Nutri News December 2022

e enhanced making the consumption of
these foods more enjoyable and appealing
overall.
Reduced Pesticide Usage
By modifying crops to be less dependent on
pesticides, there are less pesticide residues
both on foods and leached into groundwater.2
For reference, the development of pestresistant
cotton has already reduced the
world’s insecticide use by over 15%. This
reduction in pesticide use is better and safer
for both consumers and the environment.
What are the Concerns of
Biotechnology?
Concerns about the use of biotechnology
and GMOs come from both consumers and
environmentalists who feel that there has
not been enough effort done to understand
potential dangers and long-term impacts.2
Additionally, there is much fear that has
risen out of both lack of information and
misinformation, centering around concerns
for both personal and planetary health.
Overall, however, there is minimal scientific
evidence that supports biotechnology as a
major risk to population health or the
environment.
Health-related Concerns
Some health-related concerns about the use
of agricultural biotechnology include the
introduction of new allergens and antibiotic
resistance.2 Due to the modification of the
nutritional profile of some foods, a
prominent fear is that new allergens will be
introduced into previously safe foods, or
that existing allergens with be enhanced.
Currently, there is not much evidence to
support this fear. In fact, the FDA monitors and
ensures that levels of naturally occurring
allergens are not increased in GMO foods, and,
furthermore, biotechnology is actually being
developed to try and remove deadly allergens
from foods such as peanuts and make them
safer. The development of antibiotic-resistant
bacteria is also a very serious and prominent
concern. It is feared that antibiotic-resistance
genes used in the production of GMOs will
result in reduced effectiveness of some
antibiotics against diseases. To combat this
concern, the FDA has advised that techniques
involving antibiotic-resistant biomarkers linked
to clinically important antibiotics be avoided.
Environment-related Concerns
Some environment-related concerns about the
use of agricultural biotechnology include the
creation of “superweeds,” development of
insecticide resistance, loss of biodiversity, and
overall unforeseen impacts.2 To start, it is
feared that cross-pollination with related
weeds will result in uncontrollable superweeds;
this is not inconceivable, but the possibility is
very small. These superweeds, however, would
not be immune to all herbicides, and thus
would still be able to be controlled. Similarly, it
is feared that insects could develop insecticide
resistance through the consumption of GMO
crops that have been altered to repel certain
insects. While this is a realistic concern, so far,
there have not been any instances of this
occurring. Lastly, there is concern that
biotechnology will give way to a loss of
biodiversity in the natural environment. To
combat this concern, it has become
increasingly important to collect and store
various plant seeds and preserve their genetic
material to maintain a pool of genetic diversity
for the crops of the future.
Resources
1. Biotechnology faqs. USDA. https://www.usda.gov/topics/biotechnology/biotechnology-frequently-asked-questions-faqs. Accessed October 27, 2022.
2. Wieczorek, A. (2003) Use of Biotechnology in Agriculture—Benefits and Risks.
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/BIO-3.pdf
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