Bio Technology

&
Myths

AG/2005/2162 R.G.D. Kumari

AG/2005/2167 H.R.M.K.K.K. Ranasinghe
 Introduction
Modern biotechnology ….
is a refinement of techniques that
have been used to improve plants & animals
for thousands of years.
But..
The knowledge distribution about the biotech
is questionable and it causes for many myths
on the biotechnology and its uses.
Many of the myths were build up by the people who
agreed and disagreed to the biotech.
So…
It makes a confuse on the biotechnology among the
people.
Myth 01.
Modern biotechnology is inherently different from
conventional breeding and poses greater risks.

Fact;
Many authoritative scientific bodies have concluded that
crops enhanced using modern biotechnology are as safe
as crops improved through classical breeding methods.
One example of improved safety is a biotech crop that may
lower exposure to naturally-occurring toxins.

Because of advanced knowledge and greater inspection by

regulatory agencies, biotech crops and foods may even be
safer than their conventionally bred counterparts. Because
the traits being transferred using modern biotechnology are
fewer and more predictable than when hybridization is
used, scientists have a better understanding of the
changes being made and are in a better position to assess
safety.
Research has shown that Bt
corn helps prevent damage
to corn stalks by the corn
ear worm. That damage
often leads to invasion by
fungi that produce the toxin
fumonisin.

Therefore, protection
against corn ear worm
lowers exposure to
fumonisin, which may be
linked to esophageal cancer
in humans.
Myth 02.
Foods produced through biotechnology are not
tested for health and environmental safety.
Fact;
Biotech companies conduct a safety review of the
new food that includes an assessment of toxicants,
allergens, and nutrient levels.

If the original plant and the transferred trait have

been consumed in the past without negative
consequences, they are considered “GRAS”, or
“generally recognized as safe” .

However, if the original food or the transferred

protein has not been previously consumed in the
diet, or if the transferred protein was derived from a
common allergen, extensive toxicology and allergy
testing is required.
Inclusion of a trait from
a common allergen,
although not applicable
to any food product on
the market today, would
require a special food
label, as would a
significant change in
nutrient levels
Myth 03.
Whole foods developed using biotechnology
contain genes, while foods derived from
traditional plant breeding do not.

Fact;
All whole foods, whether gathered from the wild or
harvested from crops in the field, contain genes,
which break down during digestion.
For thousands of years, mankind has been altering
the genetic make-up of plants—most recently
through modern biotechnology—to improve their
characteristics. These changes have resulted in
hardier crops that produce greater yields of
nutritious, wholesome foods.
Myth 04.
Meat, milk, and eggs from livestock and poultry
that fed biotech feed are not as safe as similar
products from livestock and poultry that fed
conventionally produced feed.
Fact;
Scientific evidence supports the safety of meat, milk,
and eggs derived from livestock raised on biotech
feed.
Dr. Jimmy Clark, a professor of Animal Sciences at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
reported the results of a review of 23 research
studies involving animals fed biotech crops.
These independent studies found that feed crops
developed using biotechnology are as safe as feed
crops developed using conventional breeding
Myth 05.
Biotech foods will introduce new allergens into the
food supply, putting susceptible people at risk.
Fact;
All known food allergens are proteins, but only a
very small number of proteins are allergens.
Common sources of food allergens include such
widely consumed foods as milk, eggs, wheat, fish,
tree nuts, peanuts, and soy.
Biotechnology also is being used by researchers to
remove allergens from foods. Experimental rice has
already been modified through biotechnology to
remove allergenic proteins, and work is underway to
remove or neutralize allergenic proteins from other
foods, such as peanuts. The future development of
allergen-free foods may expand the choice of
wholesome foods available to allergy sufferers.
Myth 06.
Crops and foods developed from biotechnology will
increase an individual’s resistance to antibiotics.
Fact;
In past years, scientists have used genes derived
from bacteria (also known as "selectable marker
genes") to determine whether or not a specific trait
has been successfully added or extracted from a
plant.
On occasion, antibiotic proteins are used as
selectable markers, raising concerns the genetic
material producing the antibiotic proteins could be
transferred to disease-causing bacteria, making
them resistant to these antibiotics. However, in its
review of this method, the FDA has determined that
it is safe.
(FDA:- Food & Drugs Authority, USA)
Myth 07.
Foods developed using biotechnology do not have
the same nutritional value of comparable foods
developed using traditional breeding.

Fact;
All biotech foods reviewed by FDA have exhibited
nutritional values within the normal range

(nutritional values can vary for many reasons, such

as growing conditions).

Independent, peer-reviewed research also has

shown that the nutritional composition of current
biotech food products is equivalent to that of
conventional foods.
Myth 08.
Having foods produced through biotechnology on
grocery store shelves will not be a reality for many
years.

Fact;
Currently, at least 60% to 70% of the foods on
grocery store shelves contain ingredients derived
from plants, such as corn, soy, or canola, enhanced
through biotechnology.
These ingredients are substantially equivalent to
ingredients derived from traditionally bred crops.
In 2002, 34 % of corn, 71 % of cotton, and 75 % of
soybeans grown in the United States were
biotechnology-enhanced varieties. Biotech varieties
of canola are also planted widely.
Myth 09.
U.S. consumers are opposed to biotechnology in
food production.

Fact;
In a recent survey conducted for the International Food
Information Council (IFIC) by Cogent Research (April
2003), a majority of Americans said they would buy
food enhanced for insect protection (69%) or better
taste or freshness (56%).

Also, 62% expect to gain benefits from the technology

within the next 5 years.
Myth 10.
Widespread planting of herbicide-tolerant crops will
lead to increased use of harmful herbicides and the
development of herbicide-tolerant weeds.

Fact;
Crops developed to resist the herbicide Glyphosate
allow farmers to control weeds more effectively.
Glyphosate actually is less harmful to the
environment than other commonly used herbicides. It
degrades quickly in the soil and groundwater, has low
toxicity, and is harmful only to plants, not mammals,
making it is safe for wildlife that lives near crop fields
and for humans who care for and eat the crops.
Moreover, herbicide-tolerant crops allow no-tillage
farming, a practice that greatly reduces water loss
and soil erosion.
Myth 11.
Agricultural biotechnology will not benefit
developing countries.

Fact;
As the rapid increases in food production brought
about by the "Green Revolution" begin to level off
and the availability of arable land shrinks,
increasing demand for food and fiber, coming
largely from the developing world, will
have to be met primarily through
increased yields.
Myth 12.
Because it is controlled by multi-national
companies, developing countries will not have
access to biotechnology.

Fact;
Developing countries have recognized the potential
of biotechnology as an option to improve the lives of
their people. Biotechnology companies do not
provide the only avenue to this technology.
Private-sector companies, governments,
international organizations, charitable foundations,
and research universities all have an obligation to
make biotechnology available to farmers in
developing countries.
Is those things are only myths?

Bio tech is not more familiar to the people yet.

Lack of distribution of facts is the cause of it.
There is not a common agreement on the bio tech
even among the scientists.
The scientists both who agreed and disagreed with
bio tech make their own conclusions. (Some
researches are funded by biotech companies )
The requirement is unbiased researches.
If not biotech will make a confuse which will cover
+points as well as –points.
Thank you !

Thank you