Genetically modified food sources. Genetically modified food sources

Genetically modified food is the food that everyone talks about a lot now - politicians, officials, medical workers, environmentalists and biotechnologists. After listening to all this, a simple, modern man in the street considers it his duty to read the label on products that is full of names before buying. His "sparkling", uninformative technical terms sometimes make him dizzy.

In order to navigate in all the variety of names, terms, it would be good at the beginning for each potential buyer to acquire concise dictionary.

So, let's begin…

* GMI - genetically modified food sources - plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, blue-green algae genetically modified.
* GMOs - genetically modified organisms - plants, animals, including blue-green algae, bacteria and viruses, genetically modified, but various genetic constructs are built into their DNA.
* GMF - genetically modified food, they include GMI.
* A transgenic organism is an organism into which foreign genetic material has been introduced using genetic engineering.

The manufacturer sometimes puts equal sign between these terms, That is erroneous.

Tomato became the "progenitor" of all genetically modified foods. Its new property is that it will remain unripe for several months at a temperature of 12C. But, as soon as he is in a warm room, he keeps up in a few hours. With the advent of the first product of genetic engineering, a confrontation immediately began between supporters and opponents of its new direction. In this dispute, neither side clearly outweighs, in their own way, both are right. And if so, then let's find out what arguments are put forward by their opponents and supporters, justifying genetically modified foods - for or against their use.

Genetically modified food - all for:

The main arguments of supporters of genetically modified food products are: they are stored longer, more resistant to temperature changes, heat, cold, all kinds of viruses, bacteria are no longer so terrible for them. If we take animal husbandry, poultry farming, the fishing industry, then with the help of transgenic technologies, the growth and mass of animals is accelerated, cows' milk yield and milk quality increase. Varieties of marine fish (salmon) were obtained, which no longer need to migrate to sea water for growth and reproduction.

Without genetic engineering, we would never have red tomatoes, strawberries, and many other goodies on the New Year's table that we so want to treat ourselves to in the cold season.

Genetically modified products - all "against":

To date, several hundred names of genetically modified products are known. In most countries of the world, many people eat them daily, sometimes without even knowing it. It is not always safe for our health. This is exactly what opponents of transgenic technologies are talking about, of course, in some ways they are right. What is it? Let's try to figure this out.

The process of inserting a new gene into a DNA molecule is very complex, and Genetic Engineering unable to control it, it cannot tell exactly where the new gene will be added. All available information is not complete, and the equipment is far from perfect. The results of artificial intervention in the affairs of nature are difficult to foresee, they can lead to the formation hazardous substances, toxins, allergens, and other substances harmful to human health.

It has not yet been proven that GMFs harm the body, the environment, but there is no evidence to the contrary. And the possible destructive processes launched in human organs and tissues due to use will most likely be impossible to stop, because the altered gene cannot be taken back.

Recently, the number of people suffering from allergic reactions has increased significantly. Even 5 years ago there were 30% less of them. Possible reason– increasing the proportion of genetically modified foods in the diet. In addition, they are sometimes enriched with amino acids that have been produced by transgenic organisms.

Baby food is a special branch of the food industry. The health of the younger generation should be the prerogative public policy. In the EU countries, a law has been passed banning the use of GMPs and GMOs in the production of baby food. In Russia, the law is only being considered. In the meantime, a mother who buys baby food for her baby should pay attention to the composition, if it contains soy, then it is better to refuse this product.

Soy protein, which is part of the sausage contains transgenes. It's no secret that sausage is a purely "meat" product, now only half of it is sausage, the other half is soy. And there are practically no traditional soybean varieties left, they are all genetically modified. Russia annually buys about 400 thousand tons soy protein.

Genetic engineering is a young science, the future belongs to it, but its methods still leave much to be desired. Perhaps soon we will be eating genetically modified foods without fear, as the threat of their use will come to naught. In the meantime, stick to the rule: if you find out that a product contains GMOs or GMPs, then look for a similar product without transgenes and use it even if it costs more. Remember, you will not be able to return your health later!

Genetically modified food sources(GMI food) are food products (components) used by humans in food in natural or processed form, obtained from genetically modified raw materials and / or organisms. They belong to the group of the most significant new food products produced using modern biotechnological techniques.

Traditional biotechnological methods of food production have been known for a very long time. These include bakery, cheese making, winemaking, brewing. Modern biotechnology is based on genetic engineering techniques that make it possible to obtain end products with very precise specified properties, while conventional selection associated with linked gene transfer does not allow such results to be achieved.

The technology for creating GMI plants includes several stages:

Obtaining target genes responsible for the manifestation of a given trait;

Creation of a vector containing the target gene and factors of its functioning;

Transformation of plant cells;

Regeneration of a whole plant from a transformed cell.

Target genes, for example, providing resistance, are selected among various objects of the biosphere (in particular, bacteria) by targeted search using gene libraries.

The creation of a vector is the process of constructing a carrier of the target gene, which is usually carried out on the basis of plasmids, which provide further optimal insertion into the plant genome. In addition to the target gene, a transcription promoter and terminator and marker genes are also introduced into the vector. A transcription promoter and terminator are used to achieve the desired level of expression of the target gene. The cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter is currently most commonly used as a transcription initiator, and NOS from Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used as a terminator.

For the transformation of plant cells - the process of transferring the constructed vector, two main technologies are used: agrobacterial and ballistic. The first is based on the natural ability of bacteria of the Agrobacterium family to exchange genetic material with plants. Ballistic technology is associated with microbombardment of plant cells with metal (gold, tungsten) particles associated with DNA (target gene), during which the genetic material is mechanically incorporated into the plant cell genome. Confirmation of insertion of the target gene is carried out using marker genes represented by antibiotic resistance genes. Modern technologies provide for the elimination of marker genes at the stage of obtaining GMI of a plant from a transformed cell.

Giving plants resistance to herbicides is carried out by introducing genes that express enzyme proteins (analogues of which are pesticide targets) that are not sensitive to this Class of herbicides, for example, to glyphosate (roundup), chlorsulfuron and imidazoline herbicides, or that provide accelerated degradation of pesticides in plants, for example, glufosinate ammonium, dalapon.

