18. Main issues of concern of GM food on human health

the three main issues are tendencies to provoke allergic reaction (allergenicity), gene transfer and outcrossing.

Allergenicity.

the transfer of genes from commonly allergenic foods is discouraged unless it can be demonstrated that the protein product of the transferred gene is not allergenic. While traditionally developed foods are not generally tested for allergenicity, protocols for tests for GM foods have been evaluated by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO. No allergic effects have been found relative to GM foods currently on the market.

Gene transfer

Gene transfer from GM foods to bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract would cause concern if the transferred genetic material adversely affects human health if antibiotic resistance genes, used in creating GMOs, were to be transferred.

Outcrossing

it is referred to as the movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in the wild as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with those grown using GM crops. Several countries have adopted strategies to reduce mixing, including a clear separation of the fields within which GM crops and conventional crops are grown.

Reference:

World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/

17. How are GM food labelled?

How are GM foods labeled?

Labeling of GM foods and food products is also a contentious issue. labeling should be voluntary and influenced by the demands of the free market. If consumers show preference for labeled foods over non-labeled foods, then industry will have the incentive to regulate itself or risk alienating the customer.

Consumer interest groups, on the other hand, are demanding mandatory labeling. People have the right to know what they are eating, and industry has proven itself to be unreliable at self-compliance with existing safety regulations. The FDA's current position on food labeling is governed by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act which is only concerned with food additives, not whole foods or food products that are considered "GRAS" - generally recognized as safe.

The FDA contends that GM foods are substantially equivalent to non-GM foods, and therefore not subject to more stringent labeling. If all GM foods and food products are to be labeled, Congress must enact sweeping changes in the existing food labeling policy.

If the food production industry is required to label GM foods, factories will need to construct two separate processing streams and monitor the production lines accordingly. Farmers must be able to keep GM crops and non-GM crops from mixing during planting, harvesting and shipping.

Secondly, what are the acceptable limits of GM contamination in non-GM products? The EC has determined that 1% is an acceptable limit of cross-contamination, yet many consumer interest groups argue that only 0% is acceptable. Some companies such as Gerber baby foods and Frito-Lay have pledged to avoid use of GM foods in any of their products.

What is the level of detectability of GM food cross-contamination?
Scientists agree that current technology is unable to detect minute quantities of contamination, so ensuring 0% contamination using existing methodologies is not guaranteed. Yet researchers disagree on what level of contamination really is detectable, especially in highly processed food products such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals where the vegetables used to make these products have been pooled from many different sources. A 1% threshold may already be below current levels of detectability.

Finally, who is to be responsible for educating the public about GM food labels and how costly will that education be?
Food labels must be designed to clearly convey accurate information about the product in simple language that everyone can understand. This may be the greatest challenge faced be a new food labeling policy: how to educate and inform the public without damaging the public trust and causing alarm or fear of GM food products.

Reference:
http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php

16. BT corn

Bt corn is a GMO (genetically modified organism) and is also called the Transgenic maize corn. Bt stands for Bacillus thuringiensis. And Bt corn is formed when the gene is inserted into its DNA in which it protects the corn from insects. The gene was isolated from the Bacillus thuringiensis, a microorganism found in soil.

Bt corn is resistant to herbicides, which makes it possible to use herbicides without damaging or killing the crop itself. Insecticides are no longer necessary with Bt corn, because the introduction of the Bt gene protects it from pests.

Although there were concerns of Bt corn pollen producing a threat to the monarch butterflies, studies later showed that this was not the case.
the pests themselves can become resistant to the Bt toxin. farmers who grow Bt corn are required to also plant regular corn close by. The regular corn is supposed to harbor pests so it is less likely that natural selection will help develop a Bt resistant population. There are also concerns with cross pollination, but because pollen are wind born, planting a larger field of non Bt corn can solve the issue.

Buske.C. Bt Corn. Available at: http://biotechpharmaceuticals.suite101.com/article.cfm/bt_corn