Genetically Modified Products Research Articles

Characterization of the mode of action of eCry1Gb.1Ig, a fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) active protein, with a novel site of action

Insect pests cause immense agronomic losses worldwide. One of the most destructive of major crops is the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda, FAW). The ability to migrate long distances, a prodigious appetite, and a demonstrated ability to develop resistance to insecticides, make it a difficult target to control. Insecticidal proteins, for example those produced by the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, are among the safest and most effective insect control agents. Genetically modified (GM) crops expressing such proteins are a key part of a successful integrated pest management (IPM) program for FAW. However, due to the development of populations resistant to commercialized GM products, new GM traits are desperately needed. Herein, we describe a further characterization of the newly engineered trait protein eCry1Gb.1Ig. Similar to other well characterized Cry proteins, eCry1Gb.1Ig is shown to bind FAW midgut cells and induce cell-death. Binding competition assays using trait proteins from other FAW-active events show a lack of competition when binding FAW brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) and when utilizing non-pore-forming versions as competitors in in vivo bioassays. Similarly, insect cell lines expressing SfABCC2 and SfABCC3 (well characterized receptors of existing commercial Cry proteins) are insensitive to eCry1Gb.1Ig. These findings are consistent with results from our previous work showing that eCry1Gb.1Ig is effective in controlling insects with resistance to existing traits. This underscores the value of eCry1Gb.1Ig as a new GM trait protein with a unique site-of-action and its potential positive impact to global food production.

Risk Amplification, Risk Preference and Acceptance of Transgenic Technology

Consumer preferences and attitudes toward genetically modified (GM) food have been widely studied, yet there is little research on the aspects of farmers and risk amplification. Based on both a field survey and an experiment conducted in villages in China’s eastern provinces of Shandong, Shanxi and Henan in 2021, we explore the impact of producers’ risk amplification and risk preferences on the acceptance of transgenic technology. Results show that only 37.3% of participants from the whole sample did not amplify the risk associated with GM products. In terms of regions, the percentages of participants in Henan, Shanxi and Shandong who amplified the risk associated with GM products were 65.3%, 62.4% and 60%, respectively. Moreover, the results of the economic experiment on risk preference indicate that over two-thirds of farmers proved to be risk-averse. Finally, full sample estimation results using ordered logit and Poisson models showed that risk amplification, relative risk aversion and risk perception all have negative impacts on producers’ response to GM plant seeds, including participants’ acceptance intention, purchasing intention and recommendation intention.

Consumption of Genetically Modified Food Products and Its Determinants (Case Study: Edible Oil in Mashhad).

In recent decades, the global increase in the demand for food and the increasing growth of the world population has caused an inevitable transition from traditional to advanced agriculture and the use of new technologies in the production of food and agricultural products. One of the new achievements of biotechnology is the production and use of genetically modified plants. The benefits of genetically modified crops can be seen well beyond the farm as well, from helping to conserve natural resources to fighting climate change. Identifying the factors that influence people's acceptance of genetically modified (GM) foods can inform industries and policymakers regarding their innovation trajectories, as well as policy development and implementation. Therefore, the current research evaluates the effect of the marketing mix and other effective factors on the consumption of genetically modified (GM) edible oil in Mashhad, Iran. The required information was collected by completing 390 questionnaires and using the available sampling method in 2022. Factors affecting the probability of consumers making a decision to consume GM edible oil and the consumption amounts of this oil were analyzed through Heckman's two-stage Tobit model using the STATA 16 software package. The results showed that factors affecting the intention of consuming GM edible oils are different from factors affecting the amount of consumption of GM edible oils. Moreover, selected marketing mixes have a significant effect on the amount of consumption of GM edible oils, and therefore, policy-makers can influence the consumption of GM edible oils by using marketing tools. The effect of household monthly income on the consumption of GM edible oil is also negative and significant, which shows that households with higher incomes have less consumption of GM edible oils. Based on the results, trust in the government has a positive and significant effect on the consumption of GM edible oil, so when consumers have trust in their government about GM food products, the consumption of GM edible oil will increase. Therefore, it is suggested that the country's food security authorities gain the trust of consumers by clarifying the production process of GM products and holding scientific debates between the proponents and opponents of the production and consumption of GM food products in order to express the advantages and disadvantages of these products to inform consumers and help them choose between products.

