Bizzarri, M.  The new alchemists: the risks of genetic modification.  WIT Press, 2012.  211p; ISBN 1-84564-662-2, $158.00; ISBN 9781845646622, $158.00. Reviewed in 2012oct CHOICE.
50-0863 SB123  MARC

The potential risks of genetic modification have a long history of debate that started in 1975 at the Asilomar Conference on Recombinant DNA. Currently, thousands of written works support and villainize genetic modification. In this book, Bizzarri (Roma Univ., La Sapienza, Italy) applies his experience as a professor of experimental medicine to explain the purported dearth of knowledge about the environmental and public health risks of genetically modified organisms. The author asserts that the risks are an even greater concern because of reservations about the agricultural and economic benefits of genetic modification. The first chapter provides a brief history of genetically modified crops to establish the author’s viewpoint. Chapter 2 is a synopsis of the biological foundations of genetic modification. The remaining chapters evaluate the risks of genetically modified organisms used in agriculture. Many of the author’s arguments focus on the uncertainties of genetic modification and do not advance the view that genetic modification is risky because it is artificial, unethical, or unnatural. Ample citations are provided with each chapter. However, references for most of the genetic modification techniques predate 2005 and do not necessarily reflect recent findings. Summing Up: Recommended. All students, researchers/faculty, and general readers. — B. R. Shmaefsky, Lone Star College – Kingwood

Environmental safety of genetically engineered crops, ed. by Rebecca Grumet et al.  Michigan State, 2011.  234p bibl index afp; ISBN 1-61186-008-3, $49.95; ISBN 9781611860085, $49.95. Reviewed in 2012aug CHOICE.
49-6879 SB123 2010-52158 CIP

This 16-chapter volume, divided into four main areas, covers the technology, hazards, regulatory mechanisms, and future prospects for genetically modified crops. Chapter contributors are mostly US-based and university affiliated, giving a distinct US bias to the topics covered. For a European perspective, readers should consult Nigel Halford’s Genetically Modified Crops (2nd ed., 2012; 1st ed., CH, Mar’04, 41-4045). The present work does consider in reasonable detail the differences in regulatory mechanisms and regulatory philosophy in various world regions, including the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and specific aspects of biosafety regulation in developing countries. The concepts of risk-benefit communication, capacity building in biosafety, and the evolving international regulatory regime each merit a chapter. Several major issues with genetically modified plants receive fairly detailed treatment, including impacts of gene flow on diversity of wild relatives, environmental hazards of expressed genes (such as insecticidal proteins affecting nontarget organisms), and management of resistance to control strategies for weeds and insects. A look at future traits and crops is unfortunately not up-to-date; for example, some of the most important advances such as drought resistance in maize or changes of status such as rejection of insect-resistant engineered eggplant in India get no mention. Summing Up: Recommended. Academic and professional readers, all levels. — L. C. Davis, Kansas State University

Fedoroff, Nina.  Mendel in the kitchen: a scientist’s view of genetically modified foods, by Nina V. Fedoroff and Nancy Marie Brown.  Joseph Henry, 2004.  370p bibl index; ISBN 0-309-09205-1, $24.95. Reviewed in 2005apr CHOICE.
42-4632 TP248 2004-14040 CIP

The authors, a geneticist and a writer, have created a book that is easy to read but provides a great deal of information. Fedoroff (Pennsylvania State Univ.) and Brown (an independent scholar) look at and compare many methods of plant propagation and the public reaction to each as new technology. Grafting (centuries old) and hybridization (decades old) are examples of techniques that were attacked in this country as dangerous practices; now both are used extensively in commercial foods and may be used by organic farmers. This book raises the questions of (1) what is “natural” in a world of man-manipulated food plants, and (2) what is “biotechnology” in relation to all plant manipulation. The authors do not advocate that all genetic modification is safe, but suggest that with appropriate care and careful science, it will be the future of safe and adequate food for the world. This book is a rich history of plant manipulation techniques and their acceptance by the public. It includes a long bibliography and a notes section but no direct citations. Anyone who wants the facts about genetic technology and its potential usefulness should read this work. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels. — N. Duran, Texas A&M University