Resistance to insects, in particular to the Colorado potato beetle, is determined by the insecticidal action of expressed entomotoxin proteins that specifically bind to receptors. intestinal epithelium, which leads to disruption of the local osmotic balance, swelling and lysis of cells and death of the insect. The target resistance gene for the Colorado potato beetle was isolated from the soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). This entomotoxin is harmless to warm-blooded animals and humans, other insects. Preparations based on it have been widely used in developed countries as insecticides for more than half a century.

With the help of genetic engineering technology, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, food proteins are already being obtained, new varieties of plants and animal breeds, and technological strains of microorganisms are being created. Genetically modified food sources plant origin are currently the main GMIs actively produced in the world. In the eight years from 1996 to 2003, the total area sown with GMI crops increased 40 times (from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to 67.7 million hectares in 2003). The first genetically modified food product that went on the market in 1994 in the United States was the tomato, which is shelf stable by slowing down the degradation of pectin. Since that time, a large number of so-called first-generation GMO foods have been developed and grown - providing high yields due to resistance to pests and pesticides. The next generations of GMI will be created in order to improve the taste properties, nutritional value of products (high content of vitamins and microelements, optimal fatty acid and amino acid composition, etc.), increase resistance to climatic factors, extend shelf life, increase the efficiency of photosynthesis and nitrogen utilization.

Currently, the vast majority (99%) of all GMO crops are grown in six countries: USA (63%), Argentina (21%), Canada (6%), Brazil (4%), China (4 %) and South Africa (1%). The remaining 1% is produced in other countries of Europe (Spain, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria), Southeast Asia (India, Indonesia, Philippines), South America (Uruguay, Colombia, Honduras), Australia, Mexico.

In agricultural production, the most widely used GMI crops are resistant to herbicides - 73% of the total area of ​​cultivation, resistant to insect pests - 18%, having both traits - 8%. Among the main GMI plants, the leading positions are occupied by: soybeans - 61%, corn - 23% and rapeseed - 5%. The GMI of potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini and other crops accounts for less than 1%. In addition to higher yields, an important medicinal advantage of GMI plants is their lower content of insecticide residues and less accumulation of mycotoxins (as a result of reduced insect infestation).

However, there are potential dangers (medical and biological risks) of using GMI food associated with possible pleiotropic (multiple unpredictable) effects of the inserted gene; allergic effects of an atypical protein; toxic effects of an atypical protein; long-term consequences.

AT Russian Federation a legislative and regulatory framework has been created and is functioning that regulates the production, import from abroad and circulation of food products obtained from GMI. The main tasks in this area are: ensuring the safety of food products produced from

genetically modified materials; protection of the ecological system from the penetration of alien biological organisms; prediction of genetic aspects of biological safety; creation of a system of state control over the circulation of genetically modified materials. The procedure for conducting a sanitary and epidemiological examination food products obtained from the GMI for their state registration includes biomedical, medical genetic and technological assessments. The examination is carried out by the authorized federal body with the involvement of leading scientific institutions in the relevant field.

Medical and biological assessment of food products obtained from GMI is carried out at the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (and other leading medical research institutes) and includes studies of:

1) compositional equivalence ( chemical composition, organoleptic properties) GMI products to their species counterparts;

2) morphological, hematological and biochemical parameters;

3) allergenic properties;

4) influence on immune status;

5) influence on reproductive function;

6) neurotoxicity;

7) genotoxicity;

8) mutagenicity;

9) carcinogenicity;

10) sensitive biomarkers (activity of enzymes of the 1st and 2nd phases of xenobiotic metabolism, activity of enzymes of the antioxidant defense system and lipid peroxidation processes).

Technological assessment is aimed at studying the physico-chemical parameters that are essential in food production, for example, the possibility of using traditional methods of processing food raw materials, obtaining familiar food forms and achieving normal consumer characteristics. So, for example, for GMI potatoes, the possibility of preparing potato chips, mashed potatoes, semi-finished products, etc. is evaluated.

Special attention is drawn to the issues of environmental safety of GMI. From these positions, the possibility of horizontal transfer of the target gene is assessed: from GMI culture to a similar natural form or weed, plasmid transfer in the intestinal microbiocenosis. From an ecological point of view, the introduction of GMI into natural biosystems should not lead to a decrease in species diversity, the emergence of new pesticide-resistant plant and insect species, or the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms with pathogenic potential. In accordance with internationally recognized approaches for the evaluation of new food sources (WHO, EU directives), food products derived from GMOs that are identical in terms of nutritional value and safety to their traditional counterparts are considered safe and allowed for commercial use.

At the beginning of 2005, in the Russian Federation, 13 types of food raw materials from GMI, which are resistant to pesticides or pests, were registered in the Russian Federation in the prescribed manner and allowed by the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Russia for import into the country, use in the food industry and sell to the population without restrictions. : three lines of soybeans, six lines of corn, two varieties of potatoes, one line of sugar beet and one line of rice. All of them are used both directly for food and in the production of hundreds of food products: bread and bakery products, flour confectionery products, sausages, semi-finished meat products, culinary products, canned meat and vegetable and fish vegetables, baby food, food concentrates, soups and fast cereals. cooking, chocolate and other sweet confectionery, chewing gum.

In addition, there is a wide range of food raw materials that have genetically modified analogues that are allowed for sale on the world food market, but are not declared for registration in the Russian Federation, which can potentially enter the domestic market and are subject to control for the presence of GMI. To this end, the Russian Federation has established the procedure for and organization of control over food products obtained using raw materials of plant origin that have genetically modified analogues. Control is carried out in the order of current supervision when putting products into production, their production and turnover.

State sanitary and epidemiological supervision of food products obtained from raw materials of plant origin, which have genetically modified analogues, is carried out by territorial bodies and institutions authorized to carry it out, in the order of the current examination: documents and product samples. Based on the results of the examination of food products, a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion is issued established sample. Upon detection of a GMI food registered in the federal register, a positive conclusion is issued. If an unregistered GMI is found, a negative conclusion is issued, on the basis of which these products are not subject to import, production and circulation on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Standardized laboratory tests used as identification for the presence of GMI include:

Screening studies (determining the presence of the fact of genetic modification - genes of promoters, terminators, markers) - by PCR;

Identification of the transformational event (presence of the target gene) - by PCR and using a biological microchip;

Quantitative analysis of recombinant DNA and expressed protein - by PCR (real time) and quantitative enzyme immunoassay.

