GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) - organisms that has had its DNA altered or modified in some

way through genetic engineering; combines DNA of transgenic organisms with another.

1. GMOs are tested for safety and allergen potential before they go to the market. Part of the
testing includes nutritional analysis and protein analysis and characterization. In these studies,
researchers looked at the proteins and peptides expressed in the bioengineered organism
compared to the original. This allows researchers to identify any new proteins created by the GM
crop that could produce an allergic reaction or other adverse effect.

2. GM food products are among the most tested products in history. A meta-study of more than
1,700 peer-reviewed studies found no evidence that GMO crops produce adverse affects in
humans or livestock. And a recent review of 29 years of livestock health and productivity
statistics—looking at relevant data from both before and after the introduction of genetically
engineered feed and covering more than one billion animals—concluded that GM feed is every
bit as safe and nutritious as non-GM. Based on peer-reviewed evidence, the World Health
Organization, the American Medical Association and the British Royal Society, among others, have
all concluded that foods containing GM ingredients are as safe as the same foods containing
ingredients from crop plants modified by conventional techniques.

3. Biotechnology can be used to make foods more nutritious.

This tomato was engineered to produce higher levels of nutrients called anthocyanins,
which have been shown to be protective against a wide variety of human diseases.

The Golden Rice Project seeks to bring vitamin-A enriched rice to market to help
prevent nearly 500,000 cases of childhood blindness and 2 million deaths caused by vitamin-A
deficiency in third world countries each year.

4. GMOs can actually reduce pesticide use. GMO crops can actually allow farmers to use less
(and less toxic) pesticides on their fields. This is because GM crops can be modified to allow
more targeted use of herbicides and pesticides, provide more intrinsic pest resistance, and
allow GM plants to compete more effectively against encroaching weeds.

A German meta-study published in PLoS One concluded: “On average, GM technology adoption
has reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased
farmer profits by 68%.”

5. GMOs may be our best bet to adapt to changing global conditions. Biotechnology can help
us develop new, more resilient crop varieties that are better able to survive unprecedented
levels of drought, new blights and invasive pests that seriously impact food production. The
GMOs under development today, along with improved conventional farming methods and new
biologic crop protection products, will help us meet the challenges of tomorrow.

https://inside.battelle.org/blog-details/five-good-reasons-to-support-gmos