Bill Gates has a message for anti-GMO advocates: I’m disappointed.
In a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” on Tuesday, Gates said that he not only views GMO foods as “perfectly healthy,” but also that he sees them as a promising tool in a wider array of resources in the fight to reduce world hunger.
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“GMO foods are perfectly healthy and the technique has the possibility to reduce starvation and malnutrition when it is reviewed in the right way,” Gates wrote. “I don’t stay away from non-GMO foods but it is disappointing that people view it as better.”
Gates’ view may strike some as controversial. Many people believe genetically modified foods are dangerous. In recent years, companies have submitted more than 35,000 products to the Non-GMO Project, an organization that certifies products that don’t contain genetically modified ingredients. And sales of GMO-free products are skyrocketing: Today, they represent roughly $16 billion in yearly sales.
But Gates’s stance also puts him in line with a majority of scientists who study the topic.
Organizations like the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the European Commission have publicly proclaimed GMO foods to be safe to eat. A large 2013 study on GMOs found no “significant hazards directly connected with the use of genetically engineered crops.”
Read full, original post: Bill Gates calls GMOs ‘perfectly healthy’ — and scientists say he’s right