In order to exercise the rights of consumers to receive complete and reliable information about the production technology of food products derived from GMI, mandatory labeling of this type of product has been introduced: on labels (labels) or leaflets of packaged food products (including those not containing deoxyribonucleic acid and protein ), information in Russian is required: “genetically modified products” or “products obtained from genetically modified sources”, or “products contain components from genetically modified sources” (for food products containing more than 0.9% GMI components).

The system for assessing the safety of food products from GMI, adopted in the Russian Federation, involves post-registration monitoring of the turnover of these products. At the stage of development or implementation are such GMI foods as barley, sunflower, peanuts, Jerusalem artichoke, sweet potato, cassava, eggplant, cabbage (various varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli), carrots, turnips, beets, cucumbers, lettuce, chicory, onions, leeks, garlic, peas, sweet peppers, olives (olives), apples, pears, quince, cherries, apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, sloes, lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, limes, persimmons, grapes, kiwi, pineapple, dates, figs, avocado, mango, tea, coffee.

In the production of food products that have genetically modified analogues, GMI control should be included in production control programs. In addition to GMI plants are being developed for use in food production for technological purposes GMM, which are widely used in the starch and baking industry, cheese production, alcoholic beverages(beer, ethyl alcohol) and food supplements. In the indicated food production GMMs are used as starter cultures, bacterial concentrates, starter cultures for fermented products and fermentation products, enzyme preparations, food additives (preservative E234 - nisin), vitamin preparations(riboflavin, β-carotene).

In the Russian Federation, sanitary-epidemiological, microbiological and molecular genetic examinations of food products obtained using GMMs are carried out in a manner similar to a similar examination for GMI plants.

The possibilities of using genetic engineering in the production of agricultural products of animal origin are considered, for example, to increase the gross output of livestock products due to gene potentiation of growth as a result of intensive production of growth hormone. In the foreseeable future, subject to the proven safety of genetic modification technologies, the amount of GMI food will steadily increase, which will maintain agricultural productivity at an acceptable level and create a scientific and practical basis for the development of the artificial food industry.

The desire throughout human history to increase the nutritional value and safety of food, ensuring the availability of food has been realized through the improvement of plant and farm animal breeding, the cultivation, harvesting and storage of agricultural products, as well as the methods of processing and storing prepared foods. Approaches to improve the quality and availability of food products have led to a change in the genetics and physiology of the organisms used for food production. By selective breeding of plants and animals or selection of the best strains of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) or by the targeted introduction of mutations that give the desired properties of food sources, the organization of the genome of these organisms has been radically changed. Traditional crop breeding programs have been successful in multiplying and enhancing the positive properties of related plants. However, it has now become impossible to continue increasing yields by such methods. Another huge problem is the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of crop diseases.

The relatively recent use in food production of methods that are combined under the general term "genetic modification", or obtaining food from genetically modified sources, attracts increased attention and even biased attitude of the public. Genetic modification methods allow you to change the organization of the genetic material in a targeted, fast and confident way, as was not possible with traditional breeding methods. However, the goals of genetic modification and traditional breeding methods are the same.

Thus, genetic modification is only one of the modern technologies food production. Currently, only plant genetically modified food sources are considered for nutritional purposes. No animals have yet been genetically modified for food production. However, given the intensity of research and the rapidity of scientific data, this statement may become outdated immediately after the publication of this book.

Term "genetic modification" used to refer to a process by which the organization of genetic material can be changed using recombinant DNA techniques. This process includes the use laboratory methods introducing, modifying, or cutting out portions of DNA containing one or more genes. The difference between genetic modification and conventional breeding methods lies in the ability to manipulate individual genes and transfer genes between different types plants, animals and microorganisms that cannot be crossed.

The first transgenic plants were bred in 1984. By 2000, about 100 plant species had undergone genetic modification. However, only 8-10 crops are currently of agricultural importance. Several plant species have been modified to change their composition and nutritional value, but these crops are not currently approved for agricultural production and food production. Most first-generation GM crops (grown in production volumes) are crops modified for the sole purpose of increasing yields, facilitating harvesting and processing, better preservation, or a combination of these qualities. This is achieved by imparting resistance to diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, insect resistance or herbicide resistance. An important incentive to create genetically modified crops is to reduce the forced use of insecticides and other pesticides with a wide range actions.

Several methods are used to breed plants protected by genetic modification from harmful insects. The most common method of incorporating and expressing genes derived from a soil bacterium Bacillus thuringientis(Bt). These bacteria produce, during sporulation, crystals of a protein (delta-endotoxin) that has an insecticidal effect. Preparations made from bacterial spores or isolated protein have been used as insecticides for many years. In crops genetically modified to express B1 toxins, protection from insects occurs through the same mechanism. Toxins are produced in an inactive form, which is activated by insect intestinal proteinases. The toxin attaches to receptors in the gut and damages it.

Genetically modified food sources

Mammals, including humans, do not have such receptors. Therefore, B1 toxins are selectively toxic to insects and non-toxic to mammals.

Other insecticide genes that are used in the breeding of genetically modified crops encode plant lectins, inhibitors digestive enzymes pest organisms (proteases and amylases), or are involved in the biosynthesis of secondary plant metabolites.

Genetically modified plants resistant to herbicides have been obtained by introducing into plants a gene isolated from one of the soil microorganisms.

To increase virus resistance, genetic modification allows for a different approach - "immunization". Genetically modified virus-resistant cultures have been created in which plants with the expression of genes encoding certain viral proteins acquire immunity to subsequent infection with a pathogenic virus.

Most of the crops currently bred by genetic modification methods have higher agricultural characteristics. In the future development of genetic modification technology - the creation of food products with a given or improved nutritional value. So far, food products with modified nutritional value created by genetic modification methods are not available on the market. However, experimental samples already exist and their arrival in human nutrition is very likely. This is guided by the already existing examples of obtaining new varieties of agricultural plants with modified nutritional properties traditional breeding methods: rapeseed with a low level of erucic acid, sunflower with a high content of linoleic acid.

