By Edel-Quinn Agbaegbu
Just like any food, genetically
modified or other novel foods are complex mixtures of thousands of different
substances in varying proportions. With trusted and conventional foods that
have been eaten for generations there is little concern. They are considered
safe based on experience, not necessarily based on scientific proof. GM food is vitally important to ensure
global food security in the face of changing climate. Ironically, virtually all our
food crops have been genetically modified in some ways as humans have been
manipulating the genes of crops for millennia by selective breeding. Breeders
hand-pollinate blossoms in hope that they would give a desired result.
The truth is
that GMOs have been studied intensively to understand that they work is a lot
more prosaic than the hype contends and the technique does differ from the
traditional plant breeding.In order to minimize the possibility of harmful and unforeseen
effects, genetically modified plants and derived foods are subjected to
thorough analyses. Nutritional value and vitamin content are measured along
with levels of toxins that occur naturally in some foods. An increase in toxin
content to unsafe levels is not permissible. If any other measurements are
different from the plant’s conventional counterpart, it would suggest that
problematic and unintended effects could exist. The health consequences of such
differences would need to be thoroughly investigated.
The
worldwide scientific consensus on the safety of genetic engineering is as solid
as that which underpins human-caused global warming. Yet this inconvenient
truth on GMOs that they’re as safe as conventionally cultivated food is ignored
when ideological interests are threatened. The European Commission’s anti-GM
policies for instance prohibit the growing GMO-crops within all or part of
their territories. A total of 19 EU countries initially decided to ban the
cultivation of GMOs, even if they are already authorized to be grown within the
union.
These
countries include; Austria, Belgium for the Wallonia region, Britain for
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
the Netherlands, Poland and Slovenia.The Continent seemingly is shutting up
shops for an entire field of human scientific and technological endeavor.
This is
analogous to America’s declaring an automobile boycott in 1910, or Europe’s
prohibiting the printing press in the 15th century. The historic irony is that
Europe once led in biotechnology. In 1983, Marc Van Montagu and Jeff Schell at
the University of Ghent in Belgium introduced the world to modern plant genetic
engineering. Today, however, no rational young scientist interested in
molecular techniques of crop breeding would choose a base in Continental Europe.After
all, no one would spend years developing genetically modified crops in the
knowledge that they will most likely be outlawed by government fiat.
Fortunately,
indications are that this phobia and its chilling effect on biotech science in
Europe will end dramatically.Lately, despite a majority of the European Union
officially saying “NO” to growing genetically modified crops (GMOs) within
their territories, the latest move from the European Parliament’s environment
committee (Environment MEP) will likely leave the door open for the
controversial products to continue entering the EU through imports.
According to
Reuters, "more than 60 GM
crops are approved for import into the bloc,although you won't see a lot of
GMO-food products in the EU". A substantial portion of the EU's animal
feed are genetically modified crops from North and South America."Around
30 million tons of grain are imported per year from third countries, including
13 million tons of soybeans, 22 million tons of soymeal, 2.5 million tons of
maize, 2 million tons of oilseed rape and 0.1 million tons of cotton,"
says EuropaBio.
A 2011
survey estimated that European farmers’ failure to adopt GM crops had resulted
in lost revenue of between 500 million and one billion euros per year. A former
British environment minister complained that Europe was becoming a “museum of
world farming.”Although, GMO is not the only answer to global food security and
it is not essential but it is certainly one good thing in our arsenal.
GMOs must
receive authorisation before they enter the market (Bildvergrößern). This
applies to GMOs used in food and feed and to seeds for GM crops. The
authorisation process is carried out by the EU, and the resulting decision
applies to all EU member states.According to laws that apply to all EU member
states, a GM food can only be allowed onto the market if it can be documented
using scientific data that it is just as safe and healthy as a comparable
conventional product.The essential foundations of the EU's policies are tight
safety standards and freedom of choice for consumers and farmers.For novel or
genetically modified foods, proving safety is a legal obligation.Foods made
from GMOs must be considered safe; otherwise they wouldn’t have received
authorisation.
Following a
comprehensive decision making process, the EU and the Member States are of the
opinion that using genetic engineering in agriculture and food production is
permissible.Additional applications are still awaiting decisions. On September
16, 2016, the European commission authorised GMOs for food and feed use. The
commission authorised the placing in the market of products containing,
consisting of or produced from GM maize and many more subsequent
authorisations.
In Western
Australia also, new act lifts Moratorium on GM crop planting. The parliament
has repealed the GM crops Free Areas Act 2003 which imposed a moratorium on the
commercial cultivation of GM crops in the country. The repeal of this act gives
growers certainty that not only will they be able to use the existing GM
technologies, but they will also have access to future advancements in plant
biotechnology that could improve their productivity and sustainability.
With the
increasing number of genetically modified (GM) events, traits, and crops that
are developed to benefit the global population, approval of these technologies
for food, feed, cultivation and import in each country may vary depending on needs,
demand and trade interest.