Gressel, Jonathan.  Genetic glass ceilings: transgenics for crop biodiversity.  Johns Hopkins, 2008.  461p bibl index afp ISBN 0-8018-8719-4, $65.00; ISBN 9780801887192, $65.00. Reviewed in 2008jul CHOICE.
45-6156 SB123 2007-20365 CIP

Gressel (emer., Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel) provides a thought-provoking and at times entertaining discussion of transgenics in Genetic Glass Ceilings, which covers the past, present, and possible futures relative to world food crops. The growing population, combined with humankind’s dependence on a minimal number of food crops and a shrinking number of varieties of those crops, create the very real possibility of worldwide famine. However, there is hope for avoiding such a fate through human intervention and the application of transgenics not only to the world’s major food crops but also to crops that are not currently widely cultivated. Numerous case studies provide examples of how transgenics can increase genetic diversity and improve food crops and food production around the world. Gressel offers a provocative look at the potential of crop biotechnology to address in a multitude of ways the world’s dependence on so few food crops. This book offers refreshing hope of successfully feeding the world’s population. The extensive bibliography attests to the author’s thorough research. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. — D. L. King, University of Georgia

Halford, Nigel G.  Genetically modified crops.  2nd ed.  Imperial College Press, 2012.  182p index ISBN 1-84816-838-1, $66.00; ISBN 9781848168381, $66.00. Reviewed in 2012sep CHOICE.
50-0277 SB123 2012-361091

This well-written, revised edition (1st ed., CH, Mar’04, 41-4045) discusses how plant genetic engineering works and what benefits it may provide to modern agriculture. Halford (Rothamsted Research, UK) begins with basic genetics and general aspects of plant breeding and then moves on to specific techniques used to introduce genes into plants, all in two chapters totaling 50 pages combined. Chapter 3 (50 pages) provides a broad overview of important modifications–actually and potentially–made or introduced. This is biased toward Europe, but includes US approaches and results. The fourth chapter (25 pages) on legislation is almost exclusively tied to European issues and regulations. The final chapter (40 pages) on the debate over genetically modified (GM) food gives a well-balanced perspective, clearly emphasizing the barriers to GM crops found in Europe (and Japan) contrasted with the relatively open acceptance of such crops throughout the Americas and parts of Asia. This is a well-balanced presentation, although the author clearly advocates for GM crops. It is a readily accessible resource for comparing current US to European positions in GM crop development. Readers may also wish to consult Environmental Safety of Genetically Engineered Crops, edited by R. Grumet et al. (CH, Aug’12, 49-49-6879). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Students of all levels, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners. — L. C. Davis, Kansas State University

Kinchy, Abby.  Seeds, science, and struggle: the global politics of transgenic crops.  MIT, 2012.  219p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780262017817, $44.00; ISBN 9780262517744 pbk, $22.00. Reviewed in 2013mar CHOICE.
50-3846 SB123 2011-53204 CIP

This work, part of the “Food, Health, and the Environment” series, is a close study of the cultural and sociological conflicts inherent in changing agriculture through radical transformation with transgenic organisms. Many books discuss the potential environmental risks of transgenics and, through what Kinchy (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) terms “scientization,” demonstrate that the scientifically quantifiable risks are small. Though technically correct, this answer is unsatisfying to persons whose culture and worldview elevate the integrity of the organism and ecosystem above that of a source of nutrients. For example, some cultures may view maize as sacred, and organic agriculture may be morally and theologically based. Political conflict arises when scientization ignores this social reality. This book provides well-written, focused, in-depth studies based on the author’s personal interviews with participants in cases of genetically modified maize in Mexico and canola in Canada. It is divided into seven chapters; aside from introductory and concluding chapters, it contains one chapter explicating the “free markets” argument and four case study chapters. Extensive endnotes, over 400 references, and an eight-page index complete the work. Overall, a useful historical account of events beginning near the turn of the millennium and continuing to the present. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduate and professional audiences, all levels; informed general readers. — L. C. Davis, Kansas State University

