Ordinary people may not realize that the rice we eat every day is not actually a "healthy food". Rice contains a small molecule called phytic acid, which tightly binds to iron, making it difficult for the small intestine to absorb iron from food. Therefore, those whose diet is primarily rice-based are prone to iron deficiency anemia.
Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, while developing "Golden Rice" using genetic modification, not only increased the content of vitamin A precursors to address the widespread vitamin A deficiency among Asians but also solved the problem of iron absorption.
Therefore, eating this genetically modified rice is more beneficial to health than eating regular rice.
Ever since the anti-science organization "Greenpeace" accused "Nestlé foods of containing unknown gene components" two years ago, introducing GMO panic to China, the general public's fear of genetically modified foods has grown daily.
Many people take the term "genetically modified" at face value, believing it means altering human genes, and worry that eating GMOs will change their own genes. In fact, "genetically modified" refers to the use of genetic engineering techniques to transfer a specific foreign gene into an organism, causing that gene to express itself within the organism, thus giving it a new trait desired by us. Transferring a foreign gene into a plant results in a genetically modified plant, and into an animal, a genetically modified animal. Foods made from genetically modified plants or animals are genetically modified foods.
Because the chemical composition of all genes in all organisms is the same, consisting of nucleic acids. Regardless of what gene is transferred or what organism it comes from, its chemical composition is no different from other genes. Once consumed, this gene must also be digested and broken down into small molecules before it can be absorbed by human cells. Foreign genes are not directly absorbed or utilized by human cells. Since we never worry about the genes in other foods entering our bodies, why should we specifically worry about genetically modified foods?
In fact, planting pest-resistant genetically modified crops can reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides, thereby reducing or eliminating pesticide contamination in food, which is a major food safety issue. Disease-resistant genetically modified crops can resist bacterial infections, thereby reducing the content of bacterial toxins in food. The application of genetic modification technology can also alter allergenic components in certain foods, allowing people with allergies to them to eat with peace of mind. For example, children under 5 and some adults are allergic to soybeans; genetically modified technology can be used to cultivate soybeans that do not cause allergies. Furthermore, using genetic modification to change the composition of seed oil to reduce the content of saturated fatty acids, or to reduce the deposition of heavy metals in fruits and seeds, is also beneficial to health.