GENETICALLY- MODIFIED FOOD &

HEALTH RISKS- WHY CONTROVERSY?

BY GROUP III :

ZAHROTUNNISA (G 301 18 036)

MARWAH MAPPIASSE (G 301 18 006)
MUH.RUSMAN (G 301 18 060)
YULINA CHRISTIEN M (G 301 18 088)
 Overview
• What are GM foods?
• GM Food worldwide status.
• Human Health Controversies
• Are we eating GM foods?
 What are genetically modified foods?
According to ‘World Health Organisation’
•“Genetically modified (GM) foods are
foods derived from organisms whose
genetic material (DNA) has been modified
in a way at does not occur naturally, i.e.
through the introduction of a gene from a
different organism.
 A strawberry
+ = resistant to
frost

Arctic fish DNA strawberry

 GM Foods Production Status
• 1996 to 2005: surface area of land with GMO’s
increased by a factor of 50
– from 17,000 km² to 900,000 km²
• Over 40 plant varieties
• 75% of all processed foods in the U.S. contain
a GM-derived ingredient
– Vegetable oils, cereals more common than fruits
and vegetables
 Future Developments
• GM foods continue to increase
– Bananas produce vaccines against Hepatitis B
– Fish that mature more rapidly
– Fruit and nut trees that produce fruit quicker
– Plants that produce new plastics
Human Health controversies
• Many scientists and several health organizations have
established the background for the safety assessment
of GM food
– Introducing a gene into a plant may create a new
allergen or cause an allergic reaction
– Concluded that “GM products are not inherently less
safe than those developed by traditional breeding”
• In 2009, the American Academy of Environmental
Medicine (AAEM) stated that, “Several animal studies
indicate serious health risks associated with genetically
modified (GM) food,” including infertility, immune
problems, accelerated aging and changes in major
organs and the gastrointestinal system.
 On the other hand groups of scientists believe that GM
foods do not present a risk to human health
The World Health Organization, the American Medical
Association, the National Academy of Sciences, and
the American Association for the Advancement of
Science have all declared that there’s no good evidence
GMOs are unsafe. Hundreds of studies back up that
conclusion.
The British Medical Association (BMA) supports GM
foods from the point-of-view that there is not yet any
compelling evidence to prove that they pose a threat to
health. However, they do note that much more research
is needed to show that GM foods are safe for both the
people who consume them and the environment.
By now, you've heard about genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) and the
controversy over whether they're the answer
to world hunger or the devil incarnate. But for
right now, let's leave aside that debate and
turn to a more basic questions:
I. Are we eating GM foods?
II. When you go to the supermarket, do
you know which foods are most likely
to be—or contain ingredients that
are—genetically engineered?
 Are we eating GM foods?

 Probably. Since several common ingredients

like corn starch and soy protein are
predominantly derived from genetically
modified crops, it's pretty hard to avoid GM
foods altogether.

In fact,, according to Abdel-Mawgood et al.,2010

GM foods are present in KSA supermarket
shelves
African Journal of Food Science Vol. 4(8) pp. 536 - 540, August 2010
Available online http://www.academicjournals.org/ajfs
ISSN 1996-0794 ©2010 Academic Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Monitoring of genetically modified food in Saudi
Arabia
Ahmed L. Abdel-Mawgood1,3*, Mustafa A. Gassem2,3, Abdullah A.
Alsadon1, Salem Safar Alghamdi1 and Abdullah A. Al-Doss1
1Plant Production Department, Faculty of Food and Agricultural Sciences,
King Saud University, P. O. Box 2460,
Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
2Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, Faculty of Food and
Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P. O.
Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
3Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, King Saud University, P.
O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Accepted 31 March, 2010
 This is the first study conducted to survey for
the presence of genetically modified food in
the Saudi Arabian markets.

 A total of two hundred and two samples were

tested. Twenty products were found to be
positive: These are products of corn potato,
ground meat, soybean and mixed nuts.

 Were positive for both the 35S promoter and

(NOS) terminator.
 Thank you!

But still I have a question…….

WHY CONTROVERSY?