Labeling genetically modified food: the philosophical and legal debate, ed. by Paul Weirich.  Oxford, 2007.  249p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780195326864, $65.00. Reviewed in 2008may CHOICE.
45-4939 TP248 2007-1931 CIP

Weirich (philosophy, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia) assembles 12 contributions from the fields of law, bioethics, agricultural economics, and the sciences to examine the central question of how–or whether–genetically modified food should be labeled. The biggest strength of this volume, which emanates from a 2005 conference held at the University of Missouri, is its interdisciplinary roster of authoritative contributors, most of whom are leaders in the discourse on genetically modified food policy in the US. Overall the writing is clear; following a brief, accessible introduction, contributions become more technical and academic. Like many edited works, the book’s weakness is uneven quality and the lack of a clear flow–readers are bounced around among the richly interdisciplinary but sometimes jarringly disparate chapters, from technicalities of regulatory acts to a primer on the food label. Edited in the shadow of Missouri-based Monsanto, the volume had the potential to be a pro-industry foil to books like Marion Nestle’s Safe Food (CH, Oct’03, 41-0963) and Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006), but a holistic reading gives a balanced range of perspectives on this timely and controversial topic. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. — J. M. Deutsch, CUNY Kingsborough Community College

Lurquin, Paul F.  The green phoenix: a history of genetically modified plants.  Columbia, 2001.  173p bibl index afp ISBN 0-231-12262-4, $50.00; ISBN 0-231-12263-2 pbk, $25.00. Reviewed in 2002jan CHOICE.
39-2792 SB123 2001-17261 CIP

Lurquin (genetics, Washington State Univ.) has compiled an excellent five-chapter, 173-page comprehensive history of the development of transgenic plants. He provides a narrative of the origins of plant biotechnology including the scientific controversies that this multibillion-dollar industry has created. There are detailed accounts of the work of individual scientists and teams from all over the world. The text is very technical and intended for upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty interested in plant genetic engineering. The reader is assisted with 17 figures and ten black-and-white pictures along with six technical appendixes, notes concerning the first four chapters, and a four-page glossary. Anyone interested in this field will find the 15-page reference section quite useful. The discussion of the philosophical, ecological, and ethical aspects of genetically modified plants also makes for interesting reading. — L. C. Ewart, Michigan State University

Murphy, Denis J.  Plants, biotechnology and agriculture.  CABI, 2011.  310p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781845936884 pbk, $75.00. Reviewed in 2012jul CHOICE.
49-6281 SB91 2011-11316 CIP

In recent years, biotechnology has become synonymous with genetically modified organisms for many people. However, biotechnology encompasses a broad range of tools that have been used over the past 100 years to manipulate plants for improved agricultural performance. Murphy (Univ. of Glamorgan, UK) offers a more comprehensive view of biotechnology, covering its employment to improve crop plants, the interaction of biotechnology and society, and the ways biotechnology may be utilized in the future to feed the world’s rapidly increasing population. Sections on plant molecular genetics, metabolism, development, and responses to the environment serve to provide fundamental information to facilitate this discussion. Particularly engaging is an analysis of the factors that have led private companies to increase their stake in agricultural crop development and biotechnology, such as the ability to patent gene sequences, and how this may have influenced public perception and concern over genetically modified crops; previous biotechnologies employed in publicly funded breeding efforts, such as mutagenesis, were far less controversial. This volume will serve as a good primer for upper-level undergraduates or early career graduate students with a biology background but lacking expertise in plant physiology, genetics, and breeding. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals. — R. M. Warner, Michigan State University

National Research Council of the National Academies Press.  The impact of genetically engineered crops on farm sustainability in the United States.  National Academies Press, 2010.  250p bibl; ISBN 0309147085 pbk, $49.00; ISBN 9780309147088 pbk, $49.00. Reviewed in 2011jan CHOICE.
48-2667   MARC

