What do corn, cotton and eggplant have one thing in common? These are some of the crops that scientists have modified by inserting the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) thereby giving them built-in resistance to pests.
It was made possible through modern biotechnology, a word coined by Hungarian agricultural economist Karl Erchy by combining the two words, bio (from biology) and technology.
The tools used in biotechnology include gene cloning, tissue culture, microbial culture, DNA-marker technology, and genetic engineering. The latter is the most controversial as it is the method used in developing biotech crops or those contained genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“I have always been proud of the fact that because of the commercialization of Bt corn, we have become sufficient in feed corn,” then Agriculture Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano said in 2015.
In another interview, Serrano was quoted as saying: “Do you think the Philippine livestock industry could’ve survived if we did not commercialize Bt corn? The single most important technological development in the Philippines was the widespread adoption of Bt corn because it made us competitive and we are now self-sufficient in feed corn. If we have to import very expensive corn, it would’ve spelled the demise of the livestock industry in this country.”
Bt is a common soil bacterium. To date, there are more than 200 types of Bt proteins identified with varying degrees of toxicity to some insects.
In the past, Bt was cultured by fermentation. In fact, over the last 40 years, Bt has been used as an insecticide by farmers around the world. It is said that organic farming has benefited from it as it is one of the very few insecticides permitted by organic standards.
Now, here’s another news. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced last December 14 that “it has completed its evaluation of a variety of pineapple genetically engineered by Del Monte Fresh Produce (DMFP).”
“There are no unresolved safety or regulatory questions about the pineapple,” FDA said in a press statement of the new variety called pink pineapple. According to some reports, Del Monte has quietly been working on the fruit’s development since 2005.
“DMFP’s new pineapple has been genetically engineered to produce lower levels of the enzyme already in conventional pineapple that convert the pink pigment lycopene to the yellow pigment beta carotene,” the statement explained.
Lycopene is the pink pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink, so it is commonly and safely consumed.
The new species of pineapple has been given the more consumer-friendly name of the “Rose.”
According to the FDA, Del Monte will label the new fruit “extra sweet pink flesh pineapple” so that people expecting yellow fruit won’t get confused by new variety.
In the Philippines, the state-run Philippine News Agency said the crop science industry welcomed the news with much anticipation. This was an “interesting new development in GM (genetically modified) pineapple,” it said.
Mindanao produces nearly 90% of the country’s pineapples, a large part of which comes from Northern Mindanao and Central Mindanao. Northern Mindanao is home to the pineapple farms of Del Monte Philippines, Inc., while Central Mindanao hosts Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil). Dolefil mostly exports pineapple canned goods while Davao region exports fresh pineapple mostly to Japan.
Perhaps not too many Filipinos know that pineapple is not a native of the country. It is believed to have originated from Brazil, where tribal peoples have always regarded pineapple highly and have used it as a staple food and as an ingredient in some wines. When early explorers brought the pineapple back to Europe, its sweetness and unusual appearance made the fruit a symbol of royal privilege.
Being popular in Europe, the Spaniards (who carved pineapples over doorways) brought the fruit in the Philippines after the latter was rediscovered in 1521. Today, the Philippines, along with Brazil, Malaysia, Taiwan, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa and Puerto Rico, are the top producing countries in the world.
How pineapple got its name is an interesting story. When he came across pineapple in 1493 on the island of Guadeloupe, Christopher Columbus called it la piña de las Indians (“the pine of the Indies”) because, as he later told Ferdinand and Isabella, they resembled “green pine cones, very sweet and delicious.” The odd name stuck, and pineapples are still called piñas in most Spanish-speaking countries. In fact, the word pineapple originally meant “pine cone” in England.
Aside from eaten raw, pineapple is also added to fruit salad, pies, cakes, ice cream, yogurt, punches, and other desserts. Pineapple is an ingredient in most sweet and sour dishes and is used in many savory dishes.
Throughout all this history, the pineapple was valued strictly as a table delicacy. All but forgotten were the early explorers’ intriguing observations that Indians had used pineapple poultices to reduce inflammation in wounds and other skin injuries.
Then, in 1891 an enzyme called bromelain was isolated from the flesh of the pineapple and was discovered to be proteolytic – that is, it breaks down protein. Hence it is a natural meat tenderizer (the pineapple rings atop a baked ham are not there just for the flavor) and a digestive aid. It can also break down blood clots-proteins are what hold blood platelets together to form clots – and clean away the dead tissue left by burns, abscesses, ulcers, and various kinds of surgery. Bromelain also has proved effective in killing parasites such as worms.
