Agricultural experts: Most people in China eat genetically modified foods

He has worked for many years in the Plant Protection Institute of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Institute of Biotechnology of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences. He has been engaged in genetic research and promotion for nearly 30 years. Participated in the study of transgenic insect-resistant cotton, participated in the research and formulation of China's first law for the management of transgenic safety, "Agricultural Biological Gene Engineering Safety Management Implementation Measures."

Recently, a series of events once again made "transgenic" a hot topic. Last week, Zhangye City of Gansu Province issued a ban on genetic modification. Prior to this, the French mouse-carcinogenic experiment, Cui Yong-yuan’s visit to the United States to investigate genetically modified and golden rice experimental violations, and the academician’s letter calling for the industrialization of genetically modified plants have made ordinary people “understand” more and more. A few days ago, the Beijing News reporter interviewed the researcher of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the director of the Ministry of Agriculture's key laboratory of crop molecular biology, and Huang Dazhao, member of the National Agriculture Genetically Modified Organism Safety Committee. He said that most people in China have already eaten genetically modified foods.

About safety and safety assessment has considered impact on future generations

Beijing News: Recently, Zhangye City issued a ban on genetically modified plants, which clearly prohibits the cultivation of genetically modified crops. What do you think?

Huang Dazhao: From the 1980s to the present, a series of central documents, the major policies are to actively develop new technologies and technologies, including genetically modified technologies. With regard to genetic modification, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the entire species. If it encounters any problems, it has to report.

Beijing News: But there are also arguments that some domestic and foreign experiments have proven that genetically modified foods are harmful.

Huang Dazhao: The deterioration of the sperm quality of university students is a rumor that a French mouse carcinogenic experiment was conducted and the results of the experiment were later negated by the EU Food Safety Administration.

It is also impossible for the public to accept all the basic knowledge of science. There are doubts among individual experts. This is also permissible. But there is one thing that the public can believe is the community of scientists and the authority of scientific research. The community of scientists at home and abroad now recognizes the safety of genetically modified organisms. Even the chairman of the European Union Scientific Advisory Committee, which has a conservative attitude, has recently issued a statement stating that genetic modification is safe.

Beijing News: Can we guarantee security now, but can we protect it in the future?

Huang Dazhao: The public often wants things that are absolutely safe. In fact, any technology has risks. However, new technologies have undergone scientific research and have controlled the risks. This is safe.

In fact, our current security evaluation procedures and methods have already considered the impact on future generations. This is not yet a standard set by our country. It is a set of procedures that have been concluded through long-term research at home and abroad. It can predict what will happen in the future. It can be said that the control of genetically modified security risks can be done. Facts have proved that the large-scale industrialization of genetically modified organisms has been for 20 years. Nothing has happened. About Edible GMO crops in 28 countries around the world

Beijing News: Cui Yongyuan recently conducted a GM survey in the United States and found that Americans do not know whether they are genetically modified or not. In the United States, there are also many experts who oppose genetic modification.

Huang Dazhao: I didn't go with Cui Yongyuan. I don't know how he investigated it. But authorities and official scientists in the United States all say that more than 70% of our food contains genetically modified components. I think that Cui Yongyuan must go to the United States to eat. No matter who eats, whether it is fast food or ordinary food, what kind of oil is used. Most of them contain genetically modified ingredients.

The American people do not care about this because the government says most of them have genetically modified components. The United States does not impose a requirement to label transgenes or non-genetically modified genes. The scientific community does not consider it necessary, and considering the fairness of competition, it is not allowed to use non-transgenic symbols to sell more money.

Beijing News: Some people say that three quarters of the world's population has already eaten genetically modified foods. Is this something?

Huang Dazhao: Last year, 28 countries in the world formally approved the large-scale cultivation of genetically modified crops. They also ate when they were planted. In addition, nearly 30 countries allowed the import of genetically modified crops as food feeds, adding up to nearly 60 countries. Can not do without genetic modification. In these 60 countries, the population accounts for three quarters of the world’s population.

