In recent years, with the rise of genetically modified foods, many consumers are concerned: Is genetically modified foods harmful to human health? Does GM food have unsafe ingredients compared to conventional foods that are marketed? Yesterday, Academician Li Jiayang, a famous plant molecular geneticist and deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, unleashed these questions for the public at the high-end technology conference organized by the Provincial Association for Science and Technology. He said that genetically modified foods that have been approved for production and sales are completely safe.
It is unscientific to require "zero risk" of genetically modified organisms
[Wonderful Soundtrack] Recognizing that there is a risk does not mean that there is already a real danger. It should actively avoid risks, but it is unscientific to demand that the genetically modified organisms be "zero risk" and "must guarantee the safety of future generations."
Regarding the risk of genetically modified products, Li Jiayang said that it is now proposed that the animal experiments of genetically modified products have only been done for 5 years. How can you guarantee the safety of 50 years later? Guaranteed safety after 100 years? If this is the case, no product can be used. At present, hundreds of millions of people at home and abroad have been eating for many years, and they have not really found that the genetically modified products are damaging to their health. Globally, 690 million hectares of genetically modified crops have been planted and no ecological damage has been found. In 2006, the United States had more than 3,000 products containing genetically-modified ingredients.
Li Jiayang said that there are certain risks in the development of any science and technology, and GM technology is no exception. Through scientific research, scientists have eliminated or clarified many risk issues. The combination of "transgenic" with pesticide poisoning and food contamination is a misunderstanding. It is unscientific to call for "zero risk" genetically modified organisms. The scientific and rational attitude is to strengthen management, conduct in-depth research, and accelerate development while trying to prevent and avoid risks.
The essence of conventional breeding is "transgenic"
[Original Soundtrack] In fact, it is not only “transgenic†that has “potential riskâ€, but there are potential risks like conventional breeding. The safety of a product does not depend on which technology the product comes from, but on the characteristics of the final product.
Li Jiayang said that conventional breeding is essentially “transgenic†and that there are thousands of genes transferred through hybridization, especially among distant species. It transfers only one or two functionally clearer than modern transgenic technology. Genes are much more complex, and the "unexpected effects" they can produce are much more complex.
Breeders perform trait selection from hundreds of hybrid offspring populations, select beneficial traits, eliminate adverse traits, and breed new varieties. Modern "transgenic" breeding also goes through the same process, and the same choices are made among a large number of offspring groups, essentially no difference from conventional breeding. Therefore, if we do not mention "transgenic" or "transgenic crops", we will panic and equate "transgenic" and "unsafe". This is a misunderstanding. In particular, it should be emphasized that, due to historical reasons, environmental and food safety evaluations and supervisions have not been conducted on conventionally cultivated varieties, and strict monitoring procedures have been applied to “genetically modified†products through a series of “science-based†measures. The safety evaluation procedures are approved so that the safety of the environment and food can be more ensured.
In the future, you can eat "carotene" from rice.
[Original Sound] Transgenic technology can provide humans with a wide variety of functional foods, providing additional health-friendly nutrients beyond basic nutrition.
Li Jiayang introduced that because of the lack of two key enzymes in the b-carotene synthesis pathway in rice seeds, there is no b-carotene in rice. Scientists have added b-carotene to rice through genetically modified rice so that daily rice can serve as a source of vitamin A. Currently promoted in poor countries in Africa, you can eat enough vitamin A when you eat.
It is reported that China has invested a lot in the research of genetically modified rice, and the research on insect resistance, drought resistance and disease resistance has come to the last step and the country has approved production. Li Jiayang said that if we need to greatly increase rice production through genetic modification, this day will come earlier; if food security is now easily safeguarded, it may be slower to industrialize. "The GM rice has already been subjected to various experiments. When we go to the people's table, we really have nothing to do."