Question: Is it safe to eat GM food?

John Short answered on 11 Jun 2012:

Hello,

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. GM food is basically where the crops have had their DNA altered by the addition of genes from other organisms such as other plants and viruses to improve crop production, resist viral or fungal disease and climatic factors such as drought

GM foods that are sold have been tested for:
(a) direct health effects (toxicity),
(b) tendencies to provoke allergic reaction (allergenicity);
(c) specific components thought to have nutritional or toxic properties
– does the gene itself cause harm or of benefit to us and the environment?; i.e. a gene that expresses a protein against a plant fungus infection, may or may not cause harm to us.
(d) the stability of the inserted gene – will it remain the crop or be lost, undergo mutation etc?
(e) nutritional effects associated with genetic modification;
(f) any unintended effects which could result from the gene insertion.

Genetically Modified Food is currently sold all over North and South America, China and India, and has been for over 10 years. If you have been on holiday there it is likely that you have eaten GM food. It is only really i n Europe where the media, politicians and the public were completely guilty of misunderstanding the science and whipping up a storm in a tea cup. Us scientists were guilty of not explaining or communicating the science properly as well.

The only bad thing about GM food on sale for humans to eat is if you eat too much of it like with non-GM food!