Biological features and safety of genetically modified food sources

Food products derived from species bred traditional methods selection, have been eaten for hundreds of years, and new species continue to emerge. Varieties that have essentially the same properties are also bred by genetic modification methods by transferring one or more genes. It is generally accepted that conventional methods of breeding new varieties of crops are safer than genetic modification technology.

An analysis of the pathways and mechanisms by which potentially harmful factors to health can enter or form in food shows that foods obtained by genetic modification methods do not inherently pose any unique risk. Changes in inherent nutritional characteristics, toxicity, allergenicity of foods can occur due to changes in gene expression, whether caused by traditional breeding methods or genetic modification methods. However, currently in the EU countries, products obtained by genetic modification methods are subject to more stringent assessment and scrutiny than products obtained by other methods. This is not because such products pose a greater risk, but only as a precautionary measure until experience with this technology is gained.

Today they talk a lot and willingly about "genetically modified" food - politicians and government officials, experts in the field of biotechnology, medicine and ecology, representatives of the clergy, cultural and art workers ... "Edible" fruits of genetic engineering regularly, for a long time and "with appetite" exaggerated by almost all mass media. The flow of information falling on the modern consumer, "sparkling" with special terms like "genetically modified sources" and "transgenic products" (as well as somewhat pretentious definitions like "food of the 3rd millennium" and "Frankenstein food"), is quite impressive, but put on. .. not particularly useful.

Too many emotions contain the current informing the layman about the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified foods - and too few dispassionate facts. Facts, the knowledge of which will allow a supermarket visitor who sees the inscription “contains modified starch” on the packaging of a product suitable for his “food basket” to make a purchase or refuse it without the painful Hamletian “to be or not to be”, the dashing native “was - was not!” and uncompromising "I don't believe it!" a la Stanislavsky. And therefore it makes sense to look for these facts.

"As soon as everything is called by its proper name..."

In order to better navigate the flow of conflicting information about "genetically modified" food products, it would not hurt a potential buyer to acquire a "cap" acquaintance with some biotechnological terms - otherwise the above flow will easily and naturally turn into a real flood. In which the true picture of things will irrevocably perish.

Today, the terms "genetically modified sources" (abbreviated GMI), "genetically modified organisms" (GMOs) and "transgenic plants/animals" are widely used by the media to characterize the "Frankenfood problem". Moreover, a sort of equal sign is often traced between these terms - which, in fact, is not true. Transgenic organisms are always genetically modified - that's a fact. But the fact that genetically modified organisms are always transgenic is not at all a fact.

The fact is that the original genome (a set of genetic material contained in the cells of a living organism) of any organism can be genetically modified in different ways - you can, for example, artificially introduce alien genetic information into it. Or you can just artificially "turn off" or "strengthen" some genes of 1 of the original genome (as happens in the course of the usual mutation process provided for by nature, with the results of which breeders have been working quite legally for a long time). In the latter case, biotechnologists do not use specific genetically engineered constructs containing "foreign" DNA that can actively integrate into the genome of the original organism - and it is precisely with these very constructs that the opponents of "Frankenfood" most often "scare" the consumer.

Thus, transgenic organisms are organisms in whose genome an additional piece of DNA is inserted, and genetically modified organisms are transgenic organisms, as well as organisms, some of whose own genes are "turned off" or "enhanced".

In addition to transgenic organisms and mutants artificially created by geneticists, products obtained by not molecular, but cellular biotechnologies (transfer of certain parts - organelles - cells: mitochondria, chloroplasts) - hlibridization ( chloroplast transfer), mibridization (mitochondrial transfer), protoplast fusion, or somaclonal variation. It seems that there is no point in going into the details of these technologies in detail - suffice it to say that the genetic "immunity" of the consumer of the fruits of these biotechnological delights is practically not threatened by anything. Although such cultures - "Michurinites" (in the opinion of opponents of everything unnatural) can look very intimidating - imagine, for example, carrots with tops ... parsley. Just such a plant was once obtained by biotechnologists by merging the protoplasts of the two above-mentioned plants.

The thorny path of the "forbidden fruit"

As early as 30 years ago, discussing security measures when using the newly emerging recombinant DNA technology, scientists decided to limit the "freedom" of future transgenic organisms as severely as possible - up to making it genetically impossible for the latter to survive in the outside world. Outside the lab, that is. But already ten years later, when it turned out that transgenic organisms are not so terrible as they can be "painted" by the press, the recombinant prisoners received the first "relaxations" - and went out into the world. New World, predominantly.

It took a long time to pass through the powerful "filters" of federal agencies that control the use of drugs and food, environmental protection and national health - but it took even longer to develop public tolerance for "genetic monsters". The North American continent of the mid-80s remembers mass protests, scandalous media campaigns, and even the physical destruction of experimental fields by conservative-minded citizens... All this happened.

However, it has passed - and now the United States is the undisputed world leader in the production of genetically modified food (this state accounts for up to 70% of their total production). Canada and a number of countries in Latin America are confidently developing the above-mentioned production. As well as Europe - France, for example. China is doing the same, of course. The number of "edible" species that have undergone genetic modification, by now, is estimated in many dozens - soybeans, potatoes, beets, rapeseed, corn, tomatoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, papaya ... The number of food products, which include GMOs and GMIs, calculated in a completely different order. GM products are sold in many countries of the world (in Russia - since 1999; at least- officially), they are eaten by hundreds of millions of people on the planet - this is today's reality.

The properties acquired by agricultural crops as a result of genetic modification are, without exaggeration, extremely valuable. Resistant to herbicides and pesticides, an unusually wide range of ambient temperatures, which ensures the safety of the fruit, and the yield is not reduced; the yield figures themselves... All this is impressive. as well as expressed beneficial features some products - such as those optimized for the prevention of atherosclerosis and overweight profile fatty acids in some varieties of genetically modified corn and soybeans, the high content of the famous lecopene in GM tomatoes, the special properties of starch in potatoes (not allowing, in particular, the latter to absorb a lot of fat during frying). However, the mistrust of a significant part of the planetary population in genetically modified food products does not decrease from this - despite the fact that, perhaps, no other type of food raw material is subjected to such rigorous safety checks as GMOs. And at the root of this mistrust lies, of course, fear.

What are we afraid of...

We are mainly afraid of the potential harm that genetically modified organisms can have on our own organisms. And yet - the potentially dangerous impact that GMOs can have on the environment.

