Hi everyone, this is my part on some issues pertaining to GM foods. I hope it's useful!! Cheers!
Religious Issues
Some religious issues pertaining to GM food would revolve around the inclusion of animal genes into plants. This might raise concerns among some Buddhists and Hindus as well as other vegans who might consider consuming these sorts of plants and products derived from them as violating their religious and ethical beliefs. An example of foods which may raise concerns like these are the “flounder tomato” which was inserted with the gene of the flounder fish which would allow the tomatoes to be frozen and thawed without changing its texture but this tomato was not successful. If this tomato was successful, it would have raised the question of whether a vegan who eats this fruit will be considered a carnivore as the tomato contains animal genes. (http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/religion/bovine.html).
Another “controversial” GM food is the rice which was imbedded with the pig cytochromes. (http://www.agnet.org/library/rh/2002009b/) A cytochrome is a membrane protein which contains a heme group and carries out the electron transport process which in turn generates energy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytochrome) The insertion of the pig cytochrome into the rice was to make it resistant to herbicides. In the Islamic and Jewish faiths, pork and any substance derived from swine is prohibited to be consumed. Hence consuming rice with the pig genes might equate to eating a pork-derived product which makes it unlawful to Muslims and Jews alike.
Other religious issues would be the consideration that tempering with genes is playing god by trying to mix genes between species.
Ethical Issues
Another concern is with regards to foods which contain human genes which might insinuate the consumption of these products as a form of cannibalism. Besides this, some individuals will be against the consumption and use of GM foods because they believe that in the production of these foods, cruelty to animals was exercised in the form of stressing the animals in the gene extraction/introduction process. (http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml )
Product Labeling
As of yet, there is no legislation in Singapore which mandates the labeling of GM foods. However, the Genetically Modified Advisory Committee was established in 1999 to handle issues pertaining to GM foods which include labeling, handling and release of these foods in Singapore. Singapore is awaiting the formalisation of GM labeling laws from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Codex to be established before any lesgislation is made so that any labeling will follow that of international guidelines.
Religious Issues
Some religious issues pertaining to GM food would revolve around the inclusion of animal genes into plants. This might raise concerns among some Buddhists and Hindus as well as other vegans who might consider consuming these sorts of plants and products derived from them as violating their religious and ethical beliefs. An example of foods which may raise concerns like these are the “flounder tomato” which was inserted with the gene of the flounder fish which would allow the tomatoes to be frozen and thawed without changing its texture but this tomato was not successful. If this tomato was successful, it would have raised the question of whether a vegan who eats this fruit will be considered a carnivore as the tomato contains animal genes. (http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/religion/bovine.html).
Another “controversial” GM food is the rice which was imbedded with the pig cytochromes. (http://www.agnet.org/library/rh/2002009b/) A cytochrome is a membrane protein which contains a heme group and carries out the electron transport process which in turn generates energy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytochrome) The insertion of the pig cytochrome into the rice was to make it resistant to herbicides. In the Islamic and Jewish faiths, pork and any substance derived from swine is prohibited to be consumed. Hence consuming rice with the pig genes might equate to eating a pork-derived product which makes it unlawful to Muslims and Jews alike.
Other religious issues would be the consideration that tempering with genes is playing god by trying to mix genes between species.
Ethical Issues
Another concern is with regards to foods which contain human genes which might insinuate the consumption of these products as a form of cannibalism. Besides this, some individuals will be against the consumption and use of GM foods because they believe that in the production of these foods, cruelty to animals was exercised in the form of stressing the animals in the gene extraction/introduction process. (http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml )
Product Labeling
As of yet, there is no legislation in Singapore which mandates the labeling of GM foods. However, the Genetically Modified Advisory Committee was established in 1999 to handle issues pertaining to GM foods which include labeling, handling and release of these foods in Singapore. Singapore is awaiting the formalisation of GM labeling laws from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Codex to be established before any lesgislation is made so that any labeling will follow that of international guidelines.
posted by Nameless at 5:20 AM
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