Biology · Ch 12 — Biotechnology
Effects of Biotechnology on Human Health
12.7
Effects of Biotechnology on Human Health
- Allergies. GMO crops could potentially have negative effects on human health, including allergic reactions that were never anticipated. In one documented case, researchers used a gene from the Brazil nut to increase methionine production in soybeans; the inserted gene inadvertently caused allergic reactions to the soybean in people who already had a known nut allergy.
- Long-term effects. Because GMO technology has only been available for a relatively short time, comparatively little research has yet been done on its long-term health effects, which cannot fully be anticipated at this stage.
- New proteins. GM foods have introduced proteins into the human diet -- such as certain whey proteins -- that people had never ingested before; their potential long-term effects on the human body are still not fully known.
- Food additives. GMOs also open the possibility of building additional nutrients, antibiotics and vaccine components directly into food -- technology that could provide nutrition and disease resistance to people in countries that otherwise lack the means to provide these. At the same time, this availability carries the risk of contributing to the creation of antibiotic- and vaccine-resistant strains of pathogens. …