SCIENTISTS CONTINUE TO find new ways to insert genes for specific traits into plant and animal DNA. A field of promise—and a subject of debate—genetic engineering is changing the food we eat and the world we live in.
In the brave new world of genetic engineering, Dean DellaPenna envisions this cornucopia: tomatoes and broccoli bursting with cancer-fighting chemicals and vitamin-enhanced crops of rice, sweet potatoes, and cassava to help nourish the poor …. A plant biochemist at Michigan State University, DellaPenna believes that genetically engineered foods are the key to the next wave of advances in agriculture and health.
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Just what are genetically engineered foods, and who is eating them? What do we know about their benefits—and their risks? What effect might engineered plants have on the environment and on agricultural practices around the world? Can they help feed and preserve the health of the Earth’s burgeoning population?
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Q: Are biotech foods safe for humans?
A: Yes, as far as we know.
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“Risks exist everywhere in our food supply,” points out Dean DellaPenna. “About a hundred people die each year from peanut allergies. With genetically engineered foods we minimize risks by doing rigorous testing”
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“When it comes to addressing concerns about health issues, industry is being held to very high standards” says DellaPenna, “and it’s doing its best to meet them in reasonable and rigorous fashion.”
Read full, original article: Food: How Altered?
