This thesis looks at the divergent policy decisions on the commercial release of two genetically modified (GM) crops in India. Bt cotton was introduced in India in 2002, and has spread widely across the country, though not without controversy. In 2010, the first GM food crop – Bt Brinjal (eggplant) – was put forward for approval. In contrast to the Bt cotton decision, and following heated debate and a series of public consultations across the country, an indefinite moratorium was placed on the crop. In this thesis, I unpack the various factors that shaped both decisions and the politics that accompanied them. To facilitate this analysis, I use a conceptual framework that combines four key forces that are often the focus of food governance analysis, but which are not always considered together. I argue that the divergence in outcomes can be explained by a confluence of shifts in key elements of the policy process. These dimensions of influence can be understood in four related categories: corporate actors, institutional mechanisms, science and science networks, and discursive elements. Changes that took place in each of these dimensions in the period between the two decisions align to explain divergent outcomes that no individual influence could. The conceptual framework I develop in this thesis presents a useful structure to analyse the often-complex and multi-causal processes and outcomes related to food and environmental issues. The results of this research have implications for the future direction of agricultural GMO policy in India, as well as in other countries in the global South.

This research project examines the degree of transparency of the Canadian Federal Government’s decision-making processes and institutions with respect to the human consumption of animals produced through modern biotechnology (biotechnology-produced animals). It provides a timely study of the Federal Government’s decision-making process; as of January 2013 the government has yet to determine whether, and how, biotechnology-produced animals are to be approved for human consumption. Foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are already commercially widely available in Canada. Research is well underway to see if biotechnology-produced animals may also be developed and introduced into the food system. Government decisions regarding the human consumption of biotechnology-produced animals have the potential to revolutionize food systems globally and nationally. This thesis offers an analysis of primary and secondary data focusing on the degree of federal transparency with respect to regulating GMO foods generally and, more specifically, the emerging policy issues around biotechnology-produced animals. This exploration sets the stage for the following investigation of barriers as well as opportunities to fostering federal transparency with respect to policy and regulatory decisions regarding GMO foods. Findings are directed towards members of the communities of interest who are interested in questions relating to the degree of federal transparency and government approaches to foods that contain material produced through modern biotechnology.

Tomato, which is one of the most important component of human diet, has been genetically modified to develop some properties like delayed ripening and insect resistance. In order to give a choice to the consumer, it is necessary to detect and label GM foods. This study was carried out to detect genetically modified tomato samples purchased from different food markets of Turkey. PCR method was used to detect genetically modified insect resistant tomatoes. The DNAs of collected samples were isolated according to CTAB DNA extraction protocol and the amplification capacity of isolated samples were checked with patatin specific control PCR. Screening tests of tomatoes were done by targeting 35S promoter, Nos terminator and NptII kanamycin resistance gene with four primer sets. It was aimed to detect Cry1A and Cry1Ac genes with three PCR systems, in order to identify insect resistant samples. From twenty-eight samples, twenty-two gave positive amplification signal in NptII specific PCR system and results were confirmed with sequence analysis. Additionally, we observed seventeen and ten DNA fragments with Cry1A-F/Cry1A-R and Cry1Ac-F/Cry1Ac-R primer sets respectively, it is necessary to confirm these results with DNA sequencing.

This thesis looks at the divergent policy decisions on the commercial release of two genetically modified (GM) crops in India. Bt cotton was introduced in India in 2002, and has spread widely across the country, though not without controversy. In 2010, the first GM food crop – Bt Brinjal (eggplant) – was put forward for approval. In contrast to the Bt cotton decision, and following heated debate and a series of public consultations across the country, an indefinite moratorium was placed on the crop. In this thesis, I unpack the various factors that shaped both decisions and the politics that accompanied them. To facilitate this analysis, I use a conceptual framework that combines four key forces that are often the focus of food governance analysis, but which are not always considered together. I argue that the divergence in outcomes can be explained by a confluence of shifts in key elements of the policy process. These dimensions of influence can be understood in four related categories: corporate actors, institutional mechanisms, science and science networks, and discursive elements. Changes that took place in each of these dimensions in the period between the two decisions align to explain divergent outcomes that no individual influence could. The conceptual framework I develop in this thesis presents a useful structure to analyse the often-complex and multi-causal processes and outcomes related to food and environmental issues. The results of this research have implications for the future direction of agricultural GMO policy in India, as well as in other countries in the global South.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-151). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references. Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Not embargoed. Vita. References located at the end of each chapter.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-119).