Are Genetically Modified Foods Safe? Genetically modified foods (GM foods), also known as genetically engineered foods, or bioengineered foods are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. Genetic engineering techniques allow for the introduction of new traits as well as greater control over traits when compared to previous methods, such as selective breeding and mutation breeding. Commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994. Most food modifications have primarily focused on cash crops in high demand by farmers such as soybean, corn and cotton. Genetically modified crops have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and for better nutrient profiles. GM livestock have been developed, although, as of November 2013, none were on the market. As for labeling, in 2015, 64 countries require labeling of GM products in the marketplace. US and Canadian national policies are to require a label only given significant composition differences or documented health impacts, although some individual US states enacted laws requiring them. In some jurisdictions, the labeling requirement depends on the relative quantity of genetically modified organism (GMO) in the product. The question “Are GM foods safe/dangerous to human health?” has aroused heated discussion. Scientists and the ordinary people are not in alignment with each other. There is a scientific consensus that currently available food derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food, but the advocacy group European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility, disputes the claim that “science” supports the safety of current GM foods, proposing that each GM food must be judged on case-by-case basis. The legal and regulatory status of GM foods varies by country, with some nations banning or restricting them, and others permitting them with widely differing degrees of regulation. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Lebanon and Egypt use substantial equivalence to determine if further testing is required, while many countries such as those in the European Union, Brazil and China only authorize GM food cultivation on a case-by-case basis. In the U.S. the FDA determined that GM foods are “Generally Recognized as Safe” and therefore do not require additional testing if they are substantially equivalent to the non-modified products. If new substances are found, further testing may be required to satisfy concerns over potential toxicity, allergenicity, possible gene transfer to humans or genetic outcrossing to other organisms. Nonetheless, members of the public are much less likely than scientists to perceive GM foods as safe. There are ongoing public concerns related to food safety, regulation, labeling, environmental impact, research methods, and the fact that some GM seeds, along with all new plant varieties, are subject to plant breeders’ rights owned by corporations. Opponents claim that long-term health risks have not been adequately assessed and propose various combinations of additional testing, labeling or removal from the market. Is the above question sensible and should it be the topic of public discussion? It is certainly true that GM techniques could be used to develop plants that are dangerous to human health (for example poisonous variants of common crop plants). That possibility, however, does not imply that the way the GM technique is used today is likely to lead into dangerous outcomes. Thus, the question intended in a literal form is left without a definitive answer, as science innovations are on the same time “results of science knowledge” and “carriers of new questions to be investigated.” This question, therefore, may even be considered too broad and thus unanswerable. For these reasons, giving a simple yes/no answer to the query concerning safety of GM foods is impossible. Rather, we should concentrate on more definite answerable questions and in so doing emphasize the “case-by-case” evaluation of GM plants, where each individual product of biotech innovation – instead of the technique in its whole – is thoroughly assessed. In conclusion, the most suitable answer to the “big question” raised by the consumers, “Can science give clear and definitive answers concerning safety/un-safety of certain GM plants?”, to a great extent, would require spelling out the values and assumptions (regarding, for example, the sufficient evidence for safety) behind risk assessment. This would greatly contribute to building trust and solving the controversy between uncertainty and demand for safety, at least when it is accompanied by predictability in decision-making, taking responsibilities, and conferring some possibility to citizen-consumers to really affect the decision-making. New Words, Phrases and Expressions modify /’mɒdɪfaɪ/ vt. to change (a plan, an opinion , a condition, or the form or quality of sth.), especially slightly修改,更改 trait /treɪt/ n. a genetically determined characteristic or condition 特性,特征,特质 pathogen / ‘pæθədʒ(ə)n/ n. a thing that causes disease病原体 enact /ɪ’nækt/ vt. to make (a bill or other proposal) law 颁布,制定,制定法律 jurisdiction /,dʒʊərɪs’dɪkʃ(ə)n/ n. a system of law courts; a judicature司法权, 管辖权 cultivation /kʌltɪ’veɪʃn/ n. culture; refinement 培养 dispute /dɪ’spjuːt; ‘dɪspjuːt/ vt. to argue about (something); discuss heatedly 辩论,怀疑 variety /və’raɪətɪ/ n. a number of different types of things, especially ones in the same general category (同一事物的) 一些不同种类 adequately /’ædikwitli/ adv. as much or as good as necessary for some requirement or purpose; fully sufficient, suitable, or fit (often followed by to or for) 充分地,足够地,适当地 assess /ə’ses/ vt. to evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of. 评定,估价 imply /ɪm’plaɪ/ vt. to strongly suggest the truth or existence of (something not expressly stated) 意味,暗示,隐含 query /’kwɪərɪ/ n. a question, especially one addressed to an official or organization 疑问,质问 controversy /’kɒntrəvɜːsɪ; kən’trɒvəsɪ /n. a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of conflicting opinion or point of view争论,论战,辩论 confer /kən’fɜː/ vt. grant or bestow (a title, degree, benefit, or right) 授予,给予 selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant males and females will sexually reproduce and have offspring together 选择育种 mutation breeding sometimes referred to as "variation breeding", is the process of exposing seeds to chemicals or radiation in order to generate mutants with desirable traits to be bred with other cultivars. Plants created using mutagenesis are sometimes called mutagenic plants or mutagenic seeds诱变育种 cash crop a readily salable crop that is grown and gathered for the market (as vegetables or cotton or tobacco) 经济作物 allow for to make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain 考虑到,虑及 in alignment with in line with 与......一致 pose no risk to cause no danger or problem to 不构成威胁 perceive...as regard... as 把......视为,把......当作 advocacy group (also known as pressure group, lobby group, campaign group, interest group, or special interest group) use various forms of advocacy in order to influence public opinion and/or policy 游说团体,倡导团体,诉求团体 spell out make explicit; specify in detail 说清楚 Notes 1. Genetically modified crops have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and for better nutrient profiles. nutrient profile 营养需求标准表 A Nutrient Profile contains a list of all the nutrients and amounts needed by the human body. 营养需求标准表标明了人体所需的一系列营养成分及其对应的量。 2. US and Canadian national policies are to require a label only given significant composition differences or documented health impacts, although some individual US states enacted laws requiring them. given prep. 鉴于,考虑到 Given how much time we spend on them, maybe a bit more passion about our keyboards from all of us wouldn’t go amiss. 鉴于我们每天要与键盘打如此长时间的交道,对键盘的关注超乎寻常一些恐怕不算有毛病吧。 3. Countries such as the United States, Canada, Lebanon and Egypt use substantial equivalence to determine if further testing is required, while many countries such as those in the European Union, Brazil and China only authorize GM food cultivation on a case-by-case basis. (1) substantial equivalence “实质等同性”原则,是将GMO与非GMO进行比较,如果没有发现二者有显著差别,就认为该GMO是安全的。 (2) a case-by-case basis 依情况而定 He said the decision is made on a case-by-case basis by individual stores, and to his knowledge is limited to some cafes in New York City. 他说,该决定是由各个分店的具体情况而定的,据他所知,实施范围仅限于纽约的一些咖啡店。 4. If new substances are found, further testing may be required to satisfy concerns over potential toxicity, allergenicity, possible gene transfer to humans or genetic outcrossing to other organisms. (1) gene transfer 基因转移 (2) genetic outcrossing 基因异交