If the FDA doesn’t say they’re safe, ‘they won’t go to market’: What you should know about GMOs and food safety

Glow-in-the-dark mice, silk-producing goats, venomous cabbage — these are all wacky and downright unsettling examples of what can happen when scientists tinker with DNA. They’re also part of the reason that the public and scientific debates about genetically modified organisms — known as GMOs — persist.

Luckily, “Frankenfoods” like the venomous cabbage, aren’t something you’ll likely ever come into contact with.

…

The scientific consensus to date is that GMOs do not pose health risks to humans. GMOs have been heavily studied and new GM crops must go through an evaluation and approval process through the FDA. If the FDA doesn’t determine they’re safe, they won’t go to market.

Related on the SLP

Genetically engineered spider silk in North Face’s new jacket Genetically engineered goats produce human breast milk

The heated debate over trans athletes in the WNBA

Viewpoint: Women, depression and empathy: Explaining the gender gap in views about child-murderer Lindsay Clancy

Outing students: California court says schools need not notify parents of their child’s gender identity—unless they ask

Showing Slide 1 of 4

The WHO says that …. “GM foods currently available on the international market have passed safety assessments and are not likely to present risks for human health ….”

While there are some studies that have reported potential health risks, a 2017 review of “studies usually cited as evidence of adverse effects of GM food” found that most of those studies were invalid due to conflict of interest, flawed study design or poor implementation.

Read the original post