As Omicron has dominated the news lately, we have also learned that Health Canada may treat genome editing differently from genetically modified – or GMO – crops, which means that the oversight provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would be more like that of conventional breeding crops.
On this point, Health Canada would take an appropriate position. Editing, or genomic editing, is different from editing genes. Genetic modification generally involves the artificial insertion of genes into the genome of a plant or animal. Genomic editing, on the other hand, can instantly, and in a very targeted manner, edit parts of a genome by removing, correcting or adding sections of a plant’s DNA. Genomic editing does not usually involve the introduction of genes from other species, but this technique allows quite complex control of an organism’s genome. With genome editing, we greatly reduce the number of years of research.
Proponents of organic and anti-GMOs will claim that the two techniques are the same. But they just aren’t. In fact, many countries, including some in Europe, are rewriting their GM seed regulations to reflect what genome editing can do. Biological compromise differs from unnatural crossing of species to create a new plant.
Most people, and especially consumers, are delighted. Genome editing will affect agriculture and make our farms more efficient, without a doubt. But consumers will benefit unknowingly.
On the one hand, by making agricultural production more efficient, crop yields will be able to increase using less land, less water and fewer natural resources. In other words, genomic editing can make agriculture even more sustainable. By altering the DNA of plants, crops can adapt more quickly to climate change. Plants can better resist drought, disease and pathogens, helping growers, in Canada and other parts of the world, who are often impoverished by climate change. Banana production is a good example.
The other benefit offered by genome editing is seen in the nutritional makeup of a plant which can be altered for the better. For vegetable protein lovers, the protein content of crops can be increased to make the processing of vegetable protein products more efficient and less expensive. The fat content of crops can also be lowered. It would mean less processing for the food we buy.
Another feature is the reduction of food waste. Wasted food is an invisible food bill that we never receive, but always pay as consumers, and publishing can help here. Lettuce, mushrooms and tomatoes may have their shelf life extended as they may ripen later. The supply chain issues we currently face are shortening the shelf life of many food products we purchase at retail. Genomic editing can probably help in this area as well.
If you suffer from allergies or intolerances, again this new technology can play a role as well. For example, gluten-free wheat could make bread and pasta edible for those with celiac disease. Over three million Canadians report having at least one food allergy and millions more have food intolerances. Science can now make certain foods less fearful for millions of Canadians. The possibilities are limitless.
But genomic editing is not a panacea against all our ills. Alarmist groups have already started to voice concerns about genome editing.
To some extent, these groups are simply sending the message that more research is needed on this topic and that we must all proceed with extreme caution in this area. In science, nothing is absolute or even perfect, and we need to recognize the risks of gene editing over time.
The other challenge lies in transparency. Every day, we are all exposed to various food products that contain genetically modified ingredients, without knowing where they are. Over 75% of all food products sold in a mainstream grocery store in Canada are believed to contain some form of genetically modified ingredient, and the labels do not mention it. In Canada, there is a good chance that, without knowing it, you have already eaten genetically modified salmon. And there is nothing illegal about it!
In order for people to develop a fondness for technologies that make our agriculture more efficient and more beneficial for all, we should at least educate consumers about the upstream farm practices that they benefit from every day. Even more worryingly, the majority of consumers do not fully understand or do not care about these technologies. For further awareness, identifying the presence of genetically modified or edited ingredients in retail products would be a starting point.