CRISPR

THE MODERN FOOD ERA: FROM LAB TO KITCHEN

Developing gene editing technology changes the approach to food

Article by Maneesh Rajulapati Graphic by Jaidyn Holt

which can release harmful toxins to nearby is nothing different about them except the inorganisms. This improves the overall quality troduced genes,” Smith said.

Venturing into the 21st century, society of plants, global agriculture and food security. The public also believes that these types of stands in the midst of a technological revolu- Another viable use of CRISPR is saving en- crops could exacerbate climate change, but tion. Such modern innovation has even found dangered food plants. Oranges and chocolate this doesn’t have to be the case. Smith said that its way into the realm of could be gone before 2100, organisms could be engineered to have elevatfood, redefining and resizing the typical “plate.” Thanks to gene editing, “The GM products are safe. There is nothing but CRISPR can avoid such extinctions by creating plants with better longevied carbon dioxide saturation levels, meaning these plants would remove more CO2 from the atmosphere. Further, CRISPR can remove red carrots, non-browning different about them ty. Aside from helping the lawn weeds which greatly contribute to CO2 apples and decaffeinated coffee beans could soon be- except the introduced actual plant, this will also betters the shelf life of their levels. This is done by creating plants that have larger storages for energy. come everyday meals. How- genes.” products, eliminating exces- Other obstacles deal with how this tech afever, the majority of these new food varieties will be - Scottie Smith, AP sive food waste. However, despite the nufects the economy. At the current moment, farmers and small businesses make up the indistinguishable from their Biology Teacher merous promising benefits, foundation of the food industry. National non-edited counterparts. In CRISPR food tech- Geographic reported that farms accounted for fact, it's likely that genetically modified foods nology has many barriers to 70% of the world’s food. However, capitalizing have already become staples in your kitchen. cross before its products CRISPR can shift the industry into the hands

The ability to engineer food to have desir- can fall into consumer’s of big corporations. The reaction to farmers able traits has made food science an emerging hands. The first obstacle potentially being driven out of the market for hot topic. The most efficient way to do food is society’s growing con- monopolizing corporations cannot be predictediting has been the genetic modification of cern with the ethics of ed, but the recent farmer riots in India are a macromolecules: proteins, carbs, lipids and genetic modification. AP good indication as to how this could turn out. nucleic acids. Current developments in this Biology teacher Scottie Nevertheless, Smith and others believe that area of research have used CRISPR, a gene Smith states that this large the benefits of CRISPR food editing technology. CRISPRs are specialized public distrust could be due technology outweigh the stretches of DNA that control the enzymes to having a misinformed harms. Smith states that responsible for cutting DNA. Discovered in public. In fact, a majority this tech would still go 2012, CRISPR technology involves introduc- of the food people already through the same legal ing foreign DNA into an organism in order to consume are GMOs. The process that any other enable or disable their genes. For both animals National Center for Food food production methand plants, CRISPR has made the editing pro- & Agricultural Policy re- od would, ensuring its cess cheaper and easier. Cancer.gov states that ported that 85% of domes- implementation won’t CRISPR has been used for a variety of purpos- tic corn is modified, as well cause disastrous and neges such as improving immune defense respons- as most brands of corn flake ative consequences. es. Its ability to help protect against viruses has cereals. Other common “Most of the time it even led to experimental trials of using CRIS- kitchen items that have doesn’t change the effetivePR to detect the coronavirus. already been edited in- ness or taste—in fact, some-

Modern utilization of CRISPR deals with clude cooking vegeta- times the taste is enhanced,” potentially increasing crop yield, which will bles—like potatoes and Smith said. “Such gene editwork to curb world hunger. The World Bank soybeans—fruits, canola ing can only be dangerous if finds that GDP per capita increases when pop- and even milk. genes are implemented that ulation hunger levels decrease. New accelerat- “It’s because people don’t understand these can trigger allergenicity [which ed plant domestication will help in boosting genetically modified foods. People fear what hasn’t happened]. Aside from yield rates. These new plant variants can adapt they don’t understand. If people realised that that, these are just the genes to changing global conditions by being more they actually consume such foods daily, then and foods we’ve been eating our resistant to droughts, herbicides, insecticide they’d calm down. GMs are just a faster way whole life.” and antibiotics. Resistance to the environ- to breed an organism than traditional breeding ment can end the use of pesticides globally, mechanisms. The GM products are safe. There