This work, essential reading for serious students of genetic engineering (GE), is an authoritative review of peer-reviewed and primary literature on genetically modified crops. The substantial introduction with more than 100 citations provides a good overview and defines the National Research Council’s charge to determine impact of, identify changes caused by, and evaluate producer decision making for GE crops. Three main chapters covering environmental, economic, and social impacts follow. The chapter on environmental issues includes 350 citations; economic issues, nearly 200; and social effects, fewer than 70. This reflects the strong bias in funding support for research in the different areas, but the need for further research on social impacts is evident. The final chapter, “Key Findings, Remaining Challenges, and Future Opportunities,” summarizes results and identifies further research needed. Clear figures and tables throughout enhance the text. Appendixes discuss herbicides and tillage programs and include short biographies of the ten committee members who drafted the report. The focus on scientific literature avoids many controversial areas of debate in which most action is public and reporting is in general journalism sources. This strengthens credibility but weakens direct impact of such a consensus document. The report is available free online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12804. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. — L. C. Davis, Kansas State University

Plant biotechnology and agriculture: prospects for the 21st century, ed. by Arie Altman and Paul Michael Hasegawa.  Elsevier/Academic Press, 2012.  586p bibl index; ISBN 0-12-381466-9, $199.95; ISBN 9780123814661, $199.95. Reviewed in 2012aug CHOICE.
49-6883 TP248 2011-499981 MARC

In 1995 the first genetically modified crop plant, the Flavr Savr tomato, was approved for human consumption in America. Today, it is estimated that almost four million square miles of agricultural land in 29 countries are cultivated with genetically modified crops. This book is a highly readable compendium of comprehensive essays on the present-day state of agricultural plant biotechnology. Each chapter is written by experts from across the globe. The book begins with a discussion of the rationale for the use of biotechnology in agriculture. It then addresses the principles of crop domestication including the increasing role of biotechnology, and provides a brief overview of the biology and genetics of crop biotechnology. The rest of the book describes the techniques and technologies used in plant biotechnology. Contributors discuss research methodologies as well as biotechnology crop development practices; topics include genetic engineering, germplasm collecting, and proteomics. Special coverage is given to the role of biotechnology in alleviating food availability problems and poverty in developing nations. Each chapter ends with a brief conclusion and ample primary references. Charts, figures, and graphs support the text when appropriate. Summing Up: Recommended. All students, researchers/faculty, and professionals; informed general readers. — B. R. Shmaefsky, Lone Star College – Kingwood

Regulation of agricultural biotechnology: the United States and Canada, ed. by Chris A. Wozniak and Alan McHughen. Springer, 2012.  393p bibl index afp; ISBN 9789400721555, $209.00; ISBN 9789400721562 e-book, contact publisher for price.  Reviewed in 2013may CHOICE
50-4961 KE1858 MARC

Agricultural biotechnology products have raised public concerns about food and environmental safety since their development in the early 1980s.  The US, currently the largest producer of agricultural biotechnology products, developed some of the first agricultural biotechnology regulations, based on the 1986 Coordinated Framework for the Regulation of Biotechnology.  This book describes the history and scope of North American agricultural biotechnology concerns, laws, and policies.  Each of the 17 chapters is written by an authority on the topic and contains highly relevant primary source references.  The book begins with the histories of American and Canadian biotechnology regulation, including the rationale for the regulations and the various agencies that establish and oversee the policies.  Each chapter provides coverage down to specific regulations, such as regulations on biotechnology crops or genetically modified agricultural animals.  Contributors also address the science behind making regulations, particularly in relation to risk assessment and cost-benefit analyses.  In addition, the book explores global regulatory perspectives on biotechnology products and the influence of public sector research on agricultural biotechnology.  The text is well written, and the information provided is free from bias.  Summing Up: Recommended.  All academic and professional public policy, science law, and bioethics library collections. — B. R. Shmaefsky,  Lone Star College – Kingwood

