A Useful Guide to Understanding GMOs

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As food producers aim to provide a secure and reliable supply of food for the growing public, food biotechnology advances are evolving fast. Genetically modified food resources are helping farmers, food manufacturers, and companies produce safe, healthy, great-tasting and environmentally-friendly foods. However, understanding how these foods are created, how they end up on our plates, and the science behind the ingredients can be confusing. Below we have some insightful resources to help you understand how GMOs are shaping our food supply.

Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding

Food Biotechnology: A Communicator’s Guide to Improving Understanding is your one-stop resource for preparing for presentations, patient and client questions, health fairs, media interviews, blogging, tweeting, and other community conversations around biotechnology and GMOs.

GMO-Free Milk: Is There Really Such a Thing?

Modern food production uses various technologies to ensure that our food supply yields safe and environmentally friendly foods. “Genetically engineered” foods, also known as “genetically modified” foods or GMOs, are safe for consumption, and this has been proven repeatedly by scientific research. So what do package labels such as “GMO-free” and “Non-GMO” really mean?

Science Sent: GMOs Are Safe to Eat

For years, the debate over the safety of genetically engineered crops (or genetically modified organisms or GMOS) has come down to one statement: the science isn’t there. According to a report published yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), there is no difference in potential or adverse health effects in GMO crops compared to non-GMOs. In other words, GMO crops are as safe to eat as their non-GMO counterparts.

No Matter the Food, Ingredients Produced with Biotechnology Are As Safe As “Non-GMO”

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation would like to correct media reports raising concerns about infant formula containing ingredients produced using biotechnology (also referred to as “genetically engineered” ingredients or “GMOs.” Foods produced using biotechnology have been consumed widely for nearly 20 years, with no evidence of any harm to health found, including in pregnant women and children. In addition, scientific research has shown foods produced through biotechnology to be as safe and healthful as their counterparts.

Purdue University Sees What a “Ban” on GMOs Would Look Like [INFOGRAPHIC]

Purdue University, published a study in AgBioForum that aimed to answer a simple question: What would the world look like without genetically engineered crops? They answered the question with my personal favorite discipline: economics. Here’s a snapshot of what they found.

Biotech Foods are Safe. Says Who? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Biotech foods (‘GMOs’) are safe. Period. That may seem like a bold statement, but it comes with the weight of a huge body of research and global consensus among preeminent health organizations. To understand the safety of food biotech, it helps to look at the numbers. There are thousands of studies on biotech crops published, billions of pounds of biotech foods eaten, and there are zero illnesses (human or animal) resulting of consuming biotech foods.

Then vs. Now: Our Favorite Foods Before and After Genetic Modification

It seems like everyone is jumping on the “non-GMO” bandwagon these days. But I’d bet a lot of people haven’t stopped to consider that virtually all their favorite “natural” foods are still the result of genetic modification that has been happening for thousands of years. These breeding practices have worked to bring us some delicious and highly nutritious foods by selectively breeding for desirable traits. But where did these foods get their starts? Let’s take a look.

Food Biotechnology Videos

Technologies, such as food biotechnology, have become an important part of agriculture. However, many myths and misperceptions about food biotechnology have led to questions about its safety and benefits for the public. The video segments below were developed to help clarify the facts on food produced through biotechnology and to address some of your most common questions. In the videos, physicians who are leaders in their field discuss the following topics as they relate to food biotechnology: Safety; Allergies; Children; Benefits; and Labeling. These physicians have relevant background in these areas, as well as knowledge of the safety and health research around food biotechnology.

Let’s Get Back to Basics on Genetics

“Genetic modification” and “genetic engineering” are terms we hear in relation to discussions about food production technology and the use of biotechnology for advancing our food supply. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a great glossary to help you navigate the difficult terminology. But beyond definitions, what does food technology really mean? To answer this question, we thought it would be good to drill down and discuss what the word “genetic” means and how it comes into play in food production.