The threats "coming" from GMOs can be conditionally divided into two categories - potential (hypothetical, or postulated) and ... attributed. As for the latter, this includes allergic reactions (including perverted reactions to the administration of certain antibiotics) and certain hormonal changes (feminization of boys and premature puberty in girls) mentioned by irreconcilable opponents of GM foods. The ability to cause a decrease in male potency allegedly found in genetically modified soy belongs to the same category. None of the above effects of GMOs are currently confirmed by objectivized methods. evidence-based medicine- and this means that all these statements can be considered virtually unfounded.

The situation is more complicated with potential threats - i.e. those that may come from transgenic foods, for example. As follows from the very definition of "potential", there is currently no convincing evidence in favor of a real harmful effect of transgenic products. But one can (theoretically) appear years later. According to the enemies of "Frankenstein's food", since genetically engineered constructs containing alien (even "alien") DNA "are able" to take root, say, in the genome of a tomato, then why not assume that, freed from a tomato digested by a person, they be able to intrude into the genome, for example, of epithelial cells (cells that cover the intestine from the inside) of the human intestine? Thus, replacing the "vertical" order of gene transfer from ancestors to descendants, natural for a person, with a completely non-typical "horizontal" order - with possibly dangerous consequences? In the form of toxic, immunopathological reactions or carcinogenesis (provoking cancer), for example?

In fairness, it should be noted here that the "horizontal" (i.e., not from ancestors to descendants, but, as it were, "from outside") transfer of genetic information is not an invention of genetic engineers - it has existed in nature for many millions of years. From time immemorial to the present, the human genome has been "horizontally" modified, for example, by viruses - there are more than enough "adopted" fragments of their genetic information in the DNA of any of us. As enough, in general, and internal means of protection against the "horizontal" flow of alien genes - in particular, a significant part of the nucleic acid "aliens" are ruthlessly "cut" into functionally useless pieces by our numerous special enzymes called restrictases. And if such an "alien" turns out to be an artificial genetically engineered structure used to modify a tomato, then it cannot count on indulgence from the aforementioned Cerberus enzymes.

Of course, about the 100% guaranteed safety of transgenic organisms for human health so far it is also not necessary to speak - if only because the current genetic engineering is by no means perfect. However, the likelihood of such a negative effect is clearly assessed as low.

... And how are we saved?

With this postulated "transgenic" threat, each of us has the right to fight voluntarily - ignoring genetically modified (moreover, transgenic) foods. True, for this it is necessary to be able to accurately distinguish those from products that have escaped the aforementioned "presumption of guilt." That is, from products of "natural" origin. And ideally, you need to be able to distinguish between them not only on store shelves and racks, but also, say, in a plate with a delicacy just served by a waiter.

To ensure effective anti-GMO "navigation" in the stores of those countries whose economic condition is in perfect order, and whose population does not particularly favor "Frankenstein food", local legislation provides for mandatory labeling of food products containing certain amounts of GM components - for Europe , for example, this same amount is 0.9%. For the absence of such labeling or underestimation of the GMI content, the manufacturer will certainly be subject to serious penalties. As for the problem of "examination in a plate", the latter is at the very least solved in the above countries - on the basis of miniature DNA testers being developed, which allow express analysis of food right on the spot, quickly and reliably.

As for us, here, as usual, everything is not so simple... Firstly, special labeling of food products, the content of GM components in which is higher than 0.9%, is not mandatory in Russia - so far this is purely voluntary . And despite the fact that the above, mandatory for labeling, content threshold has been mentioned in a number of domestic regulations since June 2004, the State Duma has not yet "legitimized" this provision - although it "approached" the issue in November of this year. However, legislators promise to repeat the attempt at the very beginning of the year 2005.

Secondly, it is much more difficult to catch a manufacturer cheating in Russia than in Europe, due to the fact that the laboratory base of the departments that control the problem of GM products is rather weak: there is clearly a lack of equipment for the quantitative analysis of GM components, and the qualitative determination of such components in products leaves wish for the best.

And, finally, thirdly: the amount of the fine currently provided for violators of existing laws (20 thousand rubles), with all the desire, cannot characterize the penalty as any serious one. And that means efficient.

Conclusion

Genetically modified foods are already a reality today - and they are unlikely to disappear from the global market scene tomorrow. The guarantee of this is both the constantly improving unique qualities of the products themselves and the solid economic interest of their producers. Contradictory information about the safety of GMOs, apparently, will also last for more than one year - "Frankenstein food" has many serious opponents; suffice it to recall that the ongoing transatlantic "GM war" between the US and Europe began in the last century. And in a war, of course, as in a war - all information is verified primarily ideologically. The truth in this case, as usual, is somewhere nearby. Near the golden mean between the polar opinions of the parties. And therefore for future mother, facing the question of "to be or not to be" genetically modified foods in her diet, it probably makes sense to be guided by the words of the great philosopher from the Middle Kingdom, who wisely remarked that "a cautious person rarely makes mistakes."

State educational institution

higher professional education

“Orenburg State University”

Department of Valeology

Abstract on the topic:

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS

I've done the work:

Tolokonnikov K.I.

06-TD-1, FEF.

Work checked:

Fedicheva E.Yu.

Introduction ................................................ ................................................. .. 3

1. Safe food .............................................................. .................................... four

2. The concept of genetic engineering ............................................... ......................... 7

3. Genetically modified foods............................................................... 12

Conclusion................................................. ............................................ eighteen

LIST OF REFERENCES.................................................................................. 19

The term “genetically modified foods” has appeared quite recently. It's not even in some new dictionaries. These products owe their origin to the science of genetic engineering. I must say that these products are not the most useful, to say the least. But we will talk about this science, genetically modified foods and their harm and benefits later. And now let's look at how to still eat right, consuming the simplest food.

Nutritional interaction of living organisms is one of the most important. A significant part of people, unlike other animals, has long been implementing it not directly in wild nature, gathering fruits and hunting, but does it indirectly, i.e. through a chain of stores.

To understand how to eat safely for health, let's turn to the history of the human diet.

