People’s Daily Online, Beijing, November 14 (Ma Xiaohui) With the continuation of the dispute over genetic modification, more and more consumers are gradually getting into the habit of reading product descriptions carefully when buying "sensitive food" such as edible oil. Is genetically modified food really that terrible?
Recently, @ Yang Jinshui, a professor of plant genetics and doctoral supervisor at the Institute of Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, pointed out in the seventh issue of the series of micro-interviews on People’s Daily Online that the transgenic corn oil and soybean oil we bought in the supermarket are extracted, and there are no genetically modified protein components and DNA components in them, which have no adverse effects on the human body and can be safely eaten.
"As far as I know, many food oils in the US market are produced by genetically modified crops." Yang Jinshui said, "Genetically modified corn and soybean exclude genetically modified ingredients such as protein and DNA in the process of extracting oil, and there is no genetically modified ingredient in the oil, so it is safe. At present, the transgenic corn oil and soybean oil we bought in the supermarket are extracted, and there are no genetically modified protein components and DNA components, which have no adverse effects on the human body. "
In response to some netizens’ suggestions on whether an authoritative and scientific test report can be issued at the national level to explain whether genetically modified food is beneficial or harmful. Yang Jinshui agreed, "This is a good suggestion, which can attract people from all walks of life, including consumers, who want to know what issues are worth caring about. At the same time, researchers should also list the advantages and disadvantages of genetic modification and the experimental results. " At present, in the food safety evaluation of genetically modified organisms, researchers also encounter some difficulties different from drug experiments, that is, what components are detected? How to detect? What is the standard of safety?
In view of the statement that "genetically modified products that have been marketed can be safely eaten, but we should be cautious when opening new genetically modified foods", "I personally have always been cautious about the genetically modified staple food." The explanation given by Yang Jinshui is that the transgenic staple crops are different from oil crops, and there is no process of elimination. Edible oil does not contain genetically modified ingredients, but the staple food is rice, which contains genetically modified ingredients. More experiments are needed to make sure there is no impact before releasing it.
In addition, in order to ensure consumers’ right to know and choose, Yang Jinshui advocates compulsory signs. "Different countries have different regulations on the labeling of genetically modified organisms, and the United States is voluntary. The EC is mandatory. The United States is based on the understanding of substantive equivalence, that is, there is no difference in basic aspects between genetically modified crops and non-genetically modified crops, so it cannot discriminate against genetically modified crops. "
Micro-interview link: Yang Jinshui: Why are genetically modified labels shy?
关于作者