Producers of transgenes claim that they can solve the problem of hunger: after all, their plants are protected from pests and give large yields. Why, every year, more countries refuse to use genetically modified products? And what is the true impact of GMOs on human health? Discuss?
Recently, a Russian pensioner boasted that for several years he does not know the problems with growing potatoes at his dacha site. And all because, for reasons unknown to him, the Colorado beetle does not eat it. Thanks to "word of mouth" the potatoes quickly migrated to the gardens of friends and neighbors who could not get enough of getting rid of the striped misfortune. None of them had any idea that he was dealing with the genetically modified potato variety "New Leaf", which was safely plundered from the test fields in the late 90's. Meanwhile, according to the official version, the whole crop, obtained as a result of this experiment, had to be destroyed due to lack of evidence of its safety.
Today, transgenic components are found in many of our usual foods, even in children's mixtures. Let's try to understand what genetically modified organisms are and what risks are associated with their use.
The Almighty
Modern technologies allow scientists to take genes from cells of one organism and integrate them into cells of another, say, a plant or an animal. Due to this movement, the body is endowed with a new characteristic - for example, resistance to a particular disease or pest, drought, frost, and other seemingly beneficial properties. Genetic engineering has given man the opportunity to work miracles. A few decades ago the very thought of crossing, say, a tomato and a fish, seemed absurd. And today this idea was successfully realized by creating a cold-resistant tomato - a gene of the North Atlantic flounder was transplanted into the vegetable. A similar experiment was performed with strawberries. Another example is a potato that the Colorado beetle does not eat (transferring the earth bacterial gene to the plant endowed it with the ability to produce in its leaves a toxic protein for the beetle). There is evidence that a "scorpion gene" was incorporated into wheat to ensure resistance to arid climates. Japanese genetics introduced a spinach gene into the pig's genome: as a result, the meat became less fatty.
According to official information, more than 60 million hectares have been sown in the world today with GM crops (soybean, maize, rape, cotton, rice, wheat, as well as sugar beet, potatoes and tobacco). Most often, crop plants are resistant to herbicides, insects or viruses. Also in them are built vaccines and medicines against various diseases. For example, lettuce that produces a vaccine against hepatitis B, a banana containing an analgin, rice with vitamin A.
Transgenic vegetable or fruit is bright, large, juicy and unnaturally perfect. You will solve this beautiful wax apple - it lies a few hours white-and-white. And our native "white pouring" after 20 minutes darkens, because in the apple oxidative processes occur, provided by nature.
Than we risk?
Millions of people around the world eat GMO food every day. At the same time, the question of the influence of GMOs on human health is still unanswered. Discussions on this topic continue in the world for more than 10 years. Genetics scientists will not come to any definite opinion on how the transgenic products affect the human body with the possible consequences of their consumption in the distant future. After all, a little over 20 years have passed since their appearance, and this is a short term for the final conclusions. Some experts believe that the modeled genes are capable of causing genetic mutations in the cells of the human body.
Scientists do not exclude that GMOs can cause allergies and serious metabolic disorders, as well as increase the risk of malignant tumors, suppress the immune system and lead to immunity to certain medical products. Every day there are new scientific data confirming the facts of negative influence of GMOs on experimental animals, in which all the processes in the body proceed much faster than in humans.
There is a concern that the widespread use of genes for resistance to antibiotics in the creation of GMOs can contribute to the spread of new strains of pathogenic bacteria that are unresponsive to "weapons" against infections. In this case, many medications will simply be ineffective.
According to the research of British scientists published in 2002, transgenes have the property to linger in the human body and, as a result of so-called "horizontal transfer", to be integrated into the genetic apparatus of the intestinal microorganisms (previously such a possibility was denied). In 2003, the first data were obtained that the GM components were found in cow's milk. And a year later scandalous data on transgens appeared in the press in the meat of chickens, fed on GM corn.
