transgenics are living organisms (usually plants and animals) genetically modified.
With the advancement of genetic engineering, the possibility of altering the DNA of some living beings emerged in order to enhance or create certain characteristics that would be unfeasible to be produced by nature.
Genetic modification can include different types of techniques, such as manipulation of recombinant DNA from different species, cell fusion, hybridizations and so on.
Transgene and Transgenic
Many people confuse these two terms and consider them synonymous. But, even though they are related, both have different meanings.
transgene it refers to the genetic material extracted from one living being and introduced into another.
transgenic, in turn, refers to the organism that has been genetically modified.
Transgenic foods
The term “transgenic” is popularly associated with foods produced from agriculture, such as vegetables, fruits and so on.
The main purpose of the creation of transgenic food is to develop products with better quality and resistance, mainly aiming at the profit of the producers.
There are numerous possibilities for genetic manipulation in agriculture, creating from plants more resistant to pests to foods richer in certain types of vitamins.
Learn more about Transgenic foods and the fruits.
Advantages and disadvantages
The production of transgenic products, mainly for human consumption, is the target of intense debate between the defenders of genetic manipulation and those who criticize this practice (such as the greenpeace, for example), accusing it of being harmful to health.
Check out the main pros and cons of transgenic foods:
Benefits
- They can prevent or prevent the risk of pests and diseases on crops;
- Increased productivity and crop yields;
- They may be more resistant to pesticides;
- Production of foods enriched with more proteins and specific vitamins;
- Remove characteristics that can be harmful to people (for example: remove lactose present in milk, for people who are allergic to this component).
Disadvantages
- Triggering of new types of allergies, due to different proteins created from genetic manipulation;
- They can create unexpected effects on the product, ie the effects can be unpredictable;
- Toxic substances can be produced when there is a loss of control over the handling of transgenics;
- Genetic alterations can cause serious ecological imbalances, affecting the food chain of a given ecosystem;
- Decrease in biodiversity.
Transgenics in Brazil
In Brazil, according to the National Technical Biosafety Commission (CTNBio), all transgenic products should be identified so that consumers know that the food they are consuming is genetically modified.
Another rule is the approval of Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation) before the production and sale of a certain transgenic product to the population.
See also the meaning of Recombinant DNA.
