Genetically Engineering
Our Future Food
Security
Dr Richard E. Goodman

GENETICALLYENGINEERING OUR FUTURE
FOOD SECURITY
Genetically modified crops can offer a range of environmental andhealth benefits, such as reduced usage of chemical pesticides,
improved farm efficiency and crop yields, and an enhanced
nutritional profile. Despite this, fears surrounding genetic
modification have led to a lack of acceptance of these foods bymany consumers, regulators, and governmental organisations.
Dr Richard Goodman from the Food Allergy Research and Resource
Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is helping to shift thenarrative around genetically modified crops, through his extensive
work evaluating their safety.

The Genetic Basis of LifeDNA acts as the master blueprint for all
plants and animals, instructing theirgrowing tissues to develop into, forinstance, a heart, or eyes, or leaves.
Differences in the genes inherited fromeach parent account for the wide varietyof characteristics seen within somespecies. For example, the variation ineye and hair colours, heights, facial
features, and even physiologicalcharacteristics in humans are a resultof the unique combination of genes weeach possess.
Small changes in the DNA – orgenetic ‘mutations’ – can lead to thedevelopment of novel and beneficial
characteristics. In plants, genetic
mutations arising over millions of yearsof evolution have allowed them toexploit a range of climates, adapt todiffering levels of water availability, andresist emergent diseases.
For the last few thousand years,
humans have been manipulating thedevelopment of plant characteristics
by selectively breeding plants withdesirable traits. In some cases, wholegenomes have been added in this way,for example in wheat and triticale.
However, some plants including potato
are rarely bred, and introducing new
traits for fungal and insect resistanceis very slow. The process of selective
breeding has provided us with crop
plants that are tastier, have enhanced
nutritional benefits, achieve higher
yields, and flourish in a range of climaticconditions.
Advancements in genetic technologies
over the last few decades have allowed
scientists to begin adding new genes
from different species or altering genes
directly, offering greater efficiency
than traditional breeding methods. By
using genetic modification, or ‘geneticengineering’ (GE), genes conferring abenefit, such as disease resistance, canbe transferred from one plant species toanother.
Inserting novel DNA into a plant is called‘transformation’, and is followed byrigorous testing and breeding programs
to ensure the transformed plants have
two copies of the new gene, and thatthey are stable, functional, and safe.
GE crops undergo extensive foodW WW.SCIENTIA.GLOBAL

safety testing to establish whether
they produce any potential allergens –compounds in food that can cause anallergic reaction in some individuals – asa result of the inserted gene.
Dr Richard Goodman and his teamat the Food Allergy Research andResource Program at the University ofNebraska–Lincoln are committed tocontinually improving the tools andtechniques used to assess the safetyof novel crop varieties, including GEcrops. The producers of GE crops andregulatory organisations are focused on
preventing an increase in avoidable riskof allergic reaction, especially where thetransferred gene may lead to productionof an allergen in a food crop where it
was previously absent.
In an effort to facilitate robust
and comprehensive food safetyassessments, Dr Goodman manages
the publicly available AllergenOnline,
an extensive database of searchable
amino acid sequences for suspected
and proven food allergens. This
resource allows food producers toidentify potential allergens in newly
developed crops and food products

based on matching sequences,improving the accuracy and efficiencyof the evaluation process. If significant
matches are identified, regulators
expect detailed tests using blood serum
samples from allergic individuals.
Benefits of GE Crops
The development of GE crops began
during the 1980s, when beneficial genes
from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis
were inserted into crops including
maize, soybean, and aubergine. Thesebacteria have been used extensively byorganic farmers to prevent caterpillars
and other pest insects from destroying
their crops, without relying on chemical
pesticides. Because many chemical
pesticides harm the surrounding
ecosystems by leaching into soils
and waterways, switching to othermethods of pest control can offer
improved environmental outcomes andsustainability in farming.
Similarly, other intensive agricultural
practices can degrade natural
ecosystems and harm farm productivity.
For example, fertilisers, herbicides,and high tillage practices – which
involve turning the soil over to disrupt

