In a shift of GMOs, aka genetically modified organisms, important research is continued in gene processing, sometimes referred to as ‘the next big thing in agriculture’.
The important difference between the two is that in the case of gene processing no foreign DNA is inserted into a plant, animal or micro -organism to achieve improvements in size, productivity, disease and insect resistance and in some cases even drought resistance.
In the case of GMOs, on the other hand, foreign DNA is injected from one organism into a plant or animal to achieve a kind of improvements. This has some people uncomfortable, or even downright hostile, opposite GMOs. Frankenfoods is what some people call them.
An example of a GMO is genetically modified salmon. In that case, the equivalent of a genetic on-off switch of an ocean pout was introduced into the genetic structure of a salmon. This adjustment gives the salmon all year round a appetite so that it can reach the market size faster.
In other words, these fast -growing larger fish can get better prices on the market, as long as she accepts on the market.
Although the Food and Drug Administration says that GMO foods are carefully studied before they are sold to the public to ensure that they are just as safe as the foods that consumers are currently eating and that they do not affect them differently than non-gmo- Foods, some foreign markets, the EU, and especially France, as well as many American consumers, see things differently. So different that in some countries they are forbidden and voluntarily labeled as such in the United States.
Now enter the genetic operation, which is the Canadian scientist Santosh Kumar as the future of research into agricultural areas. In a recent presentation for the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, he explained that the current research focuses on breeding crops that are more productive without the use of foreign DNA. This, he said, improves the quality of crops and is more acceptable on the global market than GMO crops.
Often called CRISPR, gene processing researchers enables a gene to switch off or add one for a desired feature by changing a gene in a specific place in a genome. Think of scissors; Only in this case are it enzymes that do the work instead. The enzymes enable researchers to accurately insert or remove genes in the DNA of an animal or plant, who want to improve its health, productivity and nutritional benefits.
Kumar said that to ensure that Canada retains its strong position on the agricultural market in the future, researchers breed better crops, while staying away from genetic modifications. A big reason for this is that Canada must be able to sell what it grows.
The GMO label can turn some countries away, he said.
On the other hand, the investigation of the bio -engineering of crops that includes gene processing, genomics and phenomica are preferred.
It is important to keep in mind that gene processing only works within its own DNA of a kind. The goal is to create the desired changes that would only happen in the past with traditional breeding practices. For centuries, farmers have been familiar with selective breeding, in which breeding plants and animals are involved with desirable properties for others without those properties to improve food production and quality. It clearly costs a lot of hit-and-miss to achieve this goal, not to mention a lot of time-coming generations of time. That is why gene processing is often called ‘a high -tech form of selective breeding’.
Washington State University researcher Lindsey Du Toet, who focuses on biology and management of diseases that influence small placed vegetable seeds that are grown in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, agrees with Kumar that have to crops meet the needs of the market.
“It all depends on what the market accepts,” she said.
With this in mind, Kumar said that his work in the Brandon Research and Development Center is aimed at non-GMO research methods that still improve crops. Wheat and barley are examples of food pellets that the center is working on.
To strengthen the future of the Canadian Food Grain industry, scientists breed varieties that are better adapted to overcome challenges, such as crop diseases that occur more often in prairies, where the most wheat is grown. These varieties also have better resistance to weather conditions such as drought.
He told the group that this process results in an increase in yields during harvest time, illness -resistant varieties and a higher quality of the end product. Speaking about the work of Canada in the field so far, Kumar said that the wheat of the country on the world market is considered ‘premium’. “Even the Americans say it’s really good.”
In addition, he said that the GMO label can reject some countries, so gene processing is preferred.
Some researchers involved in GMO studies have even stopped and other efforts have continued. Widespread protests against GMOs and even paint splashes on the cars of GMO researchers are examples of the resistance to GMOs.
“In this context of high opposition, a change in attitude towards GMOs seems to be rather difficult to reach in the EU, especially in France,” says a report on GMOs.
What about meat?
In 2023, the American Food and Drug Administration authorized with genes by nombled pigs in the human food chain.
As a starter, sausages in German style, made from five 2-year-old genetically edited pigs, which were cooked at Washington State University, were a test case. Jon Oatley, a professor at the school or molecular cinemciences of the college, said he has completed the FDA authorization process for food use for the pigs to show that food made of the animals that use a Crep application is safe to eat .
For Oatley and his fellow researchers, the general goal is to develop desired properties for improved food production and meat quality, which will help feed the growing population of the planet. This in turn is an important goal for stimulating protein sources in developing countries.
But the research goes beyond pigs. Oatley said that researchers also work cattle, goats and sheep, all of which are important food -producing animals.
The FDA authorization is research and limited to the pigs in Oatley’s research.
“But in the future we will also be looking for authorization of food use for the other species,” he said.
Tracey Freefa, director of the FDAs Center for Veterinary Science, tied the role of her desk with her need “to keep our regulatory approach up to date with the evolution of science.”
“We acknowledge that innovations in biotechnology for animals offer enormous opportunities to promote human and animal health,” she said.
“We just drive to the margin,” said John DombroKy, CEO of AG TEC Accelerator in an interview with Bloomberg News. “Geal operation will be free to do huge things about the AG continuum, and the promise is simply huge. We can refine food for great health and nutritional benefits. “
Food safety?
With regard to food safety, WSU researcher Oatley said that there is no concern about the food safety of the CRISPR operations.
“The DNA changes were not in a part of the genome that the animals would make more susceptible to infectious diseases compared to normal non-treated pigs,” he said. “The USDA FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection Service) inspected the animals prior to processing and carcass after processing the standards that were applied to all processed cattle and found no deviations.”
Oatley also confirmed that as long as standard food safety practices are used when increasing, slaughtering, packaging and cooking the meat, the pork is free of pathogens transferred by food.
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