Scientists especially highlight the risks associated with the use of transgenes in pharmaceuticals. In 2004, an American company reported the creation of a variety of corn, from which it was planned to receive contraceptive preparations. Uncontrolled spraying of such a variety with other crops can lead to serious problems with fertility.
Despite the above facts, it should be taken into account that long-term studies of the safety of transgenic products have not been conducted, so no one can definitely assert about any negative impact on humans. However, as well as denying it.
GMO in Russian
Many Russians do not even suspect that genetically modified foods have long been a significant part of their diet. In fact, despite the fact that in Russia no sort of transgenic plants are officially grown for sale, field studies of GM varieties have been carried out since the 90s. It is believed that the first tests were conducted in 1997-1998. Their subject was transgenic potato varieties "New Leaf" with resistance to the Colorado beetle, sugar beet, resistant to herbicide and corn, resistant to harmful insects. In 1999, these tests were officially discontinued. Needless to say, for all this time a huge amount of planting material was taken up by collective farmers and summer residents for growing on their own plots. So when buying potatoes in the market there is a chance to "run into" the very same "New sheet".
In August 2007, a decision was adopted, according to which the import and sale of products containing genetically modified organisms in an amount of more than 0.9%, should be carried out only if there is an appropriate marking. Also, the import, production and sale of baby food, which contains GMOs, were banned.
Alas, Russia was not ready to implement this decree, since until today there is no provision for control of marking, instructions for conducting inspections, there are not enough laboratories equipped for analysis of the presence of GMOs in products. And when we finally learn the whole truth about the origin of goods in our stores, it is not known. But reliable information about the presence of GM components in food is necessary first of all in order to decide whether to acquire them or not. And do not risk your health.
On a note!
Soy itself does not represent a danger. There are a lot of vegetable proteins, essential microelements and vitamins. Meanwhile, more than 70% of the soybean produced in the world are genetically modified varieties. And what kind of soy - natural or not - is a part of many products on the shelves of our stores, it is not known.
The inscription on the product "modified starch" does not mean that it contains GMOs. In fact, such a starch is obtained chemically without the use of genetic engineering. But starch can also be transgenic - if GM-corn or GM-potatoes were used as raw materials.
Be carefull!
In Europe, for GM products, a separate shelf is allocated in stores, and lists of companies using transgenic products are published. Before that, it seems, it is still far away. What to do to those who do not want to use genetically modified food? A few actual tips will help to avoid a dubious purchase.
• Externally, products with GM components do not differ from conventional ones, neither taste nor color, nor smell. Therefore, before you buy the product, carefully read the label, especially if it is a foreign-made product.
• Pay special attention to ingredients such as corn oil, corn syrup, corn starch, soy protein, soybean oil, soy sauce, soybean meal, cottonseed oil and canola oil (oilseed rape).
• Soy protein can be found in the following products: sausage, pate vermicelli, beer, bread, pies, frozen foods, animal feeds and even baby food.
• If the label "vegetable protein" on the label, it is probably also soy - it is possible that it is transgenic.
• Often, GMOs can hide behind the E indices. This is primarily soy lecithin (E 322), which is widely used in the production of chocolate, all kinds of baking, margarine and many dietary products. The gene-modified sweetener, aspartame (E 951), is the second most popular sweetener and is found in a large number of foods such as soft drinks, hot chocolate, chewing gums, sweets, yoghurts, sugar substitutes, vitamins, cough suppressants, When heated to a temperature of +30 ° C, aspartame decomposes, forming the strongest carcinogen formaldehyde and highly toxic methanol. Poisoning with aspartame causes fainting, dizziness, rashes, seizures, joint pain and loss of hearing.
• You can significantly reduce the number of transgenic foods in your menu if you take the habit of cooking at home, rather than buying semi-finished products and finished products. And bypass the tenth road fast food restaurants. Agree that personally prepared confectionery, cereals, a variety of soups, dumplings and other dishes are tastier and at the same time much more useful.