Biotech Food - The Battle Heats Up
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Imagine a spider biting a high school student and transferring spectacular, spider-like powers to the unsuspecting teen. This famous plot device is not so far-fetched today. Although scientists won’t be creating Spider-Man anytime soon, they are breaking the natural boundaries that exist between species and creating new plants and animals that exhibit extraordinary traits. For example, genes from salmon can be spliced into tomatoes to make them more resistant to cold weather. “Biotechnology is one of tomorrow’s tools in our hands today,” say executives at Monsanto, a corporation that believes genetically modified organisms (GMOs) benefit humanity. But critics of GMOs caution that public safety and ethical concerns override the potential benefits. “Swapping genes between organisms can produce unknown toxic effects and allergies,” says Dr. Vyvyan Howard, an expert in infant development.

A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

Supporters claim that genetically modified food will save billions of people from starvation because seeds can be engineered to produce more abundant and nutritious food and to create disease-resistant crops. As proof of the benefits, GMO backers describe a new species of corn engineered to resist the European corn borer. This insect destroys 7 percent of the world’s corn crop each year, an amount that could feed 60 million people. According to Anthony Trewavas, a leading researcher on GMOs, continued development of GMOs “is a matter of life and death.”

TOO RISKY TO EAT

Opponents call GMOs “Frankenfoods,” a label they hope will raise ethical concerns about human beings tampering with the natural order of life; after all, Frankenstein turned against his creator. Might the same thing happen with GMOs, which, like Frankenstein, are entirely man-made and never would have appeared in nature? Nobel Prize winner Dr. George Wald expressed this fear when he warned that restructuring nature “may be not only unwise, but dangerous.”

Until independent, long-term studies determine that GMOs are safe for humans and the environment, critics demand that America join the coalition of 30 countries, including Japan and many European nations, that has banned GMO crops. “Most ill effects from food and allergies are not easily quantified until after the disaster,” says Professor Joe Cummins of the University of Western Ontario .

THE JEWISH VIEW

Judaism places some limits on our ability to tinker with nature. The Torah prohibits mating of animals from different species and grafting of different species of trees (Vayikra 19:19 ). However, Judaism places no parallel limits on gene meaning that we have the right to do so whenever our efforts will improve the world rather than damage it. Because GMOs have the potential to create a more abundant food supply for the benefit of starving people, most rabbinic authorities permit genetic engineering. While the critics point out the risk of unknown harm, these authorities believe that the known benefits of GMOs outweigh potential dangers that are not identifiable now. Judaism’s view of GMOs is consistent with our tradition’s overall view of our responsibility as God’s partners and as guardians of the Earth for the coming generations: “Be careful not to spoil or destroy My world, for if you do, there will be nobody after you to repair it” (Kohelet Rabbah 7:28 ).