Are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Safe?
A recent post on Facebook again sparked my interest on this topic. No, it had nothing to do with the beastly fruit above that I have named Tomonster. The Facebook post described apples that have been genetically modified so that they do not brown after they are cut. Are they safe? Will they look like Tomonster? Will eating a GM apple make you look like Tomonster? What is GM food anyway?
To answer these questions, let's start with the history of genetics, from breeding to genetic modification in a lab.
Breeding
Thousands of years before the discovery of DNA, people understood that reproduction in humans, animals, and plants generally produces similar offspring. In horses, for example, breeders have used this knowledge to concentrate their favorite traits by choosing the fastest, strongest, or most beautiful parents to have offspring together. A strong mother and a fast father could have a child that is both strong and fast. By choosing which horses bred with each other, breeders crossed favorable traits and influenced the gene and trait pool of the next generation.
Many critics of genetic modification will claim that we should not eat foods that are haphazardly thrown together by man. They're not talking about the birthday cake I made for my wife last year, but her red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting was about as natural as the locally-sourced 'all-natural organic' strawberries and apples that you can pick up at the farmer's market on Saturday morning. Breeding foods and domesticated animals has been going on for so long that none of us would even recognize the taste or appearance of a strawberry or apple from thousands of years ago. My grandfather was born before the first Fuji apple was ever grown, so how 'natural' could it be?
Genetic Modification
If you've taken a biology or genetics class, you've undoubtedly heard of Gregor Mendel and his infamous pea plants. Simply put, he discovered that traits are inherited in packets, which we now call genes. A century after Mendel's work, the structure of DNA was discovered, sparking our understanding of the Central Dogma. Now, we have entire single-celled organisms built from synthetic DNA.
GM food is not nearly as complex as building a new apple from scratch. For now, genetic modification is the ability to copy and paste the genes that nature has provided us, plus some minor modifications. It is analogous to a mechanic putting Toyota parts into a Honda.
In the case of the apples that sparked this blogpost, scientists have modified the apple DNA so that it cannot properly make a critical protein that causes browning in apples. This simple change likely leads to an apple with identical chemistry to one without the change, other than the one missing protein. It won't taste different, feel different, or test different in the lab. It also will not turn brown.
There are many ways to modify an organisms DNA, but the simplest is to take existing DNA from one organism and put it into something else. We are not yet at the stage where we create entire synthetic pathways (protein assembly lines) from scratch without any naturally existing blueprints.
There are many ways to modify an organisms DNA, but the simplest is to take existing DNA from one organism and put it into something else. We are not yet at the stage where we create entire synthetic pathways (protein assembly lines) from scratch without any naturally existing blueprints.
Why All the Hype?
Why are so many people so adamantly against GM foods? That's a great question. I think the only answer comes from psychology, not biotechnology. David Ropeik, a Harvard instructor, author, and risk consultant, explains the psychology very well in his article, "How We Perceive the Risks of GMOs." In summary, most people who fear GM foods associate these foods with harmful chemicals or companies they dislike and may describe GM foods as 'unnatural' or GM food scientists as 'playing God.' These people have a weak understanding of genetic modification, which harbors their perception of risk. Ropeik believes that the greatest factor in people choosing to fear GM foods is what their friends do. He warns that calling these people irrational, non-scientific, or just plain wrong will only cement their strong emotions as they respond defensively, reminding us that emotions are a critical and necessary part of being human.
Safety
Like people, food can only be judged by its quality, not by its heritage. Whether the fruit came from a lab or a 2000-yr old plant, it could still be a poisonous berry or a delicious apple. We can only know whether its safe by testing it. In the case of the non-browning apples, three government organizations will regulate various aspects of production, which is more testing than has been done for any apple you've ever had before in your life.
