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Regulations and Ethics. There are two sides to every issue…. Do I look like a Frankenfood?. Pubic Perception vs. Prudent Regulatory Policy. Biotechnology - GMOs. The United States grows many transgenic crops. ~ 88% of the corn ~ 83% of the cotton ~ 90% of the soybean. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Regulations and Ethics
There are two sides to every issue…
Do I look likea Frankenfood?
Pubic Perception vs. Prudent Regulatory Policy
Biotechnology - GMOs• The United States grows many
transgenic crops.
~ 88% of the corn~ 83% of the cotton~ 90% of the soybean
Ingredients from these crops show up in everything from fast-food milk shakes to bags of tortilla chips.
Current Estimates and Genes Involved
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food
Trends in GM Crop Production
Trends in GM Crop Production
Consumer Acceptance – U.S.
Scientific & Ethical Issues
• Safety Issues - Human Health:– Allergenicity of foreign proteins - e.g. - Nut proteins expressed in
plants– Identity of food sources (religious consequences)– Increased pesticide residue levels in plants made tolerant using
pesticide resistance genes– Increased numbers of antibiotic resistant organisms due to
antibiotic selection markers– Safety of “natural” pesticides in transgenic plants– Altered nutritional properties– Long-term safety issues – chronic toxicity
Scientific & Ethical IssuesSafety Issues: Environmental:
• Increased use of chemicals on crops, resulting in increased contamination of our water supply and food
• The creation of herbicide-resistant weeds; “Superweeds”
• The spread of diseases across species barriers
• Loss of bio-diversity in crops
• Increased sickness and suffering for genetically engineered animals
• The disturbance of ecological balance
Potential Advantages• Increased crop production - less loss due to plant
pathogens, drought, spoilage etc. - “feed the world”
• Increased nutritional benefits of food:e.g. vitamin A in rice
• Increased animal product yield - “more milk” (e.g. rBGH injected or transgenic cows)
• Production of biopharmaceuticals and possible “edible” vaccines (e.g. E. coli toxin genes)
• “Safer food?” Less plant damage - lower levels of mold infestation - lower amounts of mycotoxins
What is Regulation and Who is Doing the Regulating?
• A principle, rule, or law designed to control or govern
Agencies:• USDA – United States Department of Agriculture
• EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
• FDA – U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Regulatory Agencies USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
– Regulates environmental release of transgenic plants
USDA, Food Safety Inspection Service- Regulates transgenic livestock and poultry
EPA- Registers pesticides including those produced in plants- Since no plant produced pesticides are toxic to humans,
an exemption has been granted from setting a tolerance
FDAFDA- Regulates all feed and food not regulated by USDARegulates all feed and food not regulated by USDA