golden riceGenetically engineered golden rice, intended to combat vitamin A deficiency, produces beta-carotene.

Lecture to assess benefits and concerns arising from GMO foods

Recent applications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to improve food production have raised safety concerns about the “frankenfoods” that result.

UWindsor biology professor William Crosby will review the development and current status of genetic manipulation technology in a free public lecture entitled “Frankenfood and Frankenfolk: An Historical Assessment of the Development of GMO Food Technology,” at Canada South Science City on Wednesday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m.

Humanity has been manipulating the genetic structure of food plants for at least 10,000 years, says Dr. Crosby. During this time, recurrent selection of plants exhibiting desirable traits such as higher yield, improved food quality, ease of harvest and disease resistance have led to significant increases in our ability to feed the planet, but at the cost of a loss of genetic diversity within the broader pool of food plant populations.

His lecture promises a frank assessment of both the benefits and the concerns arising from GMO technology as it is applied to food crops in a local, national and international context. It is part of the Science Café series, sponsored by the UWindsor Faculty of Science to discuss important science research for the general public.

Canada South Science City is located at 930 Marion Avenue.