BREAKTHROUGHS IN

BIOTECHNOLOGY

1.
Biotechnology
The use of gene science to
create new products from plants
and animals

1.
Biotechnology
Provides
• Improved food
products
• Medical
advances
• An enhanced
environment

2.
Progress In Agriculture
• Achievements of
dedicated researchers
• Farmers adopting
improved farming
practices

3.
What Has Research Given Us?
• Hybridization
• Fermentation
• Pasteurization

4.
Traditional
Cross-Breeding

5.
Biotechnology:
Tapping Nature’s
Bounty

6.
 Improved
Food Products

7.
Benefits Through
Biotechnology
• Longer shelf life
• Better taste
• Enhanced
nutritional value

8.
Biotechnology Breakthroughs

• New food enzyme used during

cheese making process
– Chymosin (1990)
– First biotechnology food product
approved in the United States

9.
Biotechnology Breakthroughs

• Higher protein peanuts

• Longer shelf life for bananas
and pineapples
• Sweeter bell peppers
• Tastier tomatoes
• Lower fat vegetable oils

10.
Medical
Advances

12.
Biotechnology Breakthroughs

• Insulin (1982)
– First commercial biotech product
– Reliable, inexpensive source of insulin
• Rice
– Enriched with beta-carotene and iron
• Bananas
– Containing edible hepatitis vaccine

13.
Biotechnology Breakthroughs

• Potatoes with higher solid content

• Garlic that lowers cholesterol
• Fruits and vegetables that reduce
risks of cancer and heart disease

14.
An Enhanced
Environment

15.
Environmental Benefits

• Reduced pesticide use

• Lower energy requirements
• Cleaner water
• Less soil erosion

16.
 BREAKTHROUGHS IN
BIOTECHNOLOGY

17.
Looking Out
for United States
• Environmental Protection Agency
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Food and Drug Administration

20.
World Authorities
Support Biotechnology
• American Medical Association
• American Dietetic Association
• Institute of Food Technologists
• World Health Organization
• Food and Agricultural Organization
of the United Nations

21.
“…plant varieties created with biotechnology
are grown more efficiently and economically
than traditional crops. This eventually should
result in a more nutritious product at less
cost to the consumer as well as reduced
pesticide use and greater environmental
protection.”

The American Society for Microbiology

22.
“The campaign of fear now being
waged against genetic modification is
based largely on fantasy and complete
lack of respect for science and logic.”

Dr. Patrick Moore

Environmental Consultant
Co-Founder of Greenpeace

23.
“I believe the world will be able to produce
the food needed to feed the projected
population of about 8.3 billion in the year
2025…but it cannot be attained without
permitting the use of technologies now
available or without research to further
improve and utilize new technologies,
including biotechnology and recombinant
DNA.”
Norman Borlaug, Ph.D.
Professor, Texas A&M University
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 1970

24.
“While biotechnology is not a panacea for
every nutritional and agricultural problem,
it is a powerful tool to increase food
production, protect the environment,
improve the healthfulness of foods, and
produce valuable pharmaceuticals. It
should not be rejected…”

Michael Jacobson
Executive Director
Center for Science in the Public Interest

25.
Consumers Say Their Support for
Biotechnology Would Increase
If Biotechnology...

57% Improves taste of food

65% Improves nutritional value of food
69% Increases food production
73% Reduces pesticide use

American Farm Bureau Federation Consumer Poll

18.
Consumer Food Safety
Concerns
#1 Spoiled food
#2 Improper food handling
#3 Pesticides
#4 Artificial ingredients
#5 Biotechnology

19.
Biotechnology
Provides
• Improved food
products
• Medical advances
• An enhanced
environment

27.
Questions?

28.
 BREAKTHROUGHS IN
BIOTECHNOLOGY

29.