Dong Hongda
Eat genetically modified foods more likely to suffer from cancer, infertility? Yesterday, a person in charge of the Heilongjiang Soybean Association reopened the debate on the safety of genetically modified foods. In this regard, a group of popular science enthusiasts in the city not only told the public on the Internet through popular science articles and Weibo discussions that GM foods that have undergone rigorous examination and approval are harmless to the human body, but also organized a "GM rice tasting meeting". The reporter also participated in the tasting session last night and shared a “best need for dinner†with netizens (News Evening News, June 23, 2013).
The issue of genetically modified food safety has caused the public to be indifferent. This is because the experts and scholars in the industry are controversial. Some experts are accustomed to arguing and putting forward viewpoints, especially the "genetic cancer theory" and "infertility theory." It is also easy to become a fierce commentary in media reports. When the public is not confident about the big food safety situation, the lay public is more likely to be inclined to GM “carcinogenic†or “infertility.†Genetically modified food seems to have become The largest "toxin" is not daunting to get close to, and it is also skeptical and far removed from the state-approved genetically modified soybeans, rice, etc. that are guaranteed.
Under such circumstances, a group of popular science enthusiasts in Shanghai took the initiative to stand up and actively questioned the safety of genetically modified organisms from a scientific perspective, and organized a "GM rice tasting meeting" to tell the public that the rigorously approved genetically modified foods are harmless to the human body. Reason is undoubtedly a very important and very necessary good thing. Its significance lies not only in clarifying the truth of genetic transformation, but also in guiding the public to face life with a scientific attitude and not to blindly follow the trend of rumors.
So, can a "GM rice tasting meeting" solve the public's doubts? I don't think so.
For genetically modified, the public is a layman. Understanding transgenes often follows public opinion. The most influential voices are experts and scholars. They may have different views from academic perspectives and draw different conclusions. Some of the different conclusions are likely to be found at a certain level, and they are all partial when they express opinions. In particular, the negative effects of transgenes are more likely to arouse people's interest, so that it is easy to accept transgene harmful information one-sidedly. Reflected in the propaganda, the publicity of the media and the entire society on the safety of genetically modified crops is not scientific. It is either that genetically modified organisms are absolutely harmful and that they must sweep away the country; or they must refrain from talking about the negative effects of genetic modification and simply sing praises. Suddenly, it upsets the public’s thinking and weakens the public’s judgment. At times, it comes to a dispute, causing undue panic.
The move in Shanghai was due to the fact that a person in charge of the Heilongjiang Soybean Association had been more likely to suffer from cancer and infertility because of eating genetically modified foods. To refute this view, Shanghai invited the IT industry, chemical plants, and universities. Many trades, trade companies, etc., expressed the safety of genetically modified foods with the “GM Rice Tasting Clubâ€. Among them, netizens said after eating GM rice that “it feels sweeter than ordinary rice.†This is obviously a typical exaggeration and it is very false. .
Absolute safety and absolute harm cause a total damage to the safety of genetically modified foods. The fundamental reason is that the propaganda is not scientific. According to the data, from the late 1990s, American farmers extensively planted genetically modified cotton that is resistant to herbicide glyphosate. However, by 2004, glyphosate-resistant leeks were found in a county in Georgia. Currently, glyphosate resistant weeds have been found in 18 countries around the world. The use of glyphosate in the past has reduced the advantage of using herbicides as a disadvantage. The direct result of the application of GM crops is that the total amount of herbicide per hectare in the United States will increase from 1.5 kg in 2013 to 3.5 kg in 2025. This fact puts the question of popular science on "pesticide selection or genetic modification" in disgrace.
Looking back at Shanghai's "GM rice tasting meeting", if we add a bit of information on the negative effects of genetic modification, letting the public know about the two sides of genetic modification will give the public more confidence than simply refraining from GM safety.
In fact, China is very cautious in the introduction of GM food technology. Common sense tells people that the country will never take more than one billion people as "white mice" for genetic safety experiments. After all, food quality safety is a top priority in food safety and it affects the lives of people in China. Before the selection of genetically modified food varieties, the related varieties had undergone more than ten years of scientific experimentation, and after verifying their safety from various angles, they finally released them cautiously. What's more important is that the relevant state departments have not given up their hands on the issuance of genetically modified “genetic permitsâ€, but have strengthened their supervision. It not only supervises GM crops that have been issued "registration permits", but also closely monitors GM crops and products that are not approved. For example, in February 2012, when it came to unqualified food and cosmetics information, Yonghe black soymilk was detected on the quality list of genetically modified components (NOS, CaMV36S). The inspection results showed that Yonghe black soybean milk produced by Yonghe International Development Co., Ltd. was detected to contain NOS and CaMV36S. It is understood that the product origin in Taiwan, the importer of Tianjin Yonghe Food Co., Ltd., entered the port in Tianjin. This batch of products that have been inspected unqualified has been returned for processing (AQSIQ website on February 29, 2012).
Research on the safety of genetically modified organisms is a common issue faced by various countries. Because of this, research on the safety of genetically modified organisms has never stopped. At the same time, because after years of observation and inspection, it has been proved that the safety of genetically modified technology has a certain degree of security, it has stimulated the enthusiasm of countries to scientifically apply genetically modified technology to solve practical problems. This trend of the development of genetically modified foods should be scientifically and actively promoted, only to let Public understanding of the safety of genetically modified organisms can only eliminate psychological panic and eat certified GMO foods.
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