Experts concerned about the safety of genetically modified crops said that insect-resistant genes are harmless to humans

According to the Voice of China's “News Evening Peak” report, during the two sessions, Academician Yuan Longping’s phrase “The people are not mice” once again triggered people’s attention on genetically modified crops. What is the current state of research and development of genetically modified crops in China? What is the application situation? For edible genetically modified crops, it is said that even if insects eat, they will die. Will people eat anything? In response, the Voice of China reporter interviewed a dedicated researcher.

The insect-resistant GM crops are questioned as to how the insects will die: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 20% of the total increase in grain production comes from the increase in planting area, and 80% comes from the increase in yield, while the increase in yield is largely It depends on good breeds, so there is a genetic improvement technique for the breed. The improved seeds can not only increase production, improve quality, but also improve the ability to resist insects, disease, and drought. In the world today, except the United States, the United States, Mexico, and the Philippines have all developed better transgenic crops. At present, academics Yuan Longping said during the two sessions that there are two factions in the genetically modified, opposition and pros, and the opposition believes that the function of disease resistance and insect resistance in transgenic plants comes from the toxic protein gene. What will you do if you eat and die? The explanation of the proponents is that insects and human digestive tracts are completely different things. At present, the same insect-resistant genes are used in insect-resistant cotton and insect-resistant rice. According to Xie Jiajian, associate researcher at the Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and deputy director of the Ministry of Agriculture's Environmental Safety Supervision, Inspection and Testing Center, the insect-resistant gene is not Say that all bugs will be killed.

Experts: GM crops can only kill specific insects. Xie Jiajian: The bug can kill this sentence is not entirely correct, because it can only kill a certain class of insects, and some other insects are not the purpose of this section it is basic No effect. Our (transgenic) rice has little effect on insects in other field rice fields.

For Xie Jianjian, a genetic protein gene mentioned by the GM opposition, Xie Jianjian also talked about this issue.

Xie Jiajian: The poison protein gene is very specialized. This protein is derived from a kind of bacteria. It has been used as a pesticide for life for more than 70 years. It has not been found for so long that it has any harm to people. What is not toxic or allergic? And our pest-resistant cotton and US insect-resistant corn have not been reported to be harmful to humans for more than ten years, which means that this gene is also safe from long-term use. We are in the process of commercializing genetically modified genes. It is also safe.

On August 17, 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture approved two kinds of security certificates for the production and application of transgenic rice and corn. From there, questions concerning the food safety, food security, and economic interests involved in genetic modification have been discussed. Will GM crops be commercialized? If you want to promote, what kind of procedures should be adopted?

The GM crops have not been licensed for commercial production and have not entered the market. On the eve of the two sessions, the Legal Affairs Office of the State Council has issued a “Draft for Soliciting Opinions on Food Law” drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Grain Administration Bureau in conjunction with the relevant departments, of which Article 12 specifically states that “Transgenic The scientific research, testing, production, sales, import and export of grain seeds shall comply with the relevant national regulations. No unit or individual may arbitrarily apply genetically modified technologies on major grain varieties,” said Chen Xiwen, deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group and director of the office. At present, GM crops have not yet entered the market.

Chen Xiwen: Regarding genetically modified corn and rice, as far as I know, the relevant departments have not approved its commercial production, so it is impossible to appear in the market.

Chen Wanquan, deputy director of the Institute of Plant Protection of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that whether or not genetically modified varieties are used, a new species must be subjected to rigorous procedures before it can be used.

Chen Wanquan: After the new varieties come out, whether they are genetically modified or non-transgenic, they must go through a set of procedures. After two years of regional experimentation after the new varieties are released, we can compare the experimental output, quality, resistance to pests and diseases in different regions, and then whether the production experiment can be used in production, that is, two years of regional experiments for a one-year production experiment. After the review of the experts, it was said that it was possible to pass the validation. Such a procedure.

For the insect-resistant rice that has obtained the Ministry of Agriculture's safety certificate, Xie Jiajian said that if he wants to commercialize the crop, he should also get a seed permit.

Xie Jiajian: Insect-resistant rice was a safety certificate obtained in 2009. A variety must enter a commercial production and get a seed license to sell it. Now that it may not have completed these approvals, it has not yet been able to Go to the ground, but this is not a question of its safety, because we only think of it as safe as long as we get the security certificate.