Answering some
questions about
GM foods
Presented by Glenn Ashton
You and your genes We are what we are because of our genes
Just what is a gene?
Original scientific sketches from Jana Klose,
Greg Lampard, UBC Biotechnology
Laboratory
How do we engineer genes?
Cell
Plant cell
Extracted DNA
A single
gene
Transformation
Transgenic plant
Cell division
Original scientific sketches from Jana
Klose, Greg Lampard, UBC
Biotechnology Laboratory
Why is GE/ GM different?
• Conventional breeding can
only work in related species,
• Genetic engineering breaks
species boundaries allowing
inter-species genetic transfer,
• Crude, invasive process
reliant on outdated concept
of genetic determinism.
Biotechnology / GM
Biotechnology is:
• Harnessing the natural biological processes
of living systems for the benefit of mankind.
• Biotechnology in the past:
– making bread and cheese, brewing beer,
yoghurt
– crossbreeding plants
• Modern biotechnology:
– genetic engineering, marker assisted
breeding, gene silencing.
What are we engineering?
• Maize – inserting insect resistance (Bt)
and chemical (weedkiller/ pesticide)
resistance (HT): 80% GM in SA.
• Soy – chemical resistance: 80% GM
• Cotton – insect resistance: 98% GM
• Canola – chemical resistance: 0% in SA.
• No fruit or veg in South Africa, but
squash, pawpaw and eggplant elsewhere.
• We eat the world’s first GM staple –
white maize.
Do we need GM crop
technology to feed the world?
• More people need more food?
BUT
GM crops do not yield higher than conventional!
• Use less chemicals, better for the earth?
BUT
GM crops use more chemicals than conventional!
• We need to insure ourselves against climate change?
BUT
No GM crops are drought resistant or offer any such
advantage!
Have GM crops lived up to
the hype?
• 15 years of GM crops have not increased yields,
• Neither have they provided more ecologically
sustainable farming methods,
• Nor have they reduced hunger globally, or in South
Africa,
• They benefit farmers by making industrial farming
easier, saving labour and time,
• Consumers bear all the risks without being informed
of existence of GM ingredients in food,
• There are no nutritional benefits but there are risks:
http://indiagminfo.org/?attachment_id=557
Some questions to ponder:
• Is this strictly a scientific issue; or are the human,
spiritual, economic and moral questions equally or
more important?
• Is GM food technology properly regulated and
tested?
• Do we really need to use GMOs to feed the world?
15 years of GMO crops has seen increased food
prices
• Can we not produce and distribute food more
equitably?
• What role will the community play in the future
debate?
• How will they express their concerns and demand
their rights?
Where to from here?
• Eat food your grandparents would recognise:
Most GM crops used in industrial farming/
food,
• Demand identification of GM ingredients as
per Consumer Protection Act (above 5%
must be labelled),
• Look toward alternatives; difficult if cost
prohibitive,
• Know your food and its sources,
• Slow food is an emerging response to
industrial, GM food.
Where is local GM food?
VEGETABLE OILS;
Canola, Cotton, Soy, Corn Oil or Oil labelled as “vegetable oil”.
SOYA
Processed foods, Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein Textured Vegetable
Protein (TVP), Vegetable Protein Extract, Soy Protein, Lecithin
Emulsifier, Lecithin, ‘Emulsifier’, Tofu, Tamari, Shoyu, Tempeh,
Soya Sauce, Soy Fibre.
MAIZE;
Samp, Mielie meal, Corn or Maize Starch, Glucose syrup, Starch, Modified
Starch, Thickener, Corn/Maize Flour, Corn Flakes, Cereals, Snack foods.
CANOLA
Canola, Canola Oil, Margarine, Butter/Oil spreads (imported)
POTATOES
Starch, Potato starch, Potato Flour (only imported)
COTTON DERIVATIVES
Cottonseed oil (widely used to fry ‘fast /convenience foods), Cotton
Linters (often used to make sausage casings.)
LOCALLY PRODUCED MILK, CHEESE, BUTTER.
The use of RBGH or BST, genetically engineered hormones is banned
around the world and used to be widespread in SA.
Some further reading
Altieri, M. A. 1995. Agroecology. The Science of Sustainable Agriculture, second edition. Westview
Press.
da Silva, J. G., M. E. Del Grossi, C. G da Franca (eds.). 2011. The Fome Zero (Zero Hunger) Program:
The Brazilian experience. Ministry of Agrarian Development, Brazil and UN FAO. NEAD Special
Series 13 Nucleo de Estudos Agrario e Desenvolvimento Rural (NEAD - Centre for Agrarian Studies
and Rural Development).
McIntyre, B. D., H. R. Herren, J. Wakhungu, R. T. Watson (eds.). 2009. Synthesis Report: A
Synthesis of the Global and Sub-Global IAASTD Reports. International Assessment of
Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development. UNDP, UNFAO, UNEP,
UNESCO, World Bank, WHO, GEF, Centre of Resource Economics. Island Press.
Rosin, C., P. Stock, H. Campbell (eds.). 2012. Food Systems Failure. The Global Food Crisis and the
Future of Agriculture. Earthscan / Routledge.
Kuruganti, K. 2012. Adverse Impacts of Transgenic Crops/ foods: a compilation of scientific
references with abstracts. Coalition for a GM Free India.
http://indiagminfo.org/?attachment_id=557
The African Centre for Biosafety – local news, campaigns - http://www.acbio.org.za/
Institute for Responsible Technology - http://www.responsibletechnology.org/
“Food for all is a necessity. Food should not be a merchandise, to
be bought and sold as jewels are bought and sold by those who
have the money to buy. Food is a human necessity, like water and
air, it should be available.”
Pearl S. Buck.
Is this the end? Or the beginning?
Correspondence to:
Glenn Ashton
Ekogaia Consulting
ekogaia@iafrica.com
021 789 1751
083 403 2623
Original scientific sketches from Jana Klose, Greg Lampard, UBC
Biotechnology Laboratory