Genes by Design-An Introduction to Food Biotechnology

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BiotechnologyAn Introduction to the World!
Adapted by John Rist Viborg High School
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Introduction

• Enduring Understanding
• Biotechnology and its applications can be used to
  solve world problems.
• Essential Questions
• What are the current uses and purposes for
  biotechnology in animal science?
• What bio-ethical issues are facing the world as a
  result of biotechnology?
• How can biotechnology be used to solve world
  problems?

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Genes by DesignAn Introduction to Food
Biotechnology

• by
• Sharon Guthmiller, Cheryl Jacobs,
• and Lavonne Meyer
• South Dakota State University
• FCS Extension Educators

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A. Definitions of Food Biotechnology

1. Includes both the traditional forms of
   fermentation and crossbreeding
2. The use of living organisms to move specific
   desirable traits from one organism to another

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B. Traditional and Conventional Methods

1. Date back to the first attempts (8000 BC) to
   improve the food supply (saving best seeds)
2. Include yeast and fermentation processes (using
   microorganisms to create different foods)
3. Include crossbreeding and hybridization (to
   create superior plants or animals)

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C. Conventional traditional crossbreeding
methods

1. Had their beginnings with Gregor Mendels
   discovery in 1860 of dominant and recessive
   heredity traits in crossbreeding peas
2. Can be inexact and time consuming
3. Have led to development of seedless grapes,
   tangerines, and nectarines through conventional
   breeding and physiology

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One exampleHow would you select for a medium
sized red rose, enhanced with white, with a
yellow center?

• This would be a very slow process by natural
  selection methods!

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D. Biotechnology today

1. Is a precise scientific process including
   techniques to obtain genetically engineered or
   transgenic plants and animals. (Gene Splicing)
2. Involves gene transfer from one organism to
   another.
3. Provides tools to help combat disease, fight
   hunger, promote human health, and protect the
   environment.
4. Uses DNA and recombinant DNA.

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E. Biotechnology advances

1. 1970s- the discovery that a soil bacterium causes
   disease in plants by transferring its own DNA
   intothe plant.
2. 1982- insulin used in the treatment of diabetes
   is from one of the first genetically engineered
   organisms. By inserting a human gene into the
   genetic code of a bacterium, researchers found
   they could generate a consistent, reliable source
   of insulin.

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F. Fighting disease

• Interferon used for the treatment of cancer,
  heart disease, and anemia is a genetically
  engineered product
• Genetically engineered foods have potential to
  offer higher levels of antioxidant vitamins to
  reduce risk of disease.

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G. Human health

• In the not-too-distant future, many foods may be
  genetically engineered to deliver higher
  proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
• Golden rice is an example of this. The rice
  contains beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
  Vitamin A deficiency affects 230 million
  children throughout the world. It is hoped this
  product can help alleviate the problems
  associated with vitamin A deficiency.

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H. Genetically engineered foods

• 1. Must be labeled only if they differ
  significantly from the traditional plant or food.
  
• For example if the nutritional value is altered
  or the potential to cause an allergic reaction is
  altered.
• 2. Include tomatoes, potatoes, canola, corn,
  soybeans, and sugar beets.

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I. Regulatory Agencies

• 1. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is
  responsible for holding plant varieties to the
  safety standard of any traditional food product.
  
• Consults with developers to ensure that foods
  derived from new plant varieties are safe to eat.
• Provides guidance on needed information to insure
  food safety

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Regulatory Agencies cont

• 2. USDA-APHIS (USDA Animal Plant Health
  Inspection Service) regulates the safe field
  testing of new genetically engineered plant
  varieties.
• Time from research starting on a new genetically
  engineered plant until it receives clearance
  could take up to 10 years.
• APHIS has strict rules about how lab and field
  trials are conducted. Materials must be
  incinerated when the project is completed!

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Regulatory Agencies cont

• 3. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has
  authority over all new pesticides. This includes
  all new genetically engineered plants that
  produce their own protection against pests.
• Considers human safety, effectiveness on the
  target pest, impact on the environment, and
  endangered species before registering a new
  product.

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J. Future crops and foods may include

• 1. Release and acceptance of golden rice as
  part of the answer to vitamin A deficiency
  concerns.
• 2. Wheat grown to eliminate allergic reactions.
• 3. Edible vaccines in fruits such as bananas.
• 4. Pharmaceuticals synthesized in corn.

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K. Concerns and controversies

1. Are the food safety issues being met?
2. What are the regulatory processes that
   genetically engineered food must adhere to before
   approval?
3. Have enough long-term studies been done toverify
   safety?

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Concerns and controversies cont

• 4. Have potential dangers to the environment and
  genetic resources had enough study to merit total
  acceptance?
• Examples the monarch butterfly, StarLink? corn,
  creation of a super weed, etc.

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Concerns and controversies cont

• 5. Other concerns controversies
• Labeling of genetically engineered food
• Social issues
• Economic and trade issues
• Religious issues
• Ethics

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L. The future

• Biotechnology, for the most part, has been
  readily accepted and welcomed as a new science
  for products today. It offers hope for 1) food
  security, 2) better nutrition, 3) healthier
  individuals, and 4) resistance to disease
  world-wide.

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M. Reasons for continued search for answers

• To provide answers to questions about the effect
  of biotechnology and its effects on the
  environment, society, economy, and ethics.
• To verify that food biotechnology is a vital link
  in the continual process of improvement of foods.
• To ultimately be accepted or rejected by the
  consumer.

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Conclusion

• Biotechnology has been accepted in the
  laboratories and the farm fields.
• If it will be readily accepted in the grocery
  store and on your dining room table, is up to
  you.
• Genes by Design empowers you with knowledge
  about biotechnology and will help you make
  critical decisions about how biotechnology will
  affect you in the future.

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Resources

• South Dakota State University Ag Research
• Websites Iowa State University
  http//www.biotech.iastate.edu/ National
  Agricultural Library http//www.nal.usda.gov/bi
  c/
• South Dakota State University class Plant
  Science 593 Agriculture Biotechnology