Biohacking the Food Industry

Author: Jayhee Seo

Graphics: Business Review at Berkeley

CRISPR could be the key to feeding an exponentially increasing population and combating climate change — can we as a society find the right balance between productivity, ethics, and sustainability?

Introduction

With the global population recently exceeding 8.2 billion people, the food industry needs a sustainable strategy to match its ever-growing pace. Statistics reveal that the human population is predicted to reach 9.3 billion by 2050, which would require a 60% increase in food production. Luckily, CRISPR technology offers a promising solution. A shorthand term for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, CRISPR is a gene-editing technology that modifies DNA. First, a specific guide RNA directs a Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA sequence. Cas9 is a specialized protein that allows scientists to either disable or insert new genetic material. Beyond its obvious applications in the medical field, this technology can transform the food industry by genetically editing agricultural products. Through this scientific manipulation, two major improvements are introduced: reduced environmental harm and improved nutrition. With such hopeful advantages, CRISPR has already been applied to some current agricultural practices, proving its potential to revolutionize the food industry.

Environmental Implications

Reduction of Food Waste

Given the increasing demand for food world-wide, our current generation of food waste is detrimental to the environment. With that in mind, the capabilities of CRISPR provide us with a way to extend the shelf life of food products. This technology has already been tested on various crops, including tomatoes, where specific genotypes have been targeted to slow down the ripening process by inhibiting the production of ethylene. These modifications not only offer a longer window of opportunity of purchase, but also allows us to tackle the issue of overconsumption by reducing the frequency of purchases. As for the farm businesses, the application of CRISPR would be economically beneficial because reduced post-harvest waste would drain less resources and consequently yield a greater profit.

Fighting Agricultural Chemicals

Beyond addressing food waste, CRISPR can also alter plant genes to be more resistant. Senior writer, Douglas Broom, of the World Economic Forum claims that gene editing has made crops that are “capable of growing in harsh conditions to withstand the impact of the climate crisis, and which are resistant to disease, insects and drought.” This allows businesses to minimize their reliance on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, which will be safer for both the environment and consumer health. Researchers at the Pasteur Institute in Montevideo, Uruguay have even applied this concept to livestock. Utilizing CRISPR, they modified the genes of pigs to give them immunity to swine flu and other respiratory diseases. In another experiment, the researchers manipulated the genes of Holstein cows to create a hornless breed that would prevent them from harming each other. With more and more methods of increasing yield and minimizing waste, the food industry will soon be able to achieve a sustainable cycle.

The Political and Economical Landscape

Farmers and the Economy

As of 2024, more than 25 plant species and 100 genes in crops were modified to increase food production. With this increase in efficiency and reduced need for pesticides and fertilizers, farm businesses have a lower demand for resources and as a result, face less economical burdens. According to data from a 2022 paper from the National Library of Medicine, CRISPR has also been used to edit allergen genes in hen’s egg, soybean, wheat, peanut, and cow’s and goat’s milk. This is especially significant considering the fact that approximately 4.6 million adults in the U.S. have a peanut allergy. By making food products more inclusive, the customer demographic will broaden and consequently increase profit.

[image 1]: Previous uses of CRISPR to edit allergen genes.

Particularly in favor of the application of CRISPR technology to the agricultural industry, are seed companies. Corteva Agriscience, for instance, is one of the four largest seed companies and they are able to significantly benefit from this transition because of enhanced genetic variability in seeds that will generate greater profit. With genetic engineering, Corteva has produced seeds with “improved traits such as oil profiles, amino acid composition, or disease resistance.” Of course, all of these perks come with a caveat.

Regulations and Ethics

While powerful and promising, some aspects of CRISPR are undeniably controversial. The genetic makeup of an organism has long been regarded as something that can’t ever be altered. The new possibilities that CRISPR offers raises ethical questions and concerns of unintended consequences, including ecosystem disturbance. As a result, Corteva, among many other companies, originally faced challenges such as legal restrictions on genetic engineering. As of 2023, however, the USDA decided that CRISPR-edited foods can be comparable to conventional breeding in some cases, meaning that they don’t require the strict regulations that are imposed on genetically modified organisms. While restrictions are being alleviated, it will take time for global acceptance of genetically modifying the food industry as ethical. During the transition, we can expect many lingering questions and discussions of the consequences of “playing God.”

[image 2]: Comparison of traditional genetic engineering and CRISPR-Cas editing technique

Take Home Points:

With the global population projected to reach 9.3 billion by 2050, food production must increase by 60%, making gene-editing technologies a crucial part of ensuring sustainability and sufficient food supply in the future.

CRISPR technology has the potential to transform the agricultural industry by allowing scientists to edit plant and animal DNA

CRISPR has already been used to slow the ripening of certain produce, helping extend shelf life, reduce food waste, and increase profit margins for farmers and retailers.

One major advantage of genetically edited crops is their ability to withstand harsh weather conditions and diseases, which decreases the industry’s reliance on environmentally harmful pesticides and fertilizers.

We can expect ethical concerns and questions surrounding CRISPR to continue, but it is a conversation we need to be ready for.