1. Food Biotechnology Ethics
Clark Ford, Ph.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition
Iowa State University

2. What is Food Biotechnology?
Food technology based on biology
Ancient food biotechnology:
Fermentation by microbes
Cheese
Beer
Wine
Bread
Modern food biotechnology
Tissue culture
Genetic engineering
Different from plant and animal breeding

3. Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering involves manipulating DNA molecules
DNA from one species is spliced into the DNA of another species
Called: Recombinant DNA
Genetically Engineered organisms are called:
Genetically Modified
Transgenic

4. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1953: Structure of DNA discovered
1973: First gene cloned
in microbes
1977: Asilomar Conference in USA
Recombinant DNA safety
Regulation
Risk assessment
Containment

5. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1990: Recombinant Chymosin Approved by FDA
Enzyme for cheese making
Originally from calf stomach
Bovine gene expressed in GRAS microbes
In 80% of U.S. cheese
“Vegetarian” cheese in England

6. Other Products from Genetically Engineered Microbes
Food enzymes
Bread
HFCS Sweeteners
Amino acids
Peptides
Nutrasweet
Flavors
Organic acids
Polysaccharides
Vitamins

7. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1994: FDA approves
“Flavr Savr” Tomato
Prolonged shelf life
Improved quality
Voluntarily labeled

8. Other Genetically Engineered Plants
Agronomic traits
BT Corn
Roundup Ready Soy
Disease Resistance
Food quality
Nutrition
Metabolic products
Vaccines

9. Bt Corn Natural insecticide from Bacillus thuringiensis
Non-toxic to humans
Target insect: corn borer
Potential to:
reduce insecticide use
reduce mycotoxins
40% U.S. Corn crop Bt (2006)

10. Bt Concerns Bt pollen harms non-target species?
Bt crops select for resistant insects
Bt pollen can drift to organic fields
Food system failed to keep BT Starlink corn out of human food products

11. Herbicide Resistance Roundup Ready Soy, Corn, Canola
Allows post-emergence herbicide spraying
Increases yield
Facilitates no-till farming
89% U.S. Soy crop (2006)

12. Herbicide Resistance Concerns
Encourages herbicide use
Groundwater contamination
Kills beneficial soil microbes
Cross-pollinates weeds
Fosters dependence on Agrochemcial companies

13. Disease Resistance Canola Cantaloupes Cucumbers Corn Rice Papaya
Potatoes
Soybeans
Squash
Tomatoes
Wheat
Genetically engineered papaya resistant papaya ringspot virus

14. Health and Nutrition Golden Rice
Vitamin A and Iron enhanced
Seeds given to the poor for free
Improved Amino Acid Balance for Soy, Maize
Banana Vaccines

15. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1999: GM corn and soybean products are present in 80% of processed foods in USA
Corn:
starch, high fructose corn syrup, oil
Soy:
oil, Lecithin, protein

16. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1999: European Union requires GM labels, blocks import of GM corn, beans
Ban lifted 2004 but no change in anti-gm sentiment in Europe

17. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
1999: Gerber and Heinz baby foods GM-free
2000: Mc Donalds and Frito-Lay products GM-free

18. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
2000: USDA Organic Foods Standards
Must be GM-free

19. Milestones in Food Biotechnology
2005: 222 million acres worldwide
Planted in Genetically modified crops
55% in USA
Soy
Corn
Cotton
India, China
Canola

20. Controversy over Biotech Foods
Debate pits consumer and ecology groups against Multinational Corporations
Many farmers, scientists, government agencies caught in the middle

21. Arguments for Genetically Engineered Food
Potential to:
Increase productivity
Increase purity
Increase safety
Improve nutrition
Improve food quality
Improve sustainability
Benefit ecosystem
Process not inherently harmful
Similar to traditional Plant and Animal breeding
Unless misused, outcome expected to be beneficial
Is a powerful technology that could help humanity
Bad ideas weeded out by the market, regulation, lawsuit
--Paul Thompson

22. Arguments against Genetically Engineered Foods
Potential safety risk for humans
Unintended Consequences
Genetic Engineering is playing God
Not Natural to move genes between species
Potential safety risk for environment
Could spread
Genetically Engineered label not required in U.S.
Benefits multinational corporations
not consumers or developing nations

23. Frankenstein Foods: Unintended Consequences?
Random gene insertion
Toxicity
New gene products?
Allergies
Eating DNA!

24. Arguments for Labeling
Not Substantially equivalent to non-GM
Must use Precautionary principle
Is uncertainty in risk assessment
Labeling indicates process used
Consumer’s right to know and choose
Country’s right to know and choose

25. Arguments against labeling
Suggests non-existent hazard
Expensive to segregate crops and change labels
FDA labels required if change in:
Allergenicity
Nutrition
Food Quality

26. Will it Feed the World?
Disease resistance will benefit developing nations
Technology requiring increased inputs benefits wealthy, multinationals, plantations
Small, subsistence farmers can’t compete, lose land
Inequity, poverty increase
Thus more food and more hunger
Green Revolution unsustainable