Effects of dietary restraint on perceived healthfulness and purchase intention: the moderating effects of source credibility and product label

ABSTRACT This study investigates how labeling genetically modified (GM) food influences the perceptions and purchasing intentions of dietary-restrained consumers. The research is based on varying product labels (GM vs. non-GM) and source credibility (low vs. high). Utilizing a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, the study reveals that individuals with higher dietary restraint associate greater perceived healthfulness with food labels. Furthermore, this perception increases their intent to purchase products across all combinations of source credibility and GM status. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, there was no significant difference in the purchase intent for non-GM products from a low-credibility source compared to GM products from the same source. However, the purchase intent was higher for GM products from a low-credibility source than from a high-credibility source, and for non-GM products from a high-credibility source compared to GM products from the same source.

Approaches to check unauthorized genetically modified events in supply chain: Challenges and solutions in the Indian context

AbstractThe approval status of a genetically modified (GM) event varies from country to country. GM events approved in one country (considered as authorized GM or AGM) may not necessarily have the same approval status in other countries (considered as unauthorized GM or UGM). Detecting UGM in the supply chain is a challenge as the genetic information is not always available. In India, four Bt cotton events are approved, whereas several other GM events have been imported for research purposes. Many food derivatives (non‐GM) are being imported from the countries where GM events of food crops are approved so it is necessary to track the unauthorized entry of GM products. Selected consignments or food products need to be checked for GM status for regulatory compliance. In farmers' fields, the chances of unintentional introgression or adventitious presence of transgenes also need to be monitored in a systematic manner. An appropriate strategy needs to be developed to check for UGM in the food and agricultural supply chain. In this article, approaches for UGM detection have been discussed with a focus on application in the Indian context. Detection methods based on the GMO matrix, multiplex PCR, real‐time PCR (qPCR), and loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) could be employed keeping in view the regulatory requirement or practical application. For checking UGM with unknown genetic construct, methods such as next‐generation sequencing (NGS) may be employed. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches are discussed in the function of the analytical strategy and its application for control purposes.

Genetically modified crops do not present variations in pollen viability and morphology when compared to their conventional counterparts.

Modern agricultural biotechnologies, such as those derived from genetic modification, are solutions that can enable an increase in food production, lead to more efficient use of natural resources, and promote environmental impact reduction. Crops with altered genetic materials have been extensively subjected to safety assessments to fulfill regulatory requirements prior to commercialization. The Brazilian National Technical Biosafety Commission (CTNBio) provides provisions for commercial release of transgenic crops in Brazil, including requiring information on pollen dispersion ability as part of environmental risk assessment, which includes pollen viability and morphology studies. Here we present the pollen viability and morphology of non-transgenic conventional materials, single-event genetically modified (GM) products, and stacked GM products from soybean, maize and cotton cultivated in Brazil. Microscopical observation of stained pollen grain was conducted to determine the percentage of pollen viability as well as pollen morphology, which is assessed by measuring pollen grain diameter. The pollen viability and diameter of GM soybean, maize and cotton, evaluated across a number of GM events in each crop, were similar to the conventional non-GM counterparts. Pollen characterization data contributed to the detailed phenotypic description of GM crops, supporting the conclusion that the studied events were not fundamentally different from the conventional control.

Do U.S. consumers value genetically modified farmed salmon?

Genetically modified (GM) salmon is the first animal GM product approved for human consumption. Given that genetic modification in the food industry is a highly controversial issue, understanding consumers’ preferences for GM salmon vis-à-vis non-GM farmed and wild-caught salmon is important to provide insights into food policy decision makings on animal GM products. We use a choice experiment to estimate U.S. consumers’ willingness to pay for GM salmon and examine heterogeneity in preferences across levels of consumer perceptions, knowledge, and attitudes. Our results show that U.S. consumers are willing to pay significantly less for GM salmon than non-GM farmed or wild-caught salmon, suggesting their lower valuation of GM salmon. Heterogeneity exists in the valuation of consumers. Consumers who are more concerned about farmed fish in terms of health and safety, environmental sustainability, and welfare, those who report a higher subjective knowledge of GM, and those having a negative attitude towards GM food and technology place a lower value on GM salmon. Consumers require a larger price discount for GM salmon if the salmon is fresh than frozen. Our study draws policy implications for the competition between salmon industry players and for labeling rules and sustainability certifications of GM salmon.

