IN FOCUS

The halo that surrounded it isslowly coming apart. Dubbed as thefinal solution for all that ailedhumans, genetic engineering, orthe manipulation of genetic material so as to alter the genes and hencethe organism concerned, is todaythe target of wide-ranging criticism. The recent revelation whichexposed genetic engineering'sfragility concerned the incorporation ofa DNA, which helpedin the making of a nutritiousprotein, from Brazilian nuts to soybeans. Methionine, the nutritiousprotein was the only componentwhich the otherwise healthysoybean lacked.

However, Brazilian nuts alsocause an allergic reaction in certainpeople. And, the same allergen, inthe process of genetic engineering,found its way into the soybeall.,causing the same allergy. This hasgiven critics of genetic engineeringyet another stick to beat it with.Said Rebecca J Goldburg, seniorscientist at the EnvironmentalDefense Fund, US, "Since geneticengineers mix genes from a widearray of species, other geneticallyengineered foods may cause similarhealth problems. People allergic toone type of food may suddenly findthey are allergic to many more." Insome cases, such mix-ups can alsobe fatal.

In the case of genetically engineered crops, they may have a highyield and also greater resistance todiseases. But the same qualities canalso be incorporated into lessfavourable crops like weeds. Anexperiment which involved theinsertion of a gene in oilseed rapeto give it more resistance to aparticular herbicide in Denmark,misfired as the gene quickly spreadto a relative weed, Brassicacampestris.

The spotlight is now on tightening the controls for such engineered products so that they do notend up causing genetic pollution.These refined species can also havethe unsavoury result of displacingnative species.