Allergy and Toxicity
Allergy
Potential health risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) relate to assessing and minimizing the risk of food allergens in genetically improved food.
New biotechnology-based methods allow the identification, characterization and minimization of risks of food allergens. Genetically improved crops and food, and the risk of allergens associated with them, are now a concern throughout the world, especially in industrial countries.
More than 90 per cent of food allergens that occur in 2 percent of adults and 4-6 percent of children are associated with eight food groups.
Allergenicity of genetically improved foods can be raised in crops and foods either by raising the level of endogenous allergen or by introducing a new allergen.
Learn more about toxicity in our sections on bioweapons and organism pathogenicity.
Allergy
Assessment of the risk of allergens is a challenge. The International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) has developed a decision tree that provides a framework for risk assessment. It uses the following criterion:
That an introduced protein in a food is not a concern if there is:
(1) No history of common allergenicity,
(2) No similar amino acid sequence to known allergens,
(3) Rapid digestion of the protein, and
(4) The protein is expressed at low levels.
Toxicity
Consumers want to know where the potential for food allergens exists. Any protein added to food should be assessed for potential allergenicity, whether it is added by genetic engineering or by manufacturing.
There are several related areas of concern with regard to potential human health risks of genetically improved foods including allergy, toxicity, carcinogenicity, food intolerances, the risk of the use of gene markers for antibiotic resistance, other macromolecules aside from protein that could be potential allergens and nutritional value.
Toxicity
Toxicity is associated with genetically modified organisms (GMO) which are often used for the production of single cell protein (SCP) for human food and animals feed.
Unpredictable gene expression may lead to serious illness and toxicity.
Learn more about toxicity in our section on bioweapons.
Allergy and Toxicity
Risk of allergy and toxicity can also occur with ground or aerial spraying of pesticides and other chemicals.
Typically, those workers are not given training or appropriate personal protective equipment They also do not have access to procedures and equipment used to remove the contaminants.
As told in the Donna Bird's story, aerial spraying of pesticides can affect anyone in the area, causing serious injury and death to animals and people.
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