weeds before sowing crops – are often
used to create the weed-free growing
environment required to produce highcrop yields. However, these practices
also reduce soil fertility by damaging
the bacterial, fungal, and invertebrate
communities that contribute to soil
health. As a result, more fertilisers are
required to maintain the same crop
yields in subsequent years.
Growing GE crops transformed to be
tolerant to a single or small numberof herbicides allows farmers to switch
to no-tillage or low-tillage practices,preserving the delicate soil ecosystem
and allowing yields to be maintainedwith a lower input of fertiliser andherbicide. By reducing agricultural
inputs and increasing yields, herbicidetolerant GE crops have contributed tosignificant economic improvements.
Herbicide-tolerant soybean alone
contributed an extra $54.6 billion USD tofarm income between 1996 and 2016.
Many GE crops are intended to reduce
crop losses by insects, bacteria, andfungi. In some cases, GE technology
may provide the only solution to adevastating problem. Citrus GreeningDisease, a bacterial disease of citrus

W WW.SCIENTIA.GLOBALtrees, was previously addressed withpesticides to control populations of theinsect vector that carries the disease
between trees. However, pesticide
resistance emerging in the insect
pest has reduced the efficacy of thisapproach.
Since no natural varieties of citrusthat can resist the bacterial disease
have been discovered, GE technology
may offer the only solution. ‘There areongoing studies to determine which
GE genes, events and methods aremost useful,’ says Dr Goodman. He has
been working with developers, using
AllergenOnline and other databases, toensure that the novel proteins producedby the transformed citrus plants to resist
the bacteria do not have similarities toany known food allergens.
The ancient plant pathogen,
Phytophthora infestans, that wasresponsible for the Irish potato faminein the middle of the 19th century is
still common worldwide, affecting
both potatoes and tomatoes. The
most common method of controlling
this fungal pathogen is the use ofchemical fungicides, but these canbe toxic to humans. Therefore, somecrop developers have transferred three simple genes from awild potato species with natural resistance. Since resistance inpotato varieties cannot be developed using traditional plant
breeding, genetic engineering provides the most efficientmethod of maintaining potato production.
Similarly, bananas are a stable food crop in Africa that is limited
by a variety of plant diseases including Xanthomonas bacterial
blight. By transferring two genes from commonly consumed
pepper into banana plants, researchers in Kenya havedeveloped a new variety of banana that exhibits sustainableresistance. ‘We evaluated potential risks of food allergy andtoxicity using bioinformatics and found that these proteins do
not present risks of food allergy or toxicity,’ says Dr Goodman.
GE Crops: Food Safety Assessments
As mentioned, a key concern surrounding GE crops is thepotential risk of the transferred gene leading to the productionof an allergen in a food where it was not previously present.
‘Protecting people with food allergies against accidental
exposure to allergens has become an important focus for food
manufacturers and regulators responsible for all food safety,’explains Dr Goodman.
Effective and scientifically sound premarket evaluation of
GE foods is the most effective tool to protect the public.
Dr Goodman, along with his team, has been developing
assessment protocols to determine the safety of GE foods.
Following criteria described by the food safety organisation,
the Codex Alimentarius Commission, AllergenOnline uses
peer-reviewed scientific publications to evaluate aminoacid sequences from proteins that are known or suspected
allergens. The evidence is judged by an expert panel associatedwith AllergenOnline, while advanced computational tools areused to determine allergy risks for novel and GE foods.
To date, no cases of proven adverse health effects havebeen recorded from approved GE crops. ‘The premarket
screening process helps to avoid possible severe reactions in
unsuspecting allergic consumers and also prevents subsequent
costly food and seed recalls that would be needed to prevent
additional reactions,’ explains Dr Goodman. As new scientificevidence is gathered, the screening process and AllergenOnline
are refined and improved. However, fears surrounding thesafety of GE crops, and the persistence of outdated guidance onscreening methods, have prevented or delayed many of themfrom reaching the market.