Assessment of Benefits and Risk of Genetically Modified Plants and Products: Current Controversies and Perspective

Genetic transformation has emerged as an important tool for the genetic improvement of valuable plants by incorporating new genes with desirable traits. These strategies are useful especially in crops to increase yields, disease resistance, tolerance to environmental stress (cold, heat, drought, salinity, herbicides, and insects) and increase biomass and medicinal values of plants. The production of healthy plants with more desirable products and yields can contribute to sustainable development goals. The introduction of genetically modified food into the market has raised potential risks. A proper assessment of their impact on the environment and biosafety is an important step before their commercialization. In this paper, we summarize and discuss the risks and benefits of genetically modified plants and products, human health hazards by genetically transformed plants, environmental effects, Biosafety regulations of GMO foods and products, and improvement of medicinal values of plants by the genetic transformation process. The mechanisms of action of those products, their sources, and their applications to the healthcare challenges are presented. The present studies pointed out the existence of several controversies in the use of GMOs, mainly related to the human health, nutritions, environmental issues. Willingness to accept genetically modified (GM) products and the adoption of biosafety regulations varies from country to country. Knowledge about the gene engineering technology, debate between the government agencies, scientist, environmentalist and related NGOs on the GM products are the major factors for low adoptions of biosafety regulation. Therefore, the genetic transformation will help in the advancement of plant species in the future; however, more research and detailed studies are required.

Effects of graphical presentation of benefits on cognitive judgments induced by affect heuristic: Focusing on the acceptance of genetically modified foods

Genetically modified (GM) foods have been assumed to be seen through intuitive and affective routes (i.e., affect heuristics) rather than analytical and deliberative routes. We examined the impact of the graphical presentation of benefits derived from GM or conventionally bred foods on the acceptance of these varieties. In the two experiments (n = 266 for study 1 and n = 402 for study 2), no differences emerged in the estimation of farmers' benefits resulting from the introduction of improved varieties by the type of improvement. However, there were statistically significant differences in the magnitude of risk and the degree of acceptance of the improved varieties. Therefore, despite presenting identical benefits as a graphical figure, GM foods were consistently evaluated as providing higher risk and were less frequently accepted than conventionally bred foods. These results suggest that while the graphical presentation of benefits may promote comprehension of some advantages of the introduction of GM varieties, this may not lead to acceptance from the consumer's point of view. Based on the current findings, as well as previous studies on trust in risk managers, we discuss the specific factors that might promote acceptance of GM products.

Contributing Factors of Anemia in Pregnancy in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District in Ghana

The exploding global population is presenting a new challenge of providing food for further billions of people against the backdrop of the challenges of already existing hunger and malnutrition, climate change, emerging destructive crop and animal diseases, and the pressure being exerted on arable lands by several other anthropological demands. Providing food for the world in the foreseeable future, therefore, requires the revolutionization of the agricultural sector as it stands today. Agricultural biotechnology has evolved over three decades and has presented itself as a critical avenue for addressing the perennial food production insecurity situations; particularly in Africa and other food-insecure regions of the world. This study sought to review agricultural biotechnology in Africa by assessing its current state and the future prospects of the technology on the African continent. The adoption and utilization of biotechnology in Africa have been faced with serious challenges of ethical, religious, environmental contamination, and health risks issues. Adoption of biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) products have only been achieved in a few countries in Africa on a small-scale basis and under a few selected crops. Inadequate legislation, unenhanced public education, and the spread of misconceptions by anti-GM technology activists remain a strong challenge to navigate around for the smooth adoption of the technology on the African continent. Smallholder farmers in Africa also harbor serious apprehension over seed monopoly and erosion of the traditional seed quality with neo-colonial intentions by the developers of the technology. Anti-GM sentiments based on misconceptions are deeply rooted in many African countries, heightening fear of its adoption. A stronger and more elaborate public education strategy that highlights the benefits of biotechnology and assures the people of the risk levels of the technology, and further research to alleviate public anxiety is critical for the adoption of biotechnology and GM products in Africa.

The political economy of China's GMO commercialization dilemma

AbstractWhy has China delayed commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops over the last decade given its heavy public R&D investment in biotechnology and maturing GM capacity? Further, imports of GM products for consumption are allowed while similar domestic GM‐crops cannot be commercialized. The paper analyzes, from a political economy perspective, how the delay of commercialization arises from the government balancing interests and conflicts among vested interests to keep social stability based on comprehensive secondary data and unique primary survey data. Anti‐GMO activists have, over time, been able to shape the public perception of biotechnology. Their efforts have garnered widespread acceptance among interest groups and have been sufficient to raise the specter of underlying social instability, which is always near the top of mind for China's government. As a result, no movement on commercialization has been made since 2010—more than a decade ago. The failure to commercialize is important because food production would increase considerably if China were able to commercialize GM crops and the resolution of the biotechnology issue has broad implications for food security.

