Are GMOs healthy?

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Thursday, 03/29/2018 21:53

Thank you for your question regarding the health and safety of GMOs. Our experts have answered similar questions in the past – please see below for a comprehensive overview on this topic which should help address your question.

To answer your question, foods made from GM crops are as healthy as their non-GM counterparts. In this response, registered dietician, Connie Diekman, explains:

“…the Food and Drug Administration has set forth guidelines related to the use of GMOs, and in those documents they reference the science that indicates food developed through biotechnology are digested in the same manner as other foods and therefore provide the same nutrition, or in some cases more nutrition (if the goal of the biotechnology was to enhance nutrient content). The science also indicates that these foods are safe for consumption and that they are not contributors to increased allergies.”

As Mary Mertz, who also farms GM crops, points out in this response, every reputable leading health organization recognizes GM crops “to be as safe and nutritious as foods produced in any other way.”

You can find more information about GM foods and health in similar responses here, here and here. This resource also explains the health and safety of GMOs.

ARE GMOs SAFE?

Yes, GMOs are safe. Many consumers are led to believe that GMOs can cause cancer, autism, gluten intolerance and other illnesses. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Every leading health organization in the world stands behind the safety of GMOs. Extensive and continuous studies on GMOs are being conducted to ensure their ongoing safety for consumption. Click here to find thousands of studies on the safety of GMOs. Click here to find hundreds of independent studies.

In the spring of 2016, The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) researched this very same question and concluded: Yes, GMOs are safe.

The below infographic details how more than 20 scientists, researchers, agricultural and industry experts reviewed over 20 years of data since GMOs were introduced, including nearly 900 studies and publications, animal studies, allergenicity testing and North American and European health data.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF GMOs?

To many, GMOs are considered an important tool in addressing complex issues around the globe. From environmental sustainability to nutritional benefits, we’ve outlined many of the important ways GMOs can provide benefits to farmers, consumers and the environment in the response posted here.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

We have a variety of other resources available throughout the GMO Answers website and encourage you to explore more. Below are a few additional resources on this particular topic that you might find interesting.