The Plant World and Genetic Engineering Part III Public Issues

1. The Plant World and Genetic Engineering Part III Public Issues Jana Klose, Greg Lampard UBC Biotechnology Laboratory

2. Whoa! Who is Keeping us Safe? • Canada • Health Canada • Human Safety • Stringent evaluation of safety of GM foods • How was the product made? • Is the GM product different from the non-modified product (Composition and Nutritional value)? • Is there potential for toxicity of allergic reactions?

3. Safety • Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) • Regulation of the non-human effects • Stringent Safety testing • Environmental impact – field trials • Impact on Livestock – feeding trials • Registration of all crop products under the Seeds Act

4. Food Safety • GM products must meet ALL standards • Additional testing can be requested at any time – before or after approval

5. What about allergic reactions? • All new food products (GM and non-GM) must undergo strict testing • Testing includes: • Potential for an allergic response • Comparison of the food versus all known allergens

6. What about allergic reactions? • Many people have food allergies • The brazil nut example: • A transgenic soybean with an inserted gene from Brazil nuts was created • It was later found that this gene encoded a major allergen • As a result of this assessment, commercial interest in this transgenic soybean variety was abandoned • Steve L. Taylor Department of Food Science & Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583-0919, USAhttp://www.agbios.com/articles/2000151-A.htm

7. Labeled can of tomatoes in Britain Source: Nature, April 22, 1999 Are GM Foods Labeled? • Policy is controlled by Health Canada and the CFIA • Currently approximately 70% of foodstuffs in North America contain components derived from GM crops • Voluntary labelling

8. Public Acceptance • What is it? • What do I get out of it? • Is it safe? • Do I have choice? • Is it natural?

9. Public Acceptance • What is it? • Producers and consumers must come together to educate each other on what the technology is and also what consumers want • Producers have not done a good job • Consumers must decide!

10. Public Acceptance • What do I get? • Much of the current products directly benefit farmers • What would the reaction be if a non-allergenic peanut or edible vaccine was produced? • Perhaps resources should be devoted to “useful” products

11. Public Acceptance • Is it safe? • Safety testing is stringent, but short term only • Results made public? • Labeling • Do I have a choice? • Labeling products would give consumers the choice to use or not to use

12. Public Acceptance • Is it natural? • Genetic modification of plants is a natural process – Recall the Agrobacterium example from lecture 1

13. Summary • Transgenic plants have potential to impact many areas, including our food supply and our healthcare system • There is no doubt that the technology works • It is essential that proper testing of all products be carried out prior to commercialization

14. Summary • Labeling products would allow consumers to choose what they want to consume • Educate yourself!