CropBiotech

Gregorio elaborated that the scientific community first called the world's attention to micronutrient malnutrition in the late 1970s and 1980s. In the 1980s, it was estimated that two billion people were at risk of iron deficiency anemia, 1.6 billion of iodine deficiency disorders, and more than 250 million young children of Vitamin A deficiency. More than a decade later, food fortification and supplementation programs have seen some success, but micronutrient malnutrition continues to plague a large proportion of the world's poor.

GM technology has the potential to make food in greater quantity and better quality available to populations that need it most. In recent years, researchers have also explored creating transgenic crops that produce specific dietary molecules, including vitamins and fats. One example is Golden Rice which was developed to increase the dietary intake of Vitamin A. Genetic modification has also been used to develop soybeans with increased levels of oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty acid thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease and the accumulation of 'bad' cholesterol.

However, Gregorio says that the potential application of GM technology in helping provide more nutritious food crops - especially in developing countries - requires consideration of some issues. GM technology should be equally or more cost-effective, nutritionally effective, and sustainable than interventions such as fortification and supplementation programs already being used. It is crucial that the introduced trait will actually result in a measurable improvement in the nutritional status of the malnourished, target population.

The use of GM technology should be considered in the context of conventional breeding techniques since some traits can be introduced through the latter. There should be no serious, negative agronomic consequences associated with the characteristic being added. Lastly, consumer acceptance of the product is valuable. Gregorio further adds that while these points must seriously be considered, it is important not to be overly cautious since the benefits to developing countries are potentially significant.