Biotechnology
Biotechnology is technology that is derived from or is applied to living organisms. Some older biotechnologies that have been used by man for centuries to produce foods and beverages were derived entirely from nature. Examples are:
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fermentation used in brewing, winemaking and production of other foods and beverages |
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production of cheeses using naturally occurring moulds and enzymes |
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production of yogurt and cured meats using bacterial cultures |
Although mostly based on traditionally used biotechnologies, advanced biotechnologies developed mainly in the last quarter of the twentieth century include those used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, health care diagnostics, advanced industrial materials, food additives and ingredients, agricultural inputs and genetic engineering.
What does genetically modified mean?
The word modify means to change. The word genetically refers to traits, characteristics or qualities of plants that are determined by their genetic composition as opposed to the conditions under which the plants are grown. Plants that are genetically modified are therefore changed in their genetic composition from others of the same genetic family and as a consequence, are usually different in terms of their appearance, how they grow, their resistance to diseases and pests, processing characteristics or even nutritional composition.
Genetic modification can take place in nature or through intervention of man. Genetic modification can occur by:
spontaneous mutation, a change in genetic structure that is normally expressed in a change in characteristic that occurs without any intervention from mankind, such as a variation in flower colour, leaf pattern or disease resistance natural selection, that occurs without intervention from mankind through survival of the most disease resistant or weather tolerant plants deliberate selection, of the most desirable plants by man for cultivation and propagation (creating more plants through cuttings, dividing, tissue culture or breeding) breeding, that takes known strains or varieties (parents) that have been selected for their desired traits, with the objective of strengthening or combining these traits in the subsequent generations through in-breeding or cross-breeding mutagenesis, bringing about mutations (changes in genetic structure that are expressed in plant appearance, growth behaviour or nutritional composition) by exposing plants or genetic material to a chemical or some form of radiation (varieties exhibiting favourable changes are then normally bred with other known varieties) genetic engineering, using advanced biotechnology to re-structure the genetic material within a species or to transplant genetic material from one species to another (transgenic)
Is wheat genetically modified?
All wheat varieties that are currently commercially grown in Canada and the United States and elsewhere in the world for food use have been modified through selection, mutagenesis and breeding. In other words, the genetic composition of these varieties is significantly different from that of the first wheat variety introduced to Canada from Europe in about 1851, known as Red Fife wheat.
Over the past 150 years, farmers and cereal breeders have deliberately tried to develop new wheat varieties that are superior in some way to older varieties. Some of the benefits achieved through this process without the use of genetic engineering have been wheats that have:
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Is wheat genetically engineered?
As of the beginning of the year 2000, there are no genetically engineered wheats in commercial production or imported for food use in Canada.
In order for a wheat variety to be grown commercially for food or animal feed use in Canada, the variety must be licensed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Involved in the massive testing that supports the licensing program is the Canadian Grain Commission (click here), a federal government agency that oversees varietal evaluation, grain inspection and the inspection and licensing of grain handling and processing facilities. To date, no genetically engineered wheats are licensed for production in Canada or the United States.
Although research scientists and cereal breeders in Canada have access to the advanced biotechnologies that allow wheat and other crop species to be genetically engineered, there are no genetically engineered wheat varieties that have been brought forward for licensing under the Canadian Grain Commission system. It is currently thought that no genetically engineered wheat varieties will be eligible for licensing in Canada before 2003.
Is wheat flour genetically engineered?
Because there are no genetically engineered wheat varieties available for milling in Canada, no Canadian wheat flour contains genetically modified wheat.
How will consumers know if cereal foods contain genetically engineered ingredients?
Canada is currently developing a standard for the voluntary labelling of all foods and beverages that contain ingredients derived from genetic engineering under an initiative of the Canadian General Standards Board, a federal government agency. It is expected that the new labelling standard will be completed and in use before 2001.
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