Report: Genetically modified crops as safe as conventional, organic foods

A new report pushes the idea that genetically modified crops produce foods that are as safe, or safer than, conventional or organic foods.

The report cites the consensus of a research review of 1,783 scientific studies of genetically modified crops. The review was conducted by a team of Italian scientists, who catalogued research into crop biotechnology as the key feature of their work.

The reseachers couldn’t find a single credible example demonstrating that GM foods pose any harm to humans or animals.

“The scientific research conducted so far has not detected any significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops,” researchers concluded.

“Anti-GMO proponents claim that genetically modified crops have not been tested or that the research has been done only by the companies that produce the seeds. But this review of scientific research proves that GM crops have been analyzed numerous times and ways,” said Lindsay Reames, assistant director of governmental relations for the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

They couldn’t find a single credible example demonstrating that GM foods pose any harm to humans or animals. “The scientific research conducted so far has not detected any significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops,” researchers concluded.

The research review was published in Critical Reviews in Biotechnology in September and spanned the past decade.

In 2012, roughly one-quarter of the world’s cropland was used to grow biotech crops. “Many farmers rely on GMO seeds to grow their crops, and without them farmers won’t be able to continue increasing their yields so they can help feed the world’s ever-growing population,” Reames said. “GMOs not only increase yields but also have been able to change gene traits in products to make them more appealing to consumers. For example, certain apple varieties that have been enhanced through biotechnology don’t turn brown.”

The Italian scientists found “little to no evidence” that GM crops have a negative environmental impact on their surroundings. The team also found no evidence that approved GMOs introduce any unique allergens or toxins into the food supply. All GM crops are tested against a database of known allergens before commercialization, and any crop found containing new allergens is not approved or marketed.

Biotech crops currently available on the market are the same from a compositional and nutritional standpoint as their non-GM counterparts. For example, GM corn is the same as non-GM corn, Reames explained. Testing has shown, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviews have confirmed, that GMOs are nutritionally equal to non-GM crops and have the same levels of key nutrients like amino acids, proteins, fiber, minerals and vitamins.

In short, Reames said, “genetically modified foods are among the most extensively studied scientific subjects in history. The paper’s conclusion is unequivocal: There is no credible evidence that GMOs pose a threat to the environment or the public’s health.”