Apples that don't oxidize and more nutritious tomatoes: the new wave of genetically modified organisms

BarcelonaIn 1975, following a conference on recombinant DNA in Asilomar, California, a moratorium—self-imposed and widely accepted by experts—came into effect to allow time to assess the risks of the new technology, which for the first time allowed the mixing of genetic material from different species, thus creating modified organisms. The potential applications were fabulous, as was the possibility of generating unimaginable disasters. It was necessary to carefully consider the consequences of using the knowledge that had been acquired and to agree on minimum regulations that everyone could follow.

Today, as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of that historic moment, GMOs are part of our lives, and the worst predictions have not come to pass, largely because Asilomar paved the way. Despite its bad reputation in some circles, Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, have proven to be safe for consumption and also for the environment.That's why supermarket shelves around the world are full of products made with genetically modified oils, sugars, or corn derivatives, especially in processed foods. Many fruits and vegetables—like apples and potatoes—are also often genetically modified, and cows and chickens are frequently fed genetically modified crops.

A new wave of OMG

Regulations vary from country to country to adapt to the sensitivities of its citizens. In Europe, one of the most restrictive regions, there are rules that require clear labeling of products containing genetically modified ingredients. However, this requirement does not apply to meat or products derived from animals fed with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs, therefore, are well established worldwide and form a stable part of the food chain, despite the opposition they generate among some people.

The discovery a dozen years ago of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which allows for very precise genetic alterations to be made with relative easeIt has opened up the possibility of creating modified organisms without having to resort to mixing genes from other species, since it allows rewriting the genome in situThus, a new wave of GMOs is now arriving that doesn't fit the legal definition and, therefore, in many countries is not subject to the same regulations. In Japan, for example, they already have tomatoes with added nutrients and fish that mature more rapidly. And in the United States, you can buy apples and mushrooms that don't brown.

The possibilities opened up by CRISPR far surpass anything that has been achieved so far in the field of GMOs. And not only in food: a controversy has recently erupted because horses modified with CRISPR by the organization Kheiron Biotech have been banned from competing in polo matches. These animals are, to begin with, clones of Polo Pureza, an Argentinian mare that has won several awards. Furthermore, the sequence of a gene that allows for faster muscle contraction has been altered. The result is five horses, now about a year old, with the agility of the original and increased speed, ideal for the demands of polo.

Since no foreign sequence has been introduced, the clones cannot technically be considered transgenic, despite being genetically modified organisms. But the Argentine Polo Association has also banned them from competitions in a sport that is very popular in the country, arguing that it is unfair to those who dedicate themselves to producing elite horses using traditional selective breeding strategies.

Common on farms

Despite everything, animals genetically modified with CRISPR are already becoming commonplace on farms, where one can find everything from heat-resistant cows (useful for maintaining productivity in countries with extreme climates) to more muscular sheep (to produce more meat), as well as pigs resistant to diseases or that do not generate immune reactions.

Opposition to GMOs, although it no longer has any scientific justification after half a century of studying them, is partly understandable if one considers certain monopolistic practices of those who control their patents, as well as the implicit risk they carry of destroying biodiversity in some farming areas. But this apprehension has also suffered collateral damage, such as the famous golden rice, which contains a precursor to vitamin A, and which is believed to be able to prevent blindness in parts of the world where there are deficiencies of this essential vitamin for sight. Twenty-five years after its creation, the fervent resistance of groups like Greenpeace has prevented it from reaching its full potential. It remains to be seen whether CRISPR-modified organisms will be equally safe, whether they will generate the same backlash from activists, and how long it will take to resolve the current legal vacuum surrounding them.