Report on the Use of Biotech in Developing Functional Foods

During the advent of agricultural biotechnology, genetic modification has been focused on input traits that were developed to control insects, virus, and weeds. The GM products with input traits have been rapidly accepted and patronized in the United States. On the other hand, genetic modifications for the benefit of consumers (or output traits) need longer time to develop. This includes the production of "functional foods" or foods that provide health benefits beyond the basic nutrition. Thus, Pew for Charitable Trusts released a report entitled Application of Biotechnology for Functional Foods.

The report discussed the possibility of developing functional foods through biotechnology applications. The first part of the report discusses some modern technologies that may lead to the future availability of functional foods in grocery stores. On the other hand, the second part of the report deals with the importance of legal authorities in governing the use of biotech-derived functional foods.

The full report is available at http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Food_and_Biotechnology/PIFB_Functional
_Foods.pdf.