The GMO Issue

There is ongoing public controversy in the United Kingdom, Europe and, to a lesser degree, North America, regarding food products derived from transgenically modified organisms, or "GMOs." Transgenic modification—the alteration of a plant through the splicing of genes from an entirely different organism—should not be confused with the traditional plant-breeding techniques that created Canola.

The GMO debate hinges on the twin issues of whether GMOs are a threat to the natural environment and food products derived from GMOs pose potential health risks to consumers. Burcon's process for extracting protein isolates from Canola meal is equally effective with meals derived from modified and non-modified crops, as well as from oilseed meals other than Canola. Thus, if Burcon’s technology is applied to non-GMO crops, the resulting proteins should be acceptable to consumers who distrust genetically-modified foods. Burcon’s approach to issue of consumer perception of GMOs will be pragmatic and market-driven.