An overview of genetically modified foods: agreement, challenges and assessment of safety

The technology of genetically modified (GM) can overwhelm agricultural and nutritional difficulties in the food industry, food safety and security by increasing resistance to pests and herbicides, drought tolerance, rapid ripening and ultimately increasing yield and food quality. However, in the last few decades, significant dangers of GM foods to humans, animals, and the environment have been identified. Nevertheless, there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove the harmful effects of these foods on human and animal health. In this article, several advantages and disadvantages of this technology are reviewed. Therefore, it is necessary to perform all the requested risk assessments before releasing any GM product and next post-release checking to track probable gene flow and limit any possible contamination of the food chain catastrophe. Therefore, the safe use of this technology, in compliance with all protocols of environmental health and safety assessment at the national and international levels are demanded.

Managing risk in the regulatory state of the South: the case of GM wheat in Argentina

The literature on development has long underscored the importance of knowledge-based assets and innovation for economic growth and competitiveness. This paper explores an apparent paradox: why did Argentine regulators initially demur in approving the commercialization of genetically-modified (GM) wheat, one of very few products innovated by the country’s biotech sector? The answer lies in risk mitigation, but the risks Argentine regulators sought to avoid were not the environmental and health risks typically associated with GM products. Rather, they worried about possible disruptions to agricultural trade if exports were found to be contaminated by an unapproved GM product. I define the kind of risk that Argentine regulators sought to minimize as structural risk—that is, risk issuing from structural constraints a country faces given an unfavorable or dependent position in trade relations. By illuminating how risks emanating from structural constraints particular to Southern states shape regulatory frameworks, this analysis advances our understanding of the Regulatory State of the South.

Monitoring of Infant Formula and Baby Food for the Pat and NOS Terminator of Genetically Modified Maize and Soybean by Real-time PCR in Iran.

BackgroundSoybean and maize are the most cultivated genetically modified (GM) plants. Because of the increase in the imports of GM products to Iran, infant formula and baby food, which is consumed by babies during their first month of life, can also contain soybean and maize. It has become fundamental to screen these types of products.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to investigate the GM corn and soybean in baby food and infant formula using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).MethodsA total of 60 baby food and infant formulas were collected randomly from the local drugstores in Tehran. Genomic DNA was extracted from all samples, then by real-time PCR detection, tested Pat/NOS. Internal control genes zein and lectin were used for maize and soybean, respectively.ResultsResults showed that 5% of infant formulas and 5% of baby food, two Iranian and one imported baby food, and two imported and one Iranian infant formula were positive for pat. However, NOS was detected in none of the samples. The results showed positive results for the presence of the pat gene in the products without an appropriate label.ConclusionsThis article provides evidence of GM maize and soybean presence in baby food and infant formula in Iran.

Can you cite that? Describing Tennessee consumers’ use of GMO information channels and sources

The purpose of this study was to better understand where and how Tennessee consumers receive information about genetically modified (GM) products by examining the use of informational channels and sources among consumers with negative-leaning, neutral, and positive-leaning perceptions of GM products. Twenty percent of respondents were categorized as having negative-leaning perceptions, roughly two-thirds held neutral perceptions, and only 10% of respondents had positive-leaning perceptions. The use of information channels was similar across all perception groups, with websites, word-of-mouth communication, television, and social media as the primary channels used. However, respondents with negative GM perceptions primarily used food bloggers, family, and friends as informational sources, while those with positive-leaning perceptions used food scientists, USDA professionals, and agricultural producers. The findings of this study offer implications for a variety of audiences and communication goals, whether such goals be to market to an existing consumer base or develop an educational campaign to address misconceptions among consumer groups.

