Viewpoint: ‘GMOs change your DNA’ and 7 other anti-biotech myths debunked

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There are quite a bit of misconceptions and myths surrounding that term and what GMOs actually are. But it’s important to separate the GMO myths from the GMO facts and to shine a real light on how GMOs crops impact today’s farmers and our modern food system.

GMOs can change your DNA when you consume them and can cause cancer.

Truth: Just as the genes in a banana don’t alter your DNA when you eat a banana, the genes in GMOs do not alter your DNA when you consume them either. Our digestive system breaks down DNA without any effect on our genetic make-up. Our own genes are made by our bodies from the building blocks that we acquire from digesting any food, whether it is considered to be a GMO or not. In fact, many foods that are considered to be “GMO” are refined to the point where no genetic material is even present. This is true for ingredients such as sugar, syrups, and refined oils.

Another thing to understand is that …. [t]here is no such thing as a tomato gene or a fish gene. DNA is made of the same four bases A, T, C, and G in all organisms …. In fact, humans share about 50 percent of our genes with bananas!

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