Australia Up Close
Can GM Foods Be the Way of the Future?
By CHELSEA McLEAN
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遺伝子組み替え食品を考える
食料不足解決の特効薬となりうると言われる遺伝子組み換えの技術。すでにその技術から生まれた食物がスーパーなどに並ぶ時代になっています。しかし一方で、人工的に遺伝子を操作することから起こる悪影響が懸念されているのも事実。そして今、オーストラリアでは遺伝子組み換え食品に対する意見が、擁護派、反対派に二分されています。
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Genetic engineering is a scientific technique used
extensively in the food industry to change the DNA of
living organisms and improve sales of food products.
Currently there seems to be a general lack of
understanding worldwide about the risks and benefits of
introducing genetically modified (GM) organisms into
the food chain. This is the topic of much conversation,
particularly in Australia, because it seems to be growing
rapidly as the way of the future.
GM foods have been called the largest food
experiment in history and consumers are the guinea
pigs because long-term effects are not yet known.
For example, tomatoes are sensitive to frost and
fish survive in cold water. So to extend the growing
season of tomato crops, scientists can insert an
"anti-freeze" gene from a fish into a tomato plant.
This sounds OK in principle, but what are the risks?
Australian studies have shown that 90 percent of
people want to know whether they are eating GM foods.
Growing concerns over the possible dangers of GM foods
has led to many campaigners in different countries
lobbying their governments to introduce strict laws to
identify GM foods.
Last July, the Australian government introduced the
world's toughest labeling laws on genetically modified
food following two years of debate. From July 2001,
packaged food containing the slightest trace of
genetically modified ingredients will need to be
labeled.
The medical community can't predict what health
effects GM foods will have on people. In addition to
concerned reactions in the U.S., Europe and Australia,
the British Medical Authority called for commercial
transgenic plant
ings to be stopped and 1,300 schools in Britain have
banned genetically engineered (GE) foods from
cafeterias.
The Pope has warned of ethical implications like
the question of whether life should be considered
commercial property. My friend Rod said we need to ask
who should campaign for nature's rights in this process.
"The genetic makeup of plants and animals is being
artificially changed by humans and it affects natural
progression," he said.
In the U.S. over the past four years, 25 percent of
all corn, 35 percent of all soybeans and 50 percent of
all cotton crops have been genetically modified. Within
the next five to 10 years, if the biotechnology industry
has its way, all foods will be genetically
engineered.
In July 2000, the Australian government announced it
would commit more than $30 million (¥1.9 billion) to
Australian biotechnology development. In Queensland,
where I live, Premier Peter Beattie is a strong
advocate for biotechnology and said we need to form
partnerships with Japan in our quest to create
long-term jobs for a new age.
Queenslanders have embraced the information
technology and communications revolution and are now
enthusiastic about this science.
"Biotechnology in its simplest sense means using
technology — the application of science — to produce
beneficial advances from living beings," Beattie said.
"Gene technology involves producing new combinations of
genes to develop new characteristics, processes or
products."
"On offer is the sustainable production of safer
and more abundant food sources to feed a starving
world," Beattie said. "In developing countries where a
safe, adequate food supply is often not available,
biotechnology is providing crops such as canola oil
with higher levels of beta-carotene to reduce night
blindness, rice with a higher iron content and vitamin
A and bananas that contain vaccines against childhood
diseases."
However, some of the dangers of GM foods could include
unforeseen allergic reactions and decreased
nutritional value. GE processes have immeasurable
effects on the environment and there is a risk that
toxins are released through the roots and pollens of
GE crops and have been found to poison other species,
like butterflies.
Greenpeace's Doug Parr warns that things will
inevitably go wrong in genetic engineering despite the
optimistic predictions.
"Because genetic engineering deals with living
organisms that reproduce ... the mistakes will be very
difficult to control once out in the fields," he added.
"It's like the genie in the bottle: once it's out, you
cannot put it back. There is very little appreciation
of the inherent unpredictability of the science of
genetic engineering. Already there are too many cases of
things going wrong," said Parr.
Long-term testing is needed to ensure this new
technology is safe. As long as it is safe, there are many
exciting opportunities for the application of this
science to improve our world.
Shukan ST: Jan. 12, 2001
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