Like other primates, people at the very beginning of their existence ate only plant foods. The structure of the chewing apparatus, the presence of appendix involved in the assimilation of plant foods, more low temperature body than predators. After the tropical rainforests were replaced by savannahs with variable moisture in the places of the initial distribution of man, the transition to nutrition meat food helped a person to solve an important environmental problem - the problem of nutrition in the dry season. Later development cattle breeding, dairy farm led to the emergence of a stable source of living food. But eating meat has never been predominant, for the reason that herbal products more “native”, characteristic of humans, and also because of the relative high cost of meat. Thus, a historically established mixed diet, in which plant components predominate.

Meat - important product human nutrition, because it contains essential amino acids, has a high energy value. It is especially needed during active growth. And the advantage of plant foods is that with it we get a significant amount of biologically active substances, vitamins that carry out regulatory processes in the body. One of the essential vitamins we need in in large numbers compared to others (up to 1 g per day), it is vitamin C. Currently, many metabolic diseases are associated with a 70% lack of vitamin C in the population, especially in winter.

From time immemorial, bread has been one of the staple foods. In the absence of sufficient means of mechanization, the mills provided only a coarse grinding of grain, in which the flour, and hence the bread, retained the fibers necessary for normal operation intestines. In addition, earlier they did not know how to separate the wheat from the chaff, i.e. grind the grain together with the fruit shells, which contain essential vitamins group B. With the development of flour milling, bread became different from what our ancestors were accustomed to - the “achievements” of the food industry almost completely excluded such right person human dietary fiber and vitamins, and today they are added artificially.

The modern prosperous diet of a city dweller is based on the excessive use of sausages, ham, canned meat, butter, and concentrated juices. Such a diet is a high-calorie excess food that does not correspond to human nature, containing twice as much animal fats, significantly more sugar and salt, but three times less than in the past, dietary fiber and micronutrients. Nutrition unusual for a person is accompanied by diseases of the heart, blood vessels, diabetes mellitus; due to the overweight of most earthlings, our civilization is often called the “civilization of double chins”. Recently there has been an increase serious illnesses digestive tract, including cancer.

Many diseases of the digestive tract were at first the diseases of the rich, since only the most delicious foods were available to them. To improve the taste, these products were subjected to complex and lengthy processing, during which they lost their beneficial properties and even became harmful. So, only the wealthy nobility suffered from indigestion due to the use of expensive bread made from finely ground flour. Many, if not most, suffer from indigestion today. Colon cancer, too, was originally a disease of the rich, and is now becoming more widespread. With excessive consumption of sausages, other meat products and a lack of fiber in the diet, which is rich in brown bread, fresh vegetables and fruits, rice and other cereals, chronic constipation occurs. Chronic constipation prevents, in particular, the timely removal of preservatives and harmful food additives from the body, which can lead to inflammation of the rectal mucosa. On this basis, its various diseases, including cancer, are possible. Constipation is aggravated by lack of movement.

because of excess consumption animal fats one of the most common diseases was atherosclerosis. This is a disease of the arteries, which gradually leads to a narrowing of their lumen due to accumulations on the walls of a fat-like substance - cholesterol. Atherosclerosis leads to impaired blood flow, which causes oxygen starvation and lack of nutrients in the relevant authority. It is especially dangerous when it affects the vessels of the heart or brain. Risk factors for atherosclerosis, in addition to fatty foods, are insufficient physical activity, smoking and stress.

Currently, there are various nutrition systems, each of which has its own characteristics and supporters. The calorie-protein method, or a balanced calorie diet, is the simplest and most obvious. Its essence lies in the fact that daily ration food is the balance of energy consumption of human life and energy consumption of food.

With hard work, a person needs about 5000 kcal per day, with intense training, athletes spend up to 7000 kcal per day. people mental labor requires about 2500 kcal per day.

Thus, it is possible to quickly, but quite approximately, calculate and regulate the coverage of energy consumption by the body with the appropriate amount of certain foods.

What should be done to ensure one's own environmental safety when eating?

First of all, reduce the consumption of meat and animal fats to 30-50 g per day. You should not replace meat with sausages and sausages: they have a lot of harmful additives and dyes, and the nutritional value is low.

Carrots, cabbage, apples, any other vegetables and fruits should appear on the table as often as possible. They contain vitamins, trace elements, and fiber.

Various vegetable oils are useful, while butter should be consumed in a minimal amount.

One of the main dishes in the diet should be porridge, best of all oatmeal. It can be alternated with buckwheat, rice, millet.

We must remember about moderation in food. The calorie content of food should correspond to energy costs: "As you stomp, so you will burst."

Do not forget about good physical activity, which helps maintain intestinal tone, increases the body's immunity.

First, let's give a definition of gene, or genetic engineering, according to the medical encyclopedia. Genetic engineering is a set of experimental techniques that make it possible to create organisms with new hereditary traits in the laboratory.

The problem of a purposeful change in heredity has long occupied the minds of scientists. However, for a long time, the only way to obtain organisms with useful properties for humans was crossbreeding and selection, which were used to breed domestic animals and plant varieties.

In the 20s. of our century, the ability of a number of physical factors and chemical compounds cause changes in the hereditary properties of organisms - mutations, which greatly expanded the possibilities of researchers. However, the desired mutations arose by chance and extremely rarely, which requires a lot of painstaking work to identify organisms with beneficial changes. The achievements of modern molecular biology and molecular genetics, which made it possible to introduce new genes into the body's natural set of genes or, conversely, remove unnecessary genes, have created real prerequisites for constructing hereditary information carriers in the laboratory - deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules with the desired composition of genes, i.e. e. create organisms with programmed properties, up to those that do not exist in nature.

Genetic engineering as an independent area of ​​research and practical development is still very young. Its development began in the 60s. 20th century, when a number of discoveries were made that provided new extremely accurate “tools” that made it possible to make various changes to the DNA molecule. By this time, scientists already knew how the gene is arranged, works and reproduces, they mastered the techniques of DNA synthesis outside the cell. It was the basis of genetic engineering. But it was still necessary to develop methods for isolating new genes, combining them into a single functionally active and stably inherited structure.

