What are GMOs and are they safe to eat?

What is a GMO?
- A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose DNA has been rearranged in a way that does not
occur naturally​4​. This is not to be confused with a virus, since viruses are not used to genetically modify food.
- There are three kinds of GMOs and are based on how they are modified. First-generation GMOs are given traits to
provide herbicide, pest, and weather resistance. Second-generation GMOs provide additional nutrition quality by
adding traits that promote overall value to the organism. Third-generation GMOs are given traits that are used for
pharmaceuticals or other similar products. Most genetically modified (GM) crops in America are first-generation​1,3​.

Are GMOs safe to consume?

- GM food production is the second most regulated process, with the first being the nuclear industry​3​.
- Since genetic engineering is a recent development, patrons are concerned that GMOs have attributed to allergies,
antibiotic resistance, and even cancer​6​. However, there is no research to support that GMO foods have attributed
to these health conditions​6​.
- A fifteen year study that reviewed 400 research institutions found no evidence to support that GMO products
have any adverse health effects​3​.

What foods can be GM?

- The most common GM foods include, but are not limited to, soy, corn, canola oil, cotton, milk, sugar, zucchini,
yellow squash, and papaya​2​.
- Cotton, soybean, and corn crops are the most common in America​1​.
- There are no current policies that require food producers to state whether their product has GMOs or not, unless
the GMO food is significantly different from its non-GMO counterpart​3​. There are initiatives in place, however, to
make it more aware to consumers, such as the Non-GMO Project label​5​.

The Take-Home Message

- An organism can be modified into a GMO for various reasons including, herbicide and pest resistance, to add
additional nutritional value, and for pharmaceuticals​1,3,4​.
- The research behind the safety of consuming GMOs has not found any compelling evidence to suggest that GMO
consumption is unsafe. However, researchers believe more long term testing needs to be done to ensure more
definitive recommendations in GMO consumption​2​.

Professional Resources
Consumer Perceptions ​https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4642419/
This is a review of consumer perceptions and knowledge on the subject of GMOs.
A review of safety, risks, and public concerns of GMOs ​https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791249/
This resource provides an overview of all research done on safety, risks, and public concerns on GMOs.
Two scientific points of view on the application of GMOs​ ​https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12263-012-0316-4
This is a debate between two researchers, both of whom have different stances on the safety of GMO consumption.

Client Resources
World Health Organization​ - This is a Q & A post about commonly asked questions in regards to GMOs.
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/
Consumer Reports​ - This is an article about how to determine if the food you are purchasing have GMOs in them or not.
https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/5-ways-help-you-know-if-there-are-gmos-in-food/
Healthline​ - This resource presents the pros and cons of GMOs from healthcare professionals.
https://www.healthline.com/health/gmos-pros-and-cons