What happens if genetically modified micro-organisms are released into the environment?
The genetically modified micro-organisms (GMMs) are being used widely both for research purposes, intended to bring human health benefits and by industry to produce enzymes, food additives and drugs (insulin, antibiotics). The work with such GMMs is done in so called “contained conditions”, which encompasses basically laboratories and fermenters in fabrics. According to the EU Directive 90/219, ammended by 98/81, the contained use of GMMs is subject to regulation in order to prevent their potential accidental escape into environment and thus to guarantee the protection of human and environment. For experiments in the laboratory or for industrial use, micro-organisms are grown in controlled systems according to the degree of hazard represented by an accidental release of these micro-organisms. The GM micro-organisms used for industrial purposes are normally not pathogenic and their growth is optimized for the conditions of laboratory production. An accidental release would not represent