In 1969, I. Beckwith, J. Shapiro, L. Irwin isolated from a living cell a gene that controls the synthesis of enzymes necessary for E. coli to assimilate milk sugar- lactose. In 1970, D. Baltimore and at the same time G. Temin and S. Mizutani discovered and isolated in pure form an enzyme that provides the process of building a DNA molecule on an RNA template. The discovery of this enzyme greatly simplified the work of obtaining copies of individual genes. Therefore, quite quickly at once in several laboratories, genes were synthesized that control the synthesis of the globin molecule (a protein that is part of hemoglobin), interferon and other proteins.

To introduce genes into a cell, the genetic elements of bacteria are used - plasmids that are not located in the chromosomes (i.e., the cell nucleus), but in its cytoplasm and which are small DNA molecules. Some of them are able to invade the chromosome of a foreign bacterial cell, and then spontaneously or under some influence leave it, taking with them the adjacent chromosomal genes of the host cell. These genes are self-reproducing in the composition of plasmids and form many copies.

Successes in combining DNA fragments of different origin into a single functionally active structure are associated with the isolation of restriction enzymes that cut the stranded DNA molecule in strictly defined places with the formation of single-stranded sections at the ends of the fragments - “sticky ends”. Due to the “sticky ends”, DNA fragments are easily combined into one structure. Using this approach, P. Berg and co-workers managed to combine in one molecule the entire set of genes of the oncogenic SV 40 virus, part of the bacteriophage genes, and one of the genes coli, i.e. obtain a DNA molecule that does not exist in nature.

Genetic engineering methods affect not only the DNA molecule. There are, for example, ways to transfer entire chromosomes into cells of animals of another species. That. in the experiment, a hybrid of human and mouse, human and mosquito cells, etc. was obtained.

To transfer genetic material from one cell to another, genetic engineering widely uses the finest manipulations at the cellular level - the so-called. microurgy. For example, methods have been developed for introducing individual genes into a fertilized egg. Multiple copies of the gene are injected with a micropipette into the nucleus of a sperm that has just entered the egg. This egg is then cultured for some time in an artificial environment and then implanted in the uterus of the animal, where the development of the embryo is completed. This experiment was carried out on rats. They were injected with growth hormone, so that their offspring became much larger than them. This led to the development of gigantism in experimental mice.

Work in the field of genetic engineering is regulated by rules that ensure strict control, provide strict control, special conditions for the experiment, and guarantee the safety of experimenters and others. These rules were developed and approved by many countries, including Russia, after it was feared that when manipulating the genes of microorganisms, during the shuffling of genes, a DNA molecule with properties dangerous to humans could arise.

The significance of the achievements of genetic engineering goes far beyond the direct study of genetic mechanisms. Genetic engineering methods can be applied to solve a number of problems in the field of medicine, the national economy, and environmental protection.

So, for example, there are a number of diseases caused by the hereditary inability of the body to absorb certain substances due to the lack of necessary enzymes. Under laboratory conditions, it has been shown that genetic engineering can introduce genes borrowed from bacteria into human cells that compensate for a hereditary defect.

Genetic engineering has made it possible to produce relatively cheaply in large quantities almost any protein. Tens of millions of people around the globe suffer from diabetes mellitus - a disease based on a lack of insulin in the body. Insulin is used to treat diabetes cattle or pigs. But since these drugs are somewhat different in structure from human insulin, the effectiveness of diabetes treatment is not always high. Human insulin can also be obtained by chemical synthesis, but this is very expensive. Genetic engineering has provided insulin produced by microorganisms for human treatment. A gene controlling the synthesis of insulin was isolated from human cells, integrated into the genome of E. coli, and now this unique hormone is produced in fermenters at microbiological enterprises. With the help of genetic engineering methods, the issue of obtaining interferon, a universal antiviral drug, has been solved. The only source obtaining interferon due to its high species specificity (only effective for humans human interferon) until recently, the blood of donors who had recovered from a viral disease remained. But for the treatment of viral diseases, such an amount of interferon is required that it is impossible to obtain even if all the people of the globe became donors. From the blood cells of a person who had a viral disease, ribonucleic acid, which provides the synthesis of interferon, was isolated, on its basis the interferon gene was synthesized and integrated into the genome of bacterial cells that began to produce this necessary for man protein. With a large amount of interferon, scientists were able to decipher the entire sequence of its amino acids and develop more simple ways obtaining this protein. Thus obtained interferon was very effective in viral diseases. In a similar way, the problem of obtaining sufficient amounts of growth hormone is solved. Growth hormone is needed to treat dwarfism, which develops in children with a genetically determined insufficient level of this hormone in the body.

Genetic engineering makes it possible to obtain vaccines of a fundamentally new type. Bacteria have been trained to produce viral envelope proteins, which are used in vaccination. Such vaccines, although less effective than older ones made from killed viral particles, do not contain the genetic material of the virus and are therefore harmless. Work is underway to obtain vaccines against influenza, viral hepatitis and etc.

Genetic engineering has prospects not only in medicine. Advances in genetic engineering open up a new era in development industrial production- the era of biotechnology, i.e. industrial applications of biological agents and processes. Biotechnology offers a new approach to solving the problem of food on a global scale by dramatically increasing the efficiency of agricultural production. The progress of biotechnology provides new, much more effective methods of protecting the environment from industrial pollution.

Now we can proceed to a direct consideration of the concept of genetically modified products. To start, a little history.

By the 60s. 20th century medical science has made great strides in the fight against disease and mortality. Plague, cholera and other dangerous viral diseases, which in previous centuries exterminated up to a third of the population of Europe. These successes have led to an explosive increase in the population of the globe. At the same time, this has led to a catastrophic shortage of water and food in developing countries. But it could also affect economically developed countries. A new threat to humanity has emerged - hunger. However, by that time, genetic engineering had developed sufficiently to direct its scientific potential to solving the problem that had arisen. Scientists in many countries have decided to develop the aforementioned biotechnology in order to use it to create and produce in large quantities products with a modified gene structure that would have important properties for humans. For example, for agricultural products, this is an increase in yield compared to a similar non-genetically modified cereal, vegetable or fruit. In the field of trade, this is an increase in the shelf life and sale of a product due to a partial change in its genotype.

These ideas were once accepted by the scientific community with enthusiasm and jubilation. Great hopes were pinned on them for delivering mankind from the threat of famine. Scientists considered the achievements of biotechnology almost a panacea for the impending problem. But then no one knew the consequences of the use of genetically modified products. And really, is everything so good when using these food products by a person in the course of his life.

