Transcript GM FOOD

GENETICALLY
MODIFIED
FOOD
Introduction
• Definition - food or food ingredients that
are or are derived from organisms that
have been modified through the use of
modern biotechnology
• In form of processed food
e.g. Tofu, soya oil, soya milk, flour syrup,
etc
Differences Between GM Food
&Traditional Food
GM Food
Traditional
Food
Gene Transfer
Well-defined
Thousands of
genes
Species
involved
Across species Within species
barrier
Efficiency
Less time
consuming
Time
consuming
Production of GM Food
Potential Benefits
For Crops
1. Enhanced taste and quality
2. Reduced maturation time
3. Increased nutrients, yields, and
stress tolerance
4. Improved resistance to disease and
pests
5. Generating new products
For Animals
1. Increased resistance, productivity,
hardiness, and feed efficiency
2. Better yields of meat, eggs, and
milk
3. Improved animal health and
diagnostic methods
For Environment
1. Conservation of soil, water, and
energy
2. Better natural waste management
3. More efficient processing
Potential Hazards
1. Unintended modification of similar
species in the neighboring fields due to
cross pollination
2. Upsetting the equilibrium of ecosystems
3. Development of super pests
4. Worrying about eating a food containing
a gene that the eater should avoid due to
religious, health or other reasons
5. Destroying the normal farming system
6. Interfering the normal DNA system
7. GM food cannot solve the problem of
starvation, but widen the financial gaps
between developed and developing
countries
Examples
Conclusions
• Actually, there is no evidence shows that
GM food results in food inherently less
safe than that those produced by
conventional techniques.
• Therefore, we need not worry so much
about eating Gm food.