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Report from SGR Conference 'Genetics and Ethics' (1998)
Report written by Alan Mayne, SGR
Derek Burke outlined some applications of genetic engineering in the food industry and briefly discussed some of the problems and issues of public concern that arise there. Genetically modified (GM) products have been accepted for quite a number of foods, but GM is not yet accepted for soya products. The three basic types of GM plants, so far used for foods, are those that are used to: (1) improve their quality and prolong their shelf life, e.g. in tomatoes; (2) produce new parental lines for new F1 hybrids, to improve yield; and (3) introduce resistance to herbicides and pesticides, e.g. in corn and soya.
Why Use GM Plants?
He said that the basic reason is to help feed the growing world population. The amount of available farmland is decreasing. As people become more prosperous, they eat more meat, so that more proteins are needed. However, many people argue that GM is not necessary for this purpose. They refer rightly to the facts that fairer distribution of food is needed, and that many people today cannot afford to buy the food that would otherwise be available for them. But how long will all these considerations continue to apply?
Are New GM Foods Safe?
GM tomatoes and vegetarian cheeses are both sold in supermarkets today, apparently accepted by a majority of their customers. However, there is much consumer resistance to products of GM soya beans. Are such products safe? In this particular case, a single gene of the soya plant was modified. Before GM soya products were allowed in the UK, Ministers took advice from an Advisory Committee on Food, of which Derek Burke was Chairman. For various reasons, the Committee saw no reason to doubt the safety of these products. The problem was that the BSE incident had eroded public trust in the UK regulatory system, especially as some people thought that it did not take proper precautions.
Why Was No Choice Offered to the Public?
GM soya products were also introduced into British, as well as American, supermarkets without consulting their customers. In the USA, the bulk marketing of soya products prevents segregation into GM products and non-GM products, and there has been little or no demand for segregation. The introduction of segregation would certainly increase costs, thus raising the prices charged to shoppers. In the UK, Iceland supermarkets do provide choice to their customers. In the British Government, Michael Meacher and Jeff Rooker have agreed with plant breeders about a temporary delay of full-scale commercial release of GM products, and proposed seven relevant measures.
Consumer Concerns and Issues
Quite a lot of consumers do not wish to eat food that they know to be GM, and some of them view GM as an unjustified tampering with nature. However, some scientists do not think it odd to move genes from one plant to another. Another issue is the development of a proper code of conduct for genetic engineering, which would have an appropriate balance between risks and benefits. There is also the question of whether and how to apply the precautionary principle. Of especial interest to developing countries is the question of whether multinational companies are too powerful. To some extent, concerns about GM products and methods in farming has become a 'lightning rod' for drawing attention to other issues, such as the nature of modern agribusiness, of concern to citizens.
What about the Future?
Decisions about our food are being taken by organisations and institutions in the USA and other countries as well as in the UK. Derek Burke said that he did not think that a ban on GM products was a sensible course to take. GM crops are here to stay in North America and large parts of Asia, and may soon spread to Europe. New targets are needed for new GM products. Consumers need to have a choice in the products that they buy, to know what is in different products, and to be confident that foods are being manufactured responsibly.
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