Sci/Tech Blog

What's On Your Plate?

In 1994, the first genetically approved crop was introduced to grocery store shelves: the FLAVR SAVR tomato.  Developed by researchers at Calgene Inc, the tomato boasted a modified ‘antisense’ gene, or a reverse orientation copy of the enzyme polygalacturonase. The theory was that this specific enzyme, shortened to PG, was responsible for fruit softening, and if it could be suppressed or even removed entirely, the tomato could remain perfectly vine-ripened for longer periods of time.

Essentially, the biotechnical engineers at Calgene were trying to create a product that outlasted its natural shelf life. While initially successful, the product disappeared in 1999,  after being pulled from the shelves after low financial returns and a ban from British food stores.

However, the FLAVR SAVR would certainly not be the last genetically modified product to hit the shelves of your local grocery store. Two decades later, genetically modified food, commonly known as GMOs, or ‘Genetically Modified Organisms’ can be found in nearly 80% of commercially produced food product found in big box grocery chains.

So what does this mean for the average consumer?  And what is a GMO anyways?
A GMO can be defined, by both proponents and fierce opposition, as a plant or animal that has been modified by either genetic engineering, mutagenesis, or the introduction of genes from other plants, bacteria, and viruses.

If you blanched at the idea of your corn containing bacteria and viruses, you are not alone. The Non-GMO Project, a non-profit advocacy group, is at the forefront of the opposition movement. The Non-GMO Project opposes the spread of GMOs and advocates for clear labeling of products containing genetic modification.

Here’s where the water gets murky: The Non-GMO Project and other dissenting groups cite the lack of proof that genetically engineered, mutagenetic, or transgenetic products are safe for human consumption. These groups also challenge the claim that GMOs are environmentally sustainable and sound.

The argument between GMO proponents and GMO dissenters has been front-page news since the late 1990’s, when products containing GMOs first started hitting the shelves.

Unfortunately for the average consumer, said arguments are multilayered exceedingly hard to follow. Should they be upset about the potentially cancer causing modifications? Or is it the ‘superbugs’ created by pesticide resistant vegetables? Should a consumer be more outraged that a company has managed to successfully patent plants and other life forms, or should they be welcoming of a process that can potentially solve world hunger? The debate is many-fold and deeply confusing. The very concept of genetic engineering is difficult to understand, and the average human has what could be considered a hair-trigger reaction to unpleasant news about the food they consume. (Soylent Green is People!)

While the idea of food being modified beyond its natural state can leave a bad taste in the average consumers mouth, the most common genetic modifications present in crops on the market today are proteins designed to make products more herbicide resistant, which reportedly do not affect flavor or nutritional value. (Myths and facts) This kind of modification has been commercialized by biotech giant Monsanto, who lead the GMO charge in 1994 with the patented Glyphosate-resistant ‘Round-up Ready’ soybean. The ‘Round-Up Ready’ soybean accounts for an overwhelming majority of soybean crops planted in the United States. Several groups, such as Greenpeace, have expressedconcern that there is no labeling system that allows consumers to differentiate between products made with GMOs and those without.

Monsanto has staunchly opposed movements to require the labeling of GMO-based products. Proponents of GMOs and biotechnology, such as Monsanto, assert that genetically modified crops are safe, sustainable, and potentially more nutritious than regular crops. CropLife Canada even claims that biotechnology could create allergen free food in the near future. (Croplife link)

Many ad campaigns have been launched, assuring the public about the safety and sustainability of Genetic Modification and biotechnology.

Despite all of these laudable claims, GMOs are still wildly unpopular.

In a survey conducted by the New York Times, 93% of Americans want GMOs to be labeled, a movement that is curiously and fiercely opposed by the biotech lobbying industry.

North Americans are not alone in their wariness of GMOs. The European Union has placed stringent restrictions and outright bans on genetically modified products, including a ban on growing, selling, or importing Round-Up Ready sweet corn.

GMOs have been heavily restricted in the European Union (and several other countries) since their emergence in the early 1990’s. The European Union also requires that products containing GMOs be labeled accordingly.

Monsanto, the agricultural biotechnology company and creator of patented seeds colloquially known as ‘The Terminator’, has seen a well-documented failure to launch GMO products across Europe, and hold a position in public opinion that can be accurately described as a PR disaster. (#monsantoevil is a popular hastag.)

The debate on Genetically Modified Organisms is an abstract one, with criticisms being launched at every aspect of the process, from creation, the patent of seeds, planting practices, and sale and consumption.

What shape will the debate in the United States take in the future? Will GMO based products become labeled? Or will the percentage of GMOs in commercially produced food product move from 80% to 100%?