Consumers across the globe are receiving conflicting information over genetically engineered corps and foods derived from them.
A number of claims over their benefits and possible risks associated with the crops and their impact on human health, environmental, agricultural and economic outcomes have brought about a confusing landscape that is complicated by the evolving technology in its field.
For those that have lingering questions about crops and foods about GE, there is some good news.
The report, Genetically Engineered Crops: Past Experience and Future Prospects was designed to address some of the world’s toughest and it most contentious questions regarding GMOs.
To accomplish this, the committee conducted exhaustive reviews of evidence it amassed over the past 27 years, including more than 900 studies as well as other publication the past two years.
Since the only characteristics for GE in the widespread commercial use, are those providing herbicide tolerance and insect resistance, the examination room was important for the committee.
The committee investigated the evidence of the impact of the GE crops on a number of issues that included crop yield, diversity of insects, abundance, weed species distribution, herbicide and insecticide use and weed and insect resistance.
Overall, the report was able to find that there was no conclusive evidence of a relationship of cause and effect between the GE crops and problems with the environment.
However, it was recognized by the committee that insect and weed resistance related to the crops was increasing, which called for additional attention as well as efforts to mitigate that problem.
The review of the committee of data that was available also showed that herbicide tolerant and insect resistant GE traits had positive impacts on the yield of crops.
Insect-resistant varieties of cotton and corn were shown to contribute to the lowering of crop losses, while crops that were herbicide tolerant contributed to a better yield where weed control had improved.
Many people question about whether the consuming of GE crops and the foods that are derived from them can impact the health of humans negatively or can lead to higher rates of specific problems with health such as obesity, cancer, kidney disease, allergies and gastrointestinal tract sickness.
To make an assessment of those concerns, the authors of the report examined date from the United States and Canada that was epidemiological time series. In the two countries, GE food has been eaten for more than twenty years. The committee was able to find that no evidence of difference amongst countries in health problems existed after GE foods were introduