Brief overview of the past, present, and future of genetically engineered foods in the United States presented by Belinda Martineau at the Sacramento Sustainability Forum November 17, 2011
2. Introduction
• First GE Food: Labeled and the GE protein in it
regulated as a food additive
• GE Foods in the U.S. since: not labeled, GE
proteins not considered food additives and
not regulated by FDA
• GE Products in the Pipeline: Labeling?
Regulation? Sustainability?
3. World’s First Genetically Engineered Whole Food
MacGregor’sR Tomatoes Grown from Flavr SavrTM Seeds were
accompanied by tomato-shaped brochures like this one
5. Engineered for longer shelf-life and vine-life
The gene encoding a softening enzyme in tomato was flipped upside
down and backwards and re-inserted into tomato plants, effectively
shutting down the enzyme
6. 1-800-34TOMATO in the accompanying brochure
For consumers who wanted even more information
7. Use of antibiotic-resistance protein explained
Gene isolated from E. coli conferred resistance to the antibiotic
kanamycin
8. After the Flavr SavrTM Tomato
• No other GE protein (viral, bacterial, etc.) has
been regulated as a food additive by FDA
• No other GE food has been labeled in grocery
stores in the U.S.
• No regulation of GE foods (with a couple of
exceptions) is required by FDA
• Regulation of GE crops by USDA and EPA is
only triggered by products containing a
“pest” or “pesticide,” respectively
9. Sustainability of Current GE Crops
• Resistance to viruses (squash, papaya):
reduces use of pesticides
• Resistance to insects (corn, cotton, eggplant):
reduces use of pesticides but can affect
non-target insects
• Tolerance of herbicides (corn, soybean):
increases use of herbicides and can lead to
“super weeds” but can allow low-till and
no-till farming
10. Possible Health Issues and GE Products
• Resistance to antibiotics (Bt 10)
• Inadvertent introduction of allergens
(StarLink)
• Inadvertent introduction of mutations due to
fact that current GE methods are
mutagenic
• Inadvertent introduction of pharmaceutical
proteins into the food supply (pig vaccine)
11. GE Products in the Pipeline
• Drought-tolerant corn
• Virus-resistant plum
• Canola with healthier oil
• High-lycine corn (more complete protein)
• Crops resistant to additional pesticides (2,4-D,
quizalofop, cyhalofap, haloxyfop)
13. The Technology of GE
• Is very powerful and not, in my opinion, just an
extension of traditional breeding
• Is imprecise in some ways and scientists could be
doing a better job of making that clear (see
www.biotechsalon.com for one scientist’s
attempt to rectify that situation)
• Can be used to solve agricultural problems
sustainably, equitably, transparently, etc.
• But GE products can also be unsustainable,
inequitable, unlabeled, etc.
14. Conclusions for the Future
• GE could be used to help solve otherwise
intractable agricultural problems
• GE should not be used to produce
pharmaceutical products in plants grown for
food
• GE crops should be mandatorily regulated on
a case-by-case basis
• All products containing GE proteins should be
labeled accordingly, especially in a
democratic, capitalist society like this one
