BRAINCAKESafety of GM Crops
Before a GM crop can be grown or eaten, it must be assessed for risks to human health and the environment. In the UK this is overseen by government regulators, and each crop is assessed case by case.
Human health
• Allergens: a new protein could trigger allergies. Each new protein is compared with known allergens and tested, which is how the allergenic Brazil nut gene soya was detected.
• Toxins: the crop is checked for harmful substances and for unexpected changes in its composition.
• Antibiotic resistance: there was concern that antibiotic resistance marker genes could pass from GM food to gut bacteria. Transfer of genes between unrelated organisms is called horizontal gene transfer. The risk is thought to be very low, but marker genes are now often removed or replaced.
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Key terms in this lesson
- buffer zone
- An area of unplanted land left around a GM crop trial to reduce the spread of pollen to other plants.
More in Gene Technology
- Cloning Plants
- Genetic Modification of Crops
- Genetic Modification of Soya Bean
- Gene Technology in Animals
- Gene Technology in Humans
- Knockout Mice
- Human Gene Therapy
- Ethics
All 17 lessons in Gene Technology · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics