Will it change anyone’s mind? Possibly not, but an influential American scientific panel has released a report saying genetically engineered (GE) food is safe to eat. However the report also says the GE crops have not lived up to their hype of producing bigger crops and more food.
The 420-page report by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine is called Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects.
The report says there is no evidence of environmental damage from GE crops, but the extensive use of pesticides and herbicides could result in resistance build up in pest plants and insects.
As for crop yield, while theory and experimental results indicated there should be an increase, the study says actual figures from the US Department of Agriculture don’t show such a result.
The report which says GE crops pose no risk to humans, did not delve deeply into the issue of labelling of such products. It said because there are no risks, there is no real need for labelling, but that it might be a good idea for reasons of transparency.
The most common GE/GM crops are soybean, cotton, corn and canola which have been modified for resistance to either or both herbicides and pest insects. The report noted that because of advances in technology, the lines are being more and more blurred between GE and non-GE crops.
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