Need GM? articles:
You will almost certainly have read claims about GM crops with supposed nutritional benefits. Two of the most hyped are Golden Rice and GM tomatoes with supposed anti-cancer properties. These crops have, however, to date not been commercialised, even though in the case of Golden Rice it has been promoted as a life-saver for over a decade.
But while stories about GM "miracles" are lapped up uncritically by the media, non-GM research into solving exactly the same kind of problems seems to get minimal if any reporting, even though it has been far more successful.
Of course, a note of caution needs to be struck about food faddism. The supposed benefits of foods we've been told are healthy in the past have often later been brought into serious question. Even beta carotene, the friendly substance found in yellow and green vegetables, is presented by different authorities as variously a cancer fighter and a cancer promoter.
But for those who are attracted by the idea of "neutraceutical" foods, we don't need GM. Here are some non-GM examples of supposed "superfoods".
Beans
Non-GM iron-rich beans for Rwanda (April 2010)
Broccoli
Super-broccoli with high levels of chemicals credited with warding off cancer, health problems (October 2011)
Cassava
Cassava enriched with extra beta-carotene will be launched in 2011 by HarvestPlus (November 2010)
Cowpea
Maize
Non-GM beta-carotene enriched orange maize (September 2010)
Designed to help vitamin A deficiency.
Vitamin A equivalence of the β-carotene in β-carotene–biofortified maize porridge consumed by women. Shanshan Li, Angela Nugroho, Torbert Rocheford and Wendy S White. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (September 1, 2010).
Iron-fortified non-GM maize cuts anaemia rates in children (May 2007)
Fortifying cereals with a type of iron supplement reduces anaemia, iron-deficiency anaemia and general iron deficiency in children in developing countries, according to new research.
Millet
High-iron pearl millet update (August 2011)
Millet rich in iron will be launched in 2011 by HarvestPlus (November 2010)
Peanuts
US scientists develop low-allergy peanuts (June 2010)
Scientists in the US are developing "low-allergy" peanuts, offering hope to thousands of people with allergies associated with the popular seed.
Non-GM process for allergen-free peanuts (July 2007)
An agricultural researcher at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has developed a simple process to make allergen-free peanuts. The new process – believed to be a first for food science – could provide relief to millions of peanut allergy sufferers, and be an enormous boon to the entire peanut industry.
Potato
"Healthy" non-GM purple potato goes on sale in UK supermarkets (October 2010)
UK scientists breed non-GM purple potato (January 2009)
A purple potato high in antioxidants has been developed by scientists at the Scottish Crop Research Institute.
Rice
Low arsenic rice discovered in Bangladesh could have major health benefits (February 2013)
Malaysian scientists develop high yielding non-GM red rice with low glycaemic index for diabetics (April 2012)
New non-GM rice strain could help atopic dermatitis and diabetes (December 2009)
The rice contains highly concentrated Cyanidin-3-Glucoside or C3G which is known to ease symptoms of atopic dermatitis and diabetes.
Soybeans
Swiss develop healthier, more digestible soybean (December 2010)
New soybeans bred for oil that's more heart-healthy (September 2010)
USDA and university scientists have conventionally bred new soybean lines to have high levels of oleic acid, meaning more monounsaturated fat, allowing less need for resorting to hydrogenation.
Sweet potato
Orange beta carotene-enriched sweet potato a hit in Mozambique (November 2011)
Beta carotene-enriched sweet potato already improving health, self-sufficiency in Solomon Islands (July 2010)
Gates Foundation supports non-GM beta carotene-rich sweet potato in Africa (April 2006)
HarvestPlus received a US$ 6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to introduce a nutritionally improved staple food - orange-fleshed sweet potato - into the diets of the undernourished in East Africa. As of November 2010, the sweet potato is already on the market. 2011 update: Orange sweet potatoes not just for Africa.
Tomatoes
Purple anthocyanin-rich anti-cancer tomato – seeds are actually on the market (January 2012)
Another non-GM anti-cancer purple tomato (December 2011)
Brazilian researchers have developed a purple tomato high in anthocyanins and vitamin C, nutrients that are thought to have anti-cancer properties.
Non-GM anti-cancer supertomato (July 2010)
Italian producers have unveiled a new 'supertomato' which they claim has the potential to slow the aging process as well as offering better quality and taste.
High beta-carotene non-GM tomatoes for West Africa (March 2009)
The Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center - The World Vegetable Center has released the results of the evaluation of 20 tomato lines for adoption in West Africa. The testing is a part of a project on Vegetable Breeding and Seed Systems for Poverty Alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa.
Wheat
Zinc-enriched wheat will be launched in 2011 by HarvestPlus (November 2010)
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