified soybeans. However, relative to the non-transgenic "high profile", the word "transgenic" is more difficult to find. It is usually concealed in a bunch of dense text descriptions below the label of the barrel. "This product is raw material for soybean processing, or raw materials for rapeseed oil processing are genetically modified." The word "rape seed".

Soy products: Soy sauce, soy milk, bean paste, tofu and other main raw materials are also soybeans. Will these foods use genetically modified soybeans? The reporter searched the supermarket shelves again. Only the supermarket's own brand stated on the ingredient list that "the raw materials used genetically modified soybeans." The Haitian series of soy sauce was marked with non-GM soybeans, and other branded bottles did not involve "genetic problems".

Snack foods: Instant noodles, biscuits and other foods must be used for cooking oil, but the reporter conducted investigations on snack foods such as biscuits, potato chips, and instant noodles, and found that the ingredient list of these foods was marked only with “vegetable oil” or “edible oil”, and The transgene was not described.

Tip: Genetically modified soybeans do not germinate and can be tested with water. Native soybeans will germinate in water for three days, and the genetically modified soybeans will not germinate, but only the individual will expand. The surface of the transgenic carrot is relatively smooth, generally straight, its tail is sometimes thicker than the middle, and the head is concave inwards. There is a saying in the market that carrots are only available in autumn and winter, and summers are generally genetically modified.

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