The new fundamentalism

Genetically modified plants and human health

Genetically modified (or GM) plants have attracted a large amount of media attention in recent years and continue to do so. Despite this, the general public remains largely unaware of what a GM plant actually is or what advantages and disadvantages the technology has to offer, particularly with regard to the range of applications for which they can be used. From the first generation of GM crops, two main areas of concern have emerged, namely risk to the environment and risk to human health. As GM plants are gradually being introduced into the European Union there is likely to be increasing public concern regarding potential health issues. Although it is now commonplace for the press to adopt 'health campaigns', the information they publish is often unreliable and unrepresentative of the available scientific evidence. We consider it important that the medical profession should be aware of the state of the art, and, as they are often the first port of call for a concerned patient, be in a position to provide an informed opinion. This review will examine how GM plants may impact on human health both directly - through applications targeted at nutrition and enhancement of recombinant medicine production - but also indirectly, through potential effects on the environment. Finally, it will examine the most important opposition currently facing the worldwide adoption of this technology: public opinion.

The gap between science and perception: the case of plant biotechnology in Europe

Although the global area of biotech crops continues to climb for the tenth consecutive year at a sustainable double-digit growth rate, the acceptance of biotech products from agriculture in Europe is still low. There is a gap between science and perception. It is a strong belief that the public turning against science and against GM food has been encouraged by the negative activities of NGO groups. Scientists have to overcome the purely risk-based discussion, and the benefits of plant biotechnology have to be made literally visible. GM food should be available, the benefits should be tangible and the consumer should have fun with such novel food. The gap could be reduced if genetically modified plants and the products thereof were regulated in the same way as classical products.

Genetic engineering of wheat--current challenges and opportunities

Wheat is one of the major staple food crops grown worldwide; however, productivity in cereal crops has not kept pace with the world population growth. A significant increase in wheat production (>40% by 2020) is needed simply to keep up with the growing demand. This increase is unlikely to be achieved by conventional plant breeding methods because of the limited gene pool available. The application of recombinant techniques to improve wheat quality and yield is not only desirable but also has potential to open up new opportunities. Although there has been significant progress in developing gene-transformation technologies for improving these traits, this remains an important challenge for plant biotechnology. Obstacles to translate the full potential of the genomic era to wheat breeding include the need to develop elite wheat varieties without selectable markers, introducing minimal or nil intergenic DNA and social and market issues concerning genetically engineered food products.