Even as debate still rages (at least among the superstitious masses and conspiracy theorists) about the safety of Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs), a new class of biologically Engineered Foods is emerging. Will it be more acceptable to the skeptics?
Bananas and Citrus genetically engineered to resist diseases will be among
the first GEOs to come to market, as early as this coming year.
The new order of genetically-engineered food is called Gene-Edited Organisms, which differ from GMOs in one major way: Genetic changes to the plants involved – often aimed at increasing crop yields or making plants more resistant to insects and chemicals – are not accomplished by transplanting genes from other organisms into them. Now, a new technique actually edits the genetic fingerprints of plants without bringing in ‘foreign’ genetic material.
Enter, CRISPR and TALEN
CRISPR and TALEN are the two leading genetic engineering techniques now available, and they offer multiple advantages over the previous gene transplantation method. Firs, as mentioned earlier, no outside genetic material is used. The plant’s own genes are altered by the precise cutting and adding of gene building blocks to achieve the desired changes.
But ‘engineering’ techniques like CRISPR are also faster, cheaper and more precise than the old method of gene splicing, and have largely taken over from it in the labs. Now, the first Genetically Engineered Foods are preparing to head to market. These will include high-fiber Wheat, Mushrooms that don’t go brown and highly-yield Tomatoes.
But will folks eat them?
“If the consumer sees the benefit, I think they’ll embrace the products and worry less about the technology,” Dan Voytas of Calyxt, Inc., which is working on genetically editing Soy Beans, told the Associated Press.
Be that as it may, the older GMOs have come in for a great deal of criticism and castigation, some extreme opponents branding them ‘Frankenfoods’. Their alarmist opinions vary dramatically with those of scientists, who say GMOs are perfectly safe to eat and offer benefits to both growers and consumers.
My take…
I’m with the scientists on the GMO issue. And I’m excited to see Genetically Engineered Foods coming into the market. Logically, Genetically Engineered Foods should be welcomed by those who opposed Genetically Modified ones, since the engineers aren’t mixing genes from multiple organisms to get the results they want.
But I fear that the alarmist extremists will not embrace GEOs any more enthusiastically than they have GMOs. Their minds are made up. And those who follow their banners will simply parrot their opinions. I sometimes wonder if we should place a grater emphasis on critical thinking and scientific education for kids, so they’ll grow into adults who can think for themselves and evaluate the pros and cons of issues such as gene splicing and gene editing.
The Smart Phone era has created a new generation of screen-addicted information sponges who have,a t the same time, become much less critical of the in formation they suck in, almost every waking moment, in ever-greater quantities. We all need to be more selective about what we internalize about important issues. It’s a challenge, to be sure, but we must learn to pluck the rare nuggets of wisdom riding the tsunami of garbage information that assails us every day. And I’m not just talking abo9ut food issues, either.
~ Maggie J.