China Approves Safety Certification for Gene-Edited Soybeans. This marks the first time China has accepted the application of gene editing technology in a crop, as the populous nation increasingly relies on science to boost food production.
According to Reuters, the soybeans developed by Shandong Shunfeng Biotechnology contain two modified genes that significantly increase the level of healthy oleic acid in the plants.
Gene editing technology can enhance crop yields. (Photo: AFP)
Based on a document released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China on April 21, China has approved a safety certification for the gene-edited soybean variety, valid for five years.
Unlike traditional genetic modification which involves introducing foreign genes into crops (GM), gene editing modifies existing genes. This technology is considered to carry less risk compared to GMOs and is subject to less stringent regulations in some countries, including China.
“The approval of the safety certification is encouraging for Shunfeng,” a company representative stated on May 4.
Shunfeng claims to be the first company in China to seek commercialization of gene-edited crops. The representative revealed that the company is researching around 20 other gene-edited crops, including rice, wheat, and corn for higher yields, herbicide-resistant rice, soybeans, and vitamin C-rich lettuce.
The decision to approve safety certification for the first gene-edited crops in China comes amid trade tensions, erratic weather, and the war in Ukraine, a key grain-exporting country, raising concerns in Beijing about food supply for its 1.4 billion citizens.
Meanwhile, the middle class is also facing a rise in diet-related health issues.
China is also promoting genetically modified crops, beginning large-scale trials of genetically modified corn this year. However, the market introduction of gene-edited crops is expected to be quicker due to fewer steps in the regulatory process.
In addition to China, the United States and Japan have also approved gene-edited foods.
