Curbing food insecurity through GM foods: Islamic ethical perspectives

Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), that is, plants, animals, and other microorganisms whose genetic material has been modified by introducing a gene from a different organism. GM foods are also written in the abbreviated form as GMFs. GM foods will be used here as it is the most common reference. Although GM foods are a consequence of various scientific advances in biotechnology, the technology is not new and was practised in its crude form thousands of years ago. Our ancestors knew how to use biological processes such as fermentation or salting of meat to prepare new products like making cheese, baking bread, or curing meat. These examples show how people have always manipulated and modified what nature offers to meet their specific needs. Genetic modification of plants is a targeted approach to improving the resulting species, where one or more genes of “known” function are transferred from one plant to the other where the benefits of these genes can be manifested. This is in stark contrast to conventional breeding, where thousands of unknown genes are exchanged between plants with unpredictable outcomes (Pechan et al., 2011, p. 106). GM foods have created a strong divide between the pro-GM scientists and the opposing camp comprising environmentalists and food purists, both deliberating on this issue based on their own morally held values regarding food. Proponents of GM foods argue that this technology has revolutionised the world by allowing easy access to fresh food throughout the year, thus providing global health beneficence by decreasing health disparities in vulnerable populations. Their strong argument is the “Feed the World” argument, that is, to feed the over seven billion members of the global population with a nutritionally adequate diet. Thus, they focus on productivity, sustainability, and profit. On the other hand, the opposing camp, which comprises mainly food purists and environmentalists, is more concerned about the adverse.