Physiological and Biochemical Significance of Genetically Modified Foods: An Overview

Abstract

Biotechnological discoveries and inventions have been observed to improve food production qualitatively as well as quantitatively. In certain specific cases, the improvement in the quality and nutrition of foods by altering their composition were also monitored. However, the practice of biotechnology has also upraised concerns about its potential risks to the environment as well as human being. Genetic Engineering provides resources to host genes into plants via mechanisms, different in some respects from classical breeding. A number of genetically engineered variety of foods have been developed, which have become important nutraceuticals; most notably canola, cotton, maize and soybean, were developed employing this modern technology, and at present the traits introduced are herbicide and/or pest tolerance. Gene technology leads to increase the production in plants, as well as the elevation of resistance to pests, viruses, frost, etc. Gene transfer technology is employed to alter the physical and chemical composition with nutraceutical worth. The present review article is the compilation of various physiological and biochemical studies reflecting both positive and negative ecological concerns of genetically modified foods.

The Thailand Declaration of the International College of Nutrition; Can Functional Foods and Functional Crops Decrease the Risk of Chronic Diseases and Provide Wellness?

“…There may be substantial improvement in food production qualitatively as well as quantitatively due to use of biotechnology [46][47][48]. Plant breeding and genetic modifications are latest technologies for developing diversity in foods by altering nutrient content of foods to solve the problem of functional food security [4,[46][47][48][49].…”

“…Plant breeding and genetic modifications are latest technologies for developing diversity in foods by altering nutrient content of foods to solve the problem of functional food security [4,[46][47][48][49]. Agriculture played a vital role during the era of green revolution initiated by Norman Borlaug, the "Father of the Green Revolution" who saved over a billion people from starvation and developed high-yielding varieties of cereal grains.…”

“…Now at this point of time, agriculture can again play a vital role by developing food varieties high in micronutrients, macronutrients, organic acids, trace mineral, antioxidants, flavonoids and vitamins leading to functional food security. The traits responsible for micronutrient enrichment in crops exist in their wild types or can be said that these traits are present within their genomes which can be used for substantially increasing micronutrient levels in crops without any negative impact on crop productivity [46][47][48]. The fruits and vegetables, which are consumed raw, can be subjected for improvement of micronutrients through application of new technologies of plant breeding and genetic engineering.…”

Menings van lewenswetenskap-onderwysers oor geneties gewysigde gewasse en die daarstelling van ’n wetenskaplike etiek

“…Sedert die bekendstelling van GGG meer as twee dekades gelede, is daar toenemend kommer oor die aanwending van die manipulasie van gene (Mishra & Singh 2013 Wetenskaplikes beweer dat die debat oor GGG weens 'n gebrek aan kennis ontstaan het, en dat genoegsame kennis die onsekerhede oor die kwessie uit die weg kan ruim. Alhoewel wetenskaplike kennis noodsaaklik is, is dit nie voldoende nie, want menings oor kwessies wat risiko's inhou, word sosiaal en maatskaplik geskep en word moeilik gewysig (Weber, Hair & Fowler 2000:29).…”

“…Deur problème soos dié van swak landbougrond en die produksie van gewasse wat insekweerstandig is en wat plantdoders kan verdra aan te pak (Thompson 2002;Mishra & Singh 2013), kan die vermoë om voedsel te produseer van veral tradisionele boere, wat so te se totaal van landboupraktyke vir hul oorlewing afhanklik is, verbeter word. Deur problème soos dié van swak landbougrond en die produksie van gewasse wat insekweerstandig is en wat plantdoders kan verdra aan te pak (Thompson 2002;Mishra & Singh 2013), kan die vermoë om voedsel te produseer van veral tradisionele boere, wat so te se totaal van landboupraktyke vir hul oorlewing afhanklik is, verbeter word.…”