Do You Really Know About Genetically Modified Foods?

70-75% of all processed foods sold in store are genetically modified.

Yes, everyone purchases genetically modified foods whether they want to or not. Just because a food is labeled as organic, doesn't mean it wasn't genetically modified.

Right now, genetically modified crops have made life a little bit easier for the nation's farmers who use them. However, scientists and farmers believe that soon all of the answers will be true: genetically modified crops will create foods that are more nutritious, have longer shelf lives, contain fewer pesticides, and are produced with less damage to the environment.

"Genes in foods are easily digested and there is no evidence that these new genes are going to have any affect on our genes," Goldsbrough says.

"Most of the genetically modified crops currently available are designed to reduce farmers' production costs. Under some circumstances there may be less pesticides used, and there is some indication that genetically modified corn is less likely to be infected with fungal toxins that are natural carcinogens, but the overall health effect of these benefits is minor," Goldsbrough says. "In the future these technologies hold the promise of delivering foods that are nutritionally enhanced. For example, foods might provide essential vitamins or contain natural compounds that can help improve your health."

All plant and animal cells contain DNA, so nearly all food contains genetic material regardless of whether the food has been genetically modified. There are a few exceptions, however. "During the processing of some food products, such as vegetable cooking oils, almost all of the DNA is removed," Goldsbrough says

There are no requirements to test whether genetically modified crops cause allergic reactions. "When Pioneer put genes from brazil nuts into foods and found that they did cause an allergic reaction by using skin tests, they stopped research on that product," Goldsbrough says. So far this system appears to work. When conventional new foods are introduced into the U.S. market –such as kiwi fruit – allergic reactions are common. But after three years of widespread use in the United States, no allergic reactions to genetically modified crops have been reported.

Every year, around 1,000,000 acres of genetically modified crops are grown in the United States alone.

Before the advent of genetically modified organisms, cheese was produced using an enzyme obtained from the stomachs of calves slaughtered for veal. Now genetically modified bacteria produce that same protein. One result of this is that many cheeses are now considered Kosher.

Papayas, soybeans, and apples are the only group that is all genetically modified but, grapes, tomatoes, corn, bread, carrots, and seedless watermelon are also on the list of most commonly genetically modified foods.