Andrey Yablokov, a well-known Russian scientist, president of the Center for Environmental Policy of Russia, expressed his conviction on this occasion, giving his interview in one of the issues of the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

A few years ago, the Russian public sounded the alarm - they are making mutants and guinea pigs out of us. The panic was caused by the appearance of genetically modified products on the markets and in stores. And today, only in Moscow, about 40% of products contain substances that can cause best case allergies, and in the worst stomach cancer. What you need to buy and eat, and what you don’t need, where to test sausage and potato chips for safety? Andrey Yablokov gave his comments on all these questions.

The topic of transgenic products, raised by Greenpeace, has become really relevant. "One side, precise analyzes show that up to 40% of our food sold in stores contains genetically modified substances. These substances are illegally supplied from America - mainly soybeans, corn, and so on. The problem is that in Russia there is not a single certified laboratory that could check compliance with the official requirements that we have for imported food products. Already more than a year that no food product in Russia should contain more than 5% of genetically modified substances. When such checks were made unofficially, it turned out that in St. Petersburg, for example, the content of genetically modified organisms in about 40% of products exceeds the norm. It seems that Russia is being used by large Western companies as an illegal testing ground for checking such hazardous products nutrition”.

The process of creating genetically modified organisms is ongoing, new varieties are constantly appearing that need to be tested. Some kind of check is being done in America. Europe is holding on very firmly - no food product should contain more than 0.9% of genetically modified substances. Moreover, the European Commission has decided that baby food should not contain any genetically modified products - zero. In order for a product to be approved in America and other countries that allow genetically modified products, very extensive experiments must be carried out. Such experiments are more profitable to conduct in some poor country. It's cheaper and so on. In the past, Western companies sold pesticides illegally in our country. The same thing is happening now with genetically modified foods. The first checks of especially dangerous substances are apparently being made here in Russia, the Caucasus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and so on.

“Genetically modified foods cause not only various kinds cancerous diseases. Immunity is broken. Impaired immunity means that you can get sick with anything, even with the flu, and if you didn’t eat these foods, you wouldn’t get sick with the flu. Transgenic products contribute to the appearance of allergies, and this has been proven in experiments. Now there is an increase in the number of people with allergies in Russia. If earlier 10-12 years ago, in the spectrum of allergy diseases there were about 10-12% of the total population, 15% maximum, now it is up to 25-30%. The same thing happened and is happening in America, and on an even larger scale than here. There just genetically modified products are very widespread. But in America, unlike us, a lot of money is spent on medicine. We get sick, and they poison themselves and treat them very well, and we poison ourselves, but we don’t treat them.” Recently, an experiment was conducted when rats were fed genetically modified potatoes for several months. They had a change in the intestines, they had irreversible changes in the stomach, they had a smaller brain, and a lot of other things.

“Genetically modified components are now used in almost all sausages, sausage products in the broad sense of the word, where there is a lot of soy,” says A. Yablokov. - Corn porridge, corn and so on. Because genetically modified foods are now most often soy and corn. At one time, all our markets were littered with potatoes that the Colorado potato beetle did not eat. The Colorado potato beetle didn’t eat it right, and we didn’t have to eat this genetically modified potato either.”

By law, packaging must state that the product contains a genetically modified ingredient. They don't actually write it. To protect yourself from buying genetically modified foods, you should avoid buying soy products, products with corn, potato flakes, chips - this is practical advice.

When asked if a person himself, having bought a suspicious product, can take it to the laboratory for testing, Yablokov answers the following: “So far this is impossible. So far, this can only be done if you go to some large scientific institute. What I told you about St. Petersburg is the Institute of Cytology, which was the initiator of the unofficial verification of products. I think that it will not cost anything, but the main thing is to find such an institution. Probably, large biochemical laboratories at universities could do this, maybe even on a commercial basis.”

Here is another example of the global penetration of unsafe transgenic foods into the global food market.

The new US ambassador to the Vatican offered the Pope to feed the hungry with genetically modified foods.

At the ceremony of presenting credentials, new ambassador United States in the Vatican Francis Rooney urged Benedict XVI stand up for genetically modified foods, stating that they can be used to fight hunger around the world.

"There is no single solution to the complex problem of world hunger, but irrational fears must not be allowed to stop us from exploring technologies that could be part of the solution," Rooney said.

He explained that the latest scientific advances can help people, even in the most difficult environmental conditions, to produce enough food to feed themselves. "We hope that the Holy See will help the world realize the moral need to study these technologies," - said Rooney.

Journalists note that the United States has been trying for several years to offer its genetically modified products to combat food shortages in the poorest regions of the world, but so far they have met with a wary reception.

Opponents of the new technology point out that existing food supplies will be enough to combat world hunger, all that is needed is sufficient political will. As for genetically modified foods, possible danger their use outweighs their potential benefits.

Meanwhile, the Vatican has a fairly favorable attitude towards the US initiative. Thus, in September 2005, Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, declared that the Vatican favors experiments in the field of biotechnology, provided that they are carried out with extreme caution.

Thus, it can be seen that the suppliers of such food products, mainly the United States, for the sake of deriving economic benefits, lobby their interests by forcibly supplying these products to third world countries, with absolutely no concern for the health of their consumers.

Throughout human history, people are constantly faced with nutritional problems and diseases. digestive system. These problems were present in human life before the invention of transgenic products, and are present now. And genetically modified components only exacerbate the situation with health and nutrition. That. genetic engineering and biotechnology have not coped with the threat of famine and have not justified the hopes placed on them.

LIST LITERATURE USED

1. Textbook "Fundamentals of life safety" Grade 9; M.P. Frolov, E.N. Litvinov, A.T. Smirnov et al.M.: AST Publishing House LLC, 2002.

2. Big student encyclopedic dictionary; compiled by A.P. Gorkin; Moscow: scientific publishing house “Bolshaya Russian encyclopedia”, 1999.

3. Popular medical encyclopedia; ch. ed. B.V. Petrovsky; M.: “Soviet Encyclopedia”, 1987.

4. Articles of the newspaper “Arguments and Facts”, N. Zyatkov, D. Ananiev and others; journalistic team; Moscow: publisher ZAO Argumenty i Fakty, 2006.

5. Worldwide network “Internet”.