Genetically modified food from crops: progress, pawns, and possibilities

To most biochemist and chemists, and many farmers, the controversy over genetically modified (GM) food derived from crops seems puzzling. Why would anyone oppose GM food and animal feed (herein called GM food) produced using the tools of agricultural biotechnology? The answers behind this controversy are complicated and varied [1, 2]. The arguments against GM food range from the ethical and religious to concerns over inherent or potential risks to health and safety, and the environmental impact such technologies may have. Intellectual property rights and control over seeds by multinational corporations also bring out the ire of opposition groups [1]. The arguments in support of GM food range from the ethical and practical—how will we feed the world without GM food and animal feed?—to the scientific in which evidence is collected to address some of the opposition’s concerns and to fill in gaps in our knowledge. Despite the concerns over GM food, the scope and number of GM crops planted each year continues to grow, and, interestingly, has made the adoption of GM seeds one of the most rapidly adopted farming technologies ever (Ref. [3] and Fig. 1). Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that agricultural biotechnology will continue to be adopted by farmers and thus the controversy will continue. It is also reasonable to assume that agricultural biotechnology will be introduced to new countries around the world including many developing countries as one component of agricultural innovation. Agricultural innovation, in the broadest sense, potentially can assist in meeting the first of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MGD)—to reduce by half the number of people in extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 [4]. This MGD goal may be partially addressed by focusing on agricultural needs such as sufficient food production, access to water for agricultural purposes, and improved food quality [5]. Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to address some of these needs [6]. Recently, a World Bank report pointed out that science and technology can play a role in helping to improve the food security and alleviation of poverty of the 600 million rural poor in the developing nations [7]. But this report, while acknowledging the great promise of agricultural biotechnology, also acknowledges the controversial nature of agricultural biotechnology through the production of GM food [7]. GM food has become a pawn in debates over trade and globalization and other issues which affect international development [8]. Whether GM crops will play a role in agricultural development, especially in the developing world, seems mixed and dependent upon the public investment in such work [5, 7]. China has made a major commitment to investment in government-based agricultural biotechnology and has made much progress, especially in cotton production, and therefore serves as a good case study for the benefits of GM crops in agricultural innovation and development [8, 9]. Agricultural innovation must also address climate change and ecosystem services issues. Production of food crops using less energy, less water, and fewer chemical inputs—such as energy-intensive fertilizer— are going to be important in order to reduce carbon emissions [10] and Anal Bioanal Chem (2008) 392:333–340 DOI 10.1007/s00216-008-2313-4