An overview of current and potential health benefits from food and agronomic traits derived from first and second generation GM crops

摘要

The first generation of GM crops modified through recombinant DNA techniques resulted in food derived from plants engineered to resist pests and herbicides, allowing increased yields, reductions in conventional chemical pesticides and decreased soil erosion. In these first generation crops, targeted pest control and the reduction in insecticide use produced indirect health benefits for Bt- rice producers in China and Bt-cotton small holders in South Africa and lowered mycotoxin levels in the grain ofBt-maize when compared to maize grown using conventional agronomy. Second generation GM crops are under development with significant direct nutritional and health benefits, which could enhance consumer acceptance of foods derived from GM crops. Transgenic rice and mustards have been developed having Pro-vitamin-A pathway targeting Vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. Transgenic soybean, oil seed rape and linseed have been developed with increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids. RNA interference(RNAi) is being used to 'silence' genes encoding for allergenic proteins in food such as hypoallergenic wheat, rice and groundnuts. Second generation crops also involve the use of transgenic plants to produce 'functional foods' where food derived from GM crops is not only a source of sustenance but also of medicine.