Plant genetic transformation promotes modern agriculture and the food safety of genetically modified plants

<p>The contribution of business marketing of genetically modified (GM) plants to crop improvement, reduced use of pesticides, and the improvement of the ecological environment was presented. The toxicity and allergy of GM food, the ecological risks confronted by GM plant cultivation, and the necessity of government inspection of GM products were also discussed. GM plants and their derived products have been consumed as food for more than 30 years since the commercialization of transgenic plants in 1995. Most scientific papers have proved that there is no significant discrepancy between GM plants and non-GM plants in composition till now. The discovery of natural transgenic sweet potatoes has further demonstrated the safety of GM foods.</p>

Myths and Realities about Genetically Modified Food: A Risk-Benefit Analysis

The development and consumption of genetically modified (GM) crops are surrounded by controversy. According to proponents, only molecular biology approaches and genetic engineering tools are realistic food shortage solutions for the world’s ever-growing population. The main purpose of this study is to review the impact of GM products on human, animal, and environmental health. People still reject GM crops not only because of safety concerns, but also for moral reasons. Toxicity, allergies, and possible horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to the environment or to other species have been associated with the marketing of GM products. Moreover, the scarce data available about the long-term implications of using GM crops is another opponent concern. Nevertheless, science has evidenced no harm from GM crops use to date but has, instead, reported several benefits that result from their commercialization, such as economic, environmental, and health benefits for the general public. Legislation and policies about GM product labeling standards are being discussed. To overcome emerging food security challenges, considering quality scientific information is essential rather than leaving the issue and merely moving toward moral discussion. Hence, a risk–benefit analysis is necessary.

Rapid detection of genetically modified products based on CRISPR-Cas12a combined with recombinase polymerase amplification

With the large-scale planting of genetically modified (GM) crops, consumers were more aware of biosafety. Onsite rapid diagnostic methods were advantageous to the regulation of GM products. In this study, a rapid, sensitive and portable detection method based on recombinase polymerase amplification were proposed based on RPA reaction and Cas12a cleavage reaction for GM ingredients, named RPA-Cas12a-GM. The results would be displayed by fluorescence signal (FS) and visual bands of lateral flow strip (LFS). RPA-Cas12a-GM method could be completed within 45 min, and the detection limit was as low as 45 copies/μL of the standard plasmid containing CP4-EPSPS gene and Cry1Ab/Ac gene. Furthermore, the detection coincidence rate of RPA-Cas12a-GM method was 100%. In conclusion, the proposed RPA-Cas12a-GM method based FS and LFS were sensitive, specific, rapid and visible for diagnosis of CP4-EPSPS gene and Cry1Ab/Ac gene without complex equipment, which provides technical support for the regulation of GM products in the field.

Public Perception on Genetically Modified Products: A Case Study of Four Local Government Areas in Cross River State, Nigeria

This survey was carried out to evaluate the perception of the people of Cross River State on genetically modified products (GMPs). The survey was carried out in four local government areas of Cross River State (Odukpani, Calabar Municipality, Calabar South and Akpabuyo) with 1000 respondents in each local government area giving a total of 4000 respondents. Data obtained from the questionnaire shared to the respondents were carefully collated and presented in simple percentages for ease of understanding. The demographic data showed that there were more males in the study (51.2%) than females (48.80%). Majority of the respondents were aged 25-35 years (46%). Most respondents had tertiary education (65.25%) and were majorly civil servants (27%) and businessmen (22.25%). A greater percentage of the respondents (63.75%) never heard of GMPs prior to this research. It was grossly observed that most of the respondents had various fears and concerns about GMPs. However, 58.5% agreed that the adoption of biotechnological principles in agriculture will increase productivity. In clear terms, we are still far behind in consumer knowledge of GMPs and there is need for more robust efforts in bringing this great technology to the minds of the consumers.

Establishment and Application of Ligation Reaction-Based Method for Quantifying MicroR-156b.

Microribonucleic acids (miRNAs) play significant roles in the regulation of biological processes and in responses to biotic or abiotic environmental stresses. Therefore, it is necessary to quantitatively detect miRNAs to understand these complicated biological regulation mechanisms. This study established an ultrasensitive and highly specific method for the quantitative detection of miRNAs using simple operations on the ground of the ligation reaction of ribonucleotide-modified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probes. This method avoids the complex design of conventional reverse transcription. In the developed assay, the target miRNA miR156b was able to directly hybridize the two ribonucleotide-modified DNA probes, and amplification with universal primers was achieved following the ligation reaction. As a result, the target miRNA could be sensitively measured even at a detection limit as low as 0.0001 amol, and differences of only a single base could be detected between miR156 family members. Moreover, the proposed quantitative method demonstrated satisfactory results for overexpression-based genetically modified (GM) soybean. Ligation-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) therefore has potential in investigating the biological functions of miRNAs, as well as in supervising activities regarding GM products or organisms.