Regulatory scientists in each country set their own testing
requirements for bringing new food varieties, including
GE foods, to the market. In some cases, regulators havecontinued to base their requirements on non-validated tests,
such as studies using animal models, or even rejected tests.
‘Demanding inclusion of such non-validated tests can leadto the rejection of safe and beneficial products, excessive
costs and, potentially, disruption of trade without any further
reduction of risk,’ says Dr Goodman. ‘Many regulatory scientists
have rarely studied food safety and food allergy, and they areoften unfamiliar with the extensive evaluations used to assess
GE crops. Unfortunately, many African and Asian countries havenot adopted science-based food safety procedures that allow
screening and acceptance of new GE crops for food use.’
GE canola that produces Omega-3 fatty acid was developedby the company Nuseed, to replace fish as the primary sourceof this healthy oil, offering an alternative to the overfishingthat has depleted many of the ocean’s tuna, mackerel andsalmon populations. Regulatory studies based on the Codex
Alimentarius guidelines, conducted to gain approval for these
GE plants in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA in 2018,
demonstrated no known risks. Despite this, some regulators
have demanded much more extensive testing and evaluations
before they will grant market approval for GE canola, many ofwhich have not been validated for predicting risks to humans or
the environment.
Navigating the regulatory requirements for international trade
can sometimes delay the approval of GE crops to more than
12 years and require more than $150 million USD to get themto the market. With GE crops often being developed to address
an urgent need, such as the emergence of a new plant disease,human malnutrition, or changing climatic conditions, delays ofthis magnitude can have significant consequences for farmers,consumers and the environment.
Conclusion
Although there is some way to go before GE crops gainwidespread acceptance and trust by the public, governments,and regulatory bodies, their utility continues to expand asgenetic technologies improve. As new evidence arises, tools
like Dr Goodman’s AllergenOnline continue to be updated anddeveloped, further improving the safety evaluations of GE crops
reaching the market.
Environmental degradation, climate change, and emergent
plant diseases are making it increasingly difficult for agriculture
to meet the food demands of a rapidly expanding humanpopulation. GE crops may provide solutions to many of theseissues. In some instances, such as the case of Citrus Greening
Disease, GE crops may provide the only available solution to adevastating problem.

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Meet the researcher
Dr Richard E. Goodman
Food Allergy Research and Resource Program
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
USADr Richard E. Goodman earned his PhD in Molecular Biology
and Physiology in the Department of Dairy Science at The Ohio
State University. He currently holds the position of Research
Professor within the Food Allergy Research and Resource
Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. His researchinterests include refining and developing methods to assess
the allergenicity of foods, and in particular, examining thefood safety of new crop varieties and genetically engineeredfood varieties. Additionally, he manages AllergenOnline, which
provides allergen lists and a searchable database intended toaid identification of proteins in novel food varieties that may
pose a risk of reaction in allergic individuals. Dr Goodman
also participates in international workshops on allergenicity
assessment tools and genetically engineered crop safety, andsupervises PhD research students.
CONTACT
E: rgoodman2@unl.edu
W: http://www.allergenonline.org/
W: https://farrp.unl.edu/dr-richard-e-goodman-researchprofessor
KEY COLLABORATORS
Ronald van Ree, PhD, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam,The Netherlands
Fatima Ferreira, PhD, University of Salzburg, Austria
Motohiro Ebisawa, MD, PhD, National Sagamihara University,Japan
Barbara Bohle, PhD, University of Vienna, Austria
Joerg Kleine-Tebbe, MD, Clinician, Berlin, Germany

Steve Taylor, PhD, University of Nebraska
Joe Baumert, PhD, University of Nebraska
FUNDING
Various food and biotechnology companies
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service
Three grants previously from the US Environmental Protection
AgencyFURTHER READINGY Jin, RE Goodman, AO Tetteh, M Lu, L Tripathi, Bioinformatics
analysis to assess potential risks of allergenicity and toxicityof HRAP and PFLP proteins in genetically modified bananas
resistant to Xanthomonas wilt disease, Food and ChemicalToxicology, 2017, 109, 81.
RE Goodman, M Ebisawa, F Ferreira, HA Sampson, R van Ree, SVieths, JL Baumert, B Bohle, S Lalithambika, J Wise, SL Taylor
SL, AllergenOnline: a peer-reviewed, curated allergen databaseto assess novel food proteins for potential cross-reactivity,
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2016, 60, 1183.
RE Goodman, S Vieths, HA Sampson, D Hill, M Ebisawa, SLTaylor, R van Ree, Allergenicity assessment of geneticallymodified crops—what makes sense?, Nature Biotechnology,
2008, 26, 73.

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