BEIJING,April 23（Xinhuanet-As food containing nucleic acid gains popularity in some Chinese cities, Chinese scientists are warning consumers to distance themselves from such so-called“gene food,which has been promoted by manufacturers as health food that can repair damaged human genes and thereby cure diseases,according to the latest issue of Beijing Review.

Dr. Zhang Meng, a member of the China Leading Group of the Human Genome Project, pointed out recently that strictly speaking, there is no such thing as “gene food.It is true, he said, that all human diseases are directly or indirectly associated with damage to genes, which contain a certain amount of nucleic acid. However, he said, the extra nucleic acid provided by“gene food can neither cure diseases nor boost health because human beings take in a tremendous amount of nucleic acid in their daily diet.

“The last thing human bodies require is nucleic acid, "he said.

As for transgenosis food, Zhang said, it is food processed from transgenosis organisms.

Technically, transgenosis food is neutral, doing no harm or good to the human body, according to Zhu Zhen, deputy head of the Institute of Genetics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. By 1999, there were already 40 million hectares of farmland producing genetically altered crops around the world.

Zhu noted that transgenosis food, which involves transplanting alien genes into certain plants, might have some potential risks that are hard to detect in the short term. Given this, he said, it is extremely necessary to tighten supervision and regulation over the production of such food.

An official from China‘s Ministry of Agriculture revealed that China has only approved the commercial production of transgenosis pest-resistant cotton.

So far, none of the transgenosis crops or food has been granted such permission.

The official criticized some reports claiming that transgenosis food was already on the domestic market. Currently, commercial production of such food in China needs to pass safety evaluations and other related examinations.

　　From Xinhua News Agency