Many
genetically modified plants have previously been approved for use in food and
feed in various countries of the world particularly Africa. There are many
other approvals like number of biotech crops and events and approval for
cultivation per trait category.
In Nigerian,
the Nigeria Academy of Science (NAS) has declared that genetically modified
foods are safe for consumption for now. NAS, during a media roundtable on GMOs
in Nigeria, on November 16, 2016 at its office in Lagos, said the country was
ready for the products and that they were safe for both production and
beneficial to the nation based on carefully-documented evidence from developed
countries. The academy noted that the technology, though new with expected fears
and concerns, would be useful to the country because of its potential to boost
the nation’s agriculture, which would resolve food insecurity. The outgoing
president of NAS, Prof. OyewaleTomori, said though the technology seems fresh,
but nothing is new with it, as the academy, in accordance with its mandate, has
examined available evidence from researches in advanced countries. Tomori, who
noted that there were no forecasts of long-term effect, stressed: “We cannot
predict the future and what is going to happen with these GMOs, but so far so
good, there are no problems from where they have been used; but that does not
mean that it is going to be good forever. We must be on the alert to know when
changes are coming up.”
Another speaker, a professor of plant breeding
and crop biotechnology with the Department of Genetic and Biotechnology,
University of Calabar, EffiomEne-Obong, who said there were no scientific
evidence that agree with the raised health concerns of GMOs worldwide, “as they
are safe for both production and consumption.” He noted that “though
genetically modified foods are not commercially produced in Nigeria yet, three
quarters of countries in the world are keyed into them and as a new technology,
fears being entertained are expected, but rather, the benefits outweigh the
worries” Ene-Obong added: “Before these products are sent into the market, lots
of trials and investigations are done by so many agencies, such as the Academy
of Sciences Worldwide, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), World Health Organisation (WHO), to monitor and make
sure they are safe for human consumption and they have recommended.
GM Approval
Updates
November 23,
2016 South Africa approved the maize
events 4114 (HT +IR) and NK603 x T25 (stacked HT) and the argentine canola
event 73496 (HT) for food and feed use.
November 16,
2016 South Korea approved the maize
event MON87427 x MON89034 x MIR162 x
NK603 (HT + IR) and the cotton event COT102 x MON15985 x MON88913 x MON88701
(HT + IR) for feed use.
November 7,
2016 Canada approved the maize event
MZIR098 (HT + IR) for food, feed and cultivation use.
November 4,
2016 USA granted the nonregulated
status to two new potato events, Ranger Russet potato X17 and Atlantic potato
Y9. These two new events have reduced acrylamide potential, black spot bruising
tolerance and resistance to potato late blight.
November 3,
2016 South Korea approved the soybean
event DAS81419 (stacked IR) and the cotton event 81910 (stacked HT) for food
use.
October 19,
2016 South Korea approved the maize
event MON87411 (HT + IR) for food use.
October 12,
2016 Malaysia approved the canola
event MS8 x RF3 (HT + PC) for food and feed use.
October 12,
2016 South Korea approved the
InnateTM potato event E12 (PQ) and the maize event MON87403 (Altered
Growth/Yield) for feed use.
October 5,
2016 Vietnam approved the maize
event MIR604 for food and feed use.
September
26, 2016 The United States of America
granted the non-regulated status to the new non-browning Arctic™ Fuji Apple
event, NF872.
September
21, 2016 The European Union approved the
following maize events for food and feed use: Bt11 x MIR162 x MIR604 x GA21 (HT
+ IR), Bt11 x MIR162 x MIR604 (HT + IR), Bt11 x MIR162 x GA21 (HT + IR), MIR162
x MIR604 x GA21 (HT + IR), Bt11 x MIR162 (HT + IR), MIR162 x MIR604 (stacked
IR), and MIR162 x GA21 (HT + IR)
September
21, 2016 Singapore approved the maize
events MON87427 (HT) and 59122 (HT + IR) for food use.
September 8,
2016 Australia and New Zealand
approved the maize event MON87419 (stacked HT) for food use.
August 31,
2016 Taiwan approved the cotton
event 81910 (stacked HT) for food use.
August 24,
2016 South Korea approved the
soybean event MON87751 (IR) for food use.
August 12,
2016 Brazil approved the maize
event MON89034 x TC1507 x NK603 x DAS40278 (HT + IR) for commercial use.
August 12,
2016 Brazil approved the
herbicide tolerant soybean events FG72,
FG72 x A5547-127 and DAS44406-6, as well as the maize events(stacked HT),
DAS40278 x NK603 (stacked HT) and 5307 x MIR604 x BT11 x TC1507 x GA 21 x MIR
162 (HT + IR) for commercial use in late 2015.
July 27,
2016 The European Union approved the
soybean events FG72 (stacked HT) and MON87705 x MON89788 (HT + PQ) for food and
feed use.
July 29,
2016 Malaysia approved the maize event
59122 (HT + IR) and the soybean event SYHTOH2 (stacked HT) for food and feed
use.
July 28,
2016 Australia and New Zealand approved
the maize event MZIR098 (HT + IR) for food use.
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