Genetically engineered crops can be part of a sustainable food supply: Food and food safety issues

Abstract

Although the concept of sustainability has long been discussed and people today frequently read information on the topic, do they really know what the practice of sustainable food production is? A 2008 consumer poll revealed that 41 percent of individuals feel they know some or a lot about sustainable food production, compared to only 30 percent in 2007 (Food Insight 2008). Another question that could be raised is whether consumers understand how GE crops could play a role in sustainable food production. And would their concern about possible food safety risks of GE foods influence their acceptance of this approach? Their apprehension could lead to reluctance to use products of this technology as a part of the solution to sustainability. Genetic engineering allows introduction of genes from one organism to those in another kingdom, a situation that does not occur using classical genetic technologies (Lemaux 2008). This technology is unsettling to some, who consider it a dangerous and “unnatural” process. From a scientific standpoint, many of the concerns raised about GE crops could be applied in much the same way to crops created through classical methods, like induced mutation and cross-hybridization with wild species (NRC 2004).