The Role of biotechnology in a sustainable food supply, ed. by Jennie S. Popp et al.  Cambridge, 2012.  274p bibl index; ISBN 9780521192347, $99.00. Reviewed in 2013apr CHOICE.
50-4422 TP248 2011-37256 CIP

In the fluid agriculture environment characterized by frequently changing technologies and increasing concern about the safety of the world’s food supply, this book is very timely. The word “sustainable” can mean many things depending on a person’s perspective and background. The editors/chapter authors make a cogent argument for the use of biotechnological techniques to improve food production and safety and to preserve the environment. This is an important discussion as scientists push the boundaries of biotechnology. The authors couch their argument in terms of world population growth. They bring the argument closer to home as they explore public opinions and arguments for and against the technology; the book even includes a chapter by a member of the clergy who argues that stewardship of the land demands the use of biotechnology. Other topics covered in the book’s 15 chapters include crop biodiversity, animal biotechnology, disease control, and organic agriculture along with risk assessment and regulatory issues. This work represents a fair and wide-ranging exploration of the economic, environmental, and moral repercussions of genetically engineered crops. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals; two-year technical program students. — M. J. Stone, Western Kentucky University

Schurman, Rachel.  Fighting for the future of food: activists versus agribusiness in the struggle over biotechnology, by Rachel Schurman and William A. Munro.  Minnesota, 2010.  262p bibl index afp  (Social movements, protests, and contention, 35); ISBN 9780816647613, $67.50; ISBN 9780816647620 pbk, $22.50. Reviewed in 2011feb CHOICE.
48-3354 HD9000 2010-15555 CIP

Schurman (sociology and global studies, Univ. of Minnesota) and Munro (political science, Illinois Wesleyan Univ.) examine the struggles over biotechnology, specifically genetically modified foods. The book opens with a brief history of food biotechnology and an explanation of social movement theory and the concept of “lifeworlds,” or “culturally transmitted background knowledge.” It then considers the lifeworlds of both industry and activists before examining how the controversy plays out in three settings: western Europe, the US, and Africa. Data are drawn from interviews, media, and participant observation at biotechnology conferences. Scholars will be pleased with the extensive notes, appendix on data sources, and accessible but erudite writing style. The book is a necessary food studies addition to the press’s “Social Movements, Protest, and Contention Series.” The authors’ ability to consider both sides of the controversy makes it a welcome complement to books focused on one side, like Robert Paarlberg’s Starved for Science: How Biotechnology Is Being Kept out of Africa (CH, Dec’08, 46-2324). The timeliness of the controversy, with its multinational scale and technology dependence, serves as a compelling follow-up to Warren Belasco’s seminal Appetite for Change: How the Counterculture Took On the Food Industry (CH, May’07, 44-5143). Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduate through research and professional collections. — J. M. Deutsch, CUNY Kingsborough Community College

Thomson, Jennifer A.  Seeds for the future: the impact of genetically modified crops on the environment.  Cornell, 2007 (c2006).  158p bibl index; ISBN 9780801473685 pbk, $24.95.  Outstanding Title! Reviewed in 2007sep CHOICE.
45-0275 SB123MARC

This is one of the few books to offer an assessment of the potential benefits and risks of genetically modified (GM) crops, written by a proponent of the technology. Thomson (Univ. of Cape Town) outlines the history of GM crops in developed and developing countries and provides an overview of current worldwide status. She compares methods of conventional breeding to the production of GM crops. The author makes a considerable effort to describe the potential impact of GM crops and evaluate their positive and negative effects on environmental safety. The book discusses a wide array of crops, including those engineered for insect resistance, herbicide tolerance, virus resistance, and drought tolerance. It evaluates key issues, including the effects of GM crops on biodiversity and the potential impact of pollen spread. Thomson describes the current systems of biosafety regulation, along with intellectual property issues, trade issues, and the international Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety; she outlines new products in development and their potential impacts. Overall, this is an excellent summary of the scientific information that has accumulated on GM crops, written in a style palatable to laypeople. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels. — J. Hancock, Michigan State University