The earliest development of transgenic technology was in the United States. The first genetically modified food was eaten since 1996. Now 28 countries around the world are planting genetically modified crops, and more than 50 countries are importing genetically modified crop products, processing food and feed, including us. Most people in China have also eaten genetically modified foods. For example, genetically modified soybeans are finally pressed into soybean oil. This is genetically modified food.

About Regulating Folk Tasting to Uniformly Process Genetically Modified Food

Beijing News: Some time ago, Hunan's “golden rice” experiment was confirmed to have indeed violated regulations. Recently, China’s grain reserves also apologized for the inflow of GM rapeseeds into the country’s reserve. Is there a problem with the regulatory level?

Huang Dazhao: China has formulated the legal terms and rules and regulations for genetic modification. For so many years, it has ensured the safety of genetic modification and promoted the development of our country's genetically modified technology. It should be said that it has contributed. However, China is such a big country. The situation is very complicated. Supervision has not been fully implemented and can only be improved in practice.

These two examples do illustrate that many issues at the regulatory level require further study and are gradually resolved. However, they should not be killed because of these problems. They think that the government does not seem to be regulated and is finally confused with security issues to further combat the development of GM.

Beijing News: In the recent past, there have been many GM tasting sessions in the private sector. However, some people questioned that it is illegal to eat GM foods without state approval. You also participated in Beijing's GM tasting. What do you think?

Huang Dazhao: Netizens and consumers have spontaneously organized some genetically modified food tasting. As long as these crops are not cultivated on a large scale without approval, they have not violated the relevant regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture. For example, rice is not commercialized. It is still a kind of experimental product. Experimental materials must be treated in a unified manner and cannot be distributed to markets or fields. If this is done, it is in conformity with the safety evaluation of the Ministry of Agriculture and there is no violation of safety regulations.

In our last corn tasting session in Beijing, we asked all volunteers to see that all the corn were treated in a unified manner. The last remaining leaves and sticks were all treated in a unified manner and there was no substance leftover from genetically modified organisms. The field is strictly in accordance with the safety regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture. It's possible to miss the opportunity to promote without development

Beijing News: Recently, 61 academicians signed a joint letter calling for advancement of genetically modified industries. Why are academicians so anxious to develop genetic modification?

Huang Dazhao: The academician has taken into consideration China's food security and scientific and technological competitiveness. Without further development, the academician may have missed the opportunity for development. Transgenic plants can increase production, ensure food security, and if promoted, can reduce pesticides by 80%.

Textiles in our country are very cheap now. If we did not develop transgenic insect-resistant cotton, we would not have such a prosperous textile market. At that time, if we did not develop our own insect-resistant cotton, 60% of our cotton market's profits would go to foreign companies.

Our soybean crop is so controlled. We consume more than 50 million tons of soybeans, and 80% of the domestic market is controlled by foreign soybeans. If we do not develop ourselves, we will eventually be controlled by foreign countries. What food security is there? Once the price of grain goes up, the price of soybeans goes up. Can we buy a bucket of oil for ten yuan and twenty dollars? At that time, 100 yuan and 200 yuan may not be available.

Beijing News: Many people are worried that foreign bio companies will control the market through seeds and implement monopolies.

Huang Dazhao: Foreign companies certainly want to enter the Chinese market and even monopolize the market. Can we simply not import GM crops? It is not enough for us now. We cannot import it. What's more important is that, if we do not develop ourselves, we will rely on imports to solve the urgent and growing needs of China. We must speed up our own development, truly meet our needs, and compete with multinational companies.

For the government, it is necessary to actively promote the development of genetically modified technologies in accordance with laws and policies. Second, it is necessary to strengthen popular science propaganda. Third, we must improve management and strengthen supervision. We believe that the government will continue to work hard in this regard.