The genetically modified food vision encountered many difficulties. Perhaps the new, healthier and tastier products will be able to gnaw away at the reluctance of the consumer public
Andrew Pollack, New York Times, Haaretz, News and Walla!
At the dawn of the age of genetically modified crops, scientists envisioned different types of healthier and tastier foods, including tomatoes that fight cancer, fruits that are resistant to decay, potatoes that can be used to make healthier chips and even beans that won't cause gas. But so far, the GM crops have mainly benefited their growers, by easing the control of wild weeds and harmful insects.
Now, millions of dollars later, the next generation of biotech crops – the first with benefits for consumers as well – is finally on the horizon. But the list does not include many of the products that were part of the original vision.
It turned out that the development of such crops is not easy at all. Public opposition to genetically modified food, technical difficulties, legal and business obstacles and the ability to develop improved foods without genetic engineering - all these weakened the flow of developments. "I would say that many companies have gone into battle shock in recent years," said CS Prakash, director of the Center for Biotechnology Research at Tuskegee University in Alabama, USA. "Due to the strong opposition, they had to suspend many of the projects."
It also became clear that developing non-allergenic products and other health crops is a technically difficult task. "Changing the composition of food will be more complicated than inserting a single gene to achieve resistance to insects, for example," said Prakash, who promotes agricultural biotechnology on behalf of American industry and government.
In 2002 Elliot Herman and his colleagues generated some interest when they engineered soybeans so that they would not cause an allergic reaction. But the project has been suspended because baby food makers, who under the plan were supposed to want beans in their formulas, are reluctant to buy GM crops, said Harman, the scientist who works at the USDA.
The next generation of crops, especially those that provide healthier or tastier food, may help gain consumer approval for genetic Hinduism. The industry won a victory about two weeks ago, when a panel of the World Trade Organization ruled that the European Union violated trade regulations when it stopped approving new biotechnological crops. But it is expected that the ruling will overcome the reluctance of European consumers from biotechnological food.
New crops are also important for the industry, which has been marketing the same two advantages for ten years - resistance to herbicides and to insects. "We haven't seen any new fundamentals in a while," said Michael Fernandez, director of the PEW Food and Biotechnology Initiative, a nonprofit organization.
Several new types of crops have now begun to appear. The "Monsanto" company received approval from the federal government for a type of genetically modified corn, which according to the company has greater nutritional value, although only for pigs and poultry. Next in line, industry executives say, are soybean oils, designed to provide healthier baked and cooked foods.
To prevent the oil from going rancid it usually goes through a process known as hydrogenation, where harmful trans fatty acids are formed. According to the new regulations, it must be stated on the labels that they are in the food. Both Monsanto and DuPont, owner of the seed company Pioneer Hi-Bred, have developed soybeans with a fatty composition that in some cases does not require hydrogenation. "Kellogg" announced in December that it would use products, mainly from Monsanto, to remove trans fats from its products.
"Vistive" produced by Monsanto and "Notrium" produced by DuPont were developed using conventional breeding. They are genetically engineered only to be able to grow even when sprayed with the common herbicide "Roundup". But Monsanto and DuPont say the next generation of soybeans, which could eliminate trans fats from more foods, will likely require genetic engineering. These products are expected to appear within 3-6 years.
In addition, both companies said there will be soybeans with high levels of omega-3, fatty acids that benefit the heart and brain. These acids are currently obtained from eating fish, who obtain them from eating algae. Introducing algae genes into soybeans will allow the production of soybeans rich in these fatty acids.
Efforts are also being made to develop more nutritious crops for the less developed countries in the world, led by what is known as "golden rice" which contains vitamin A. A lack of this vitamin is one of the main causes of blindness in one of the poor countries. There has also been progress in drought-resistant crops.
Opposition from consumers and food companies undoubtedly forced large companies such as Monsanto and DuPont to choose their projects carefully. It also makes it harder for scientists and small start-ups, who usually provide the innovations in other fields, to get the funding they need. For example, Avtar Handa, a researcher at Purdue University, said he stopped working on a tomato he developed a few years ago that was rich in lycopene, a substance that fights cancer. According to him, genetically modified crops do not go on the market and research funds have decreased.
As of today, in the US - unlike in Europe - genetically modified food is usually sold without any labeling, as if it were normal food. Over time, if and when the public gets used to the idea, it is likely that the food companies will reward it with a special label. But even then, it is likely that the label will not testify to the use of genetically modified crops, but will praise the unique healing properties of the product.
https://www.hayadan.org.il/BuildaGate4/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~~~408553322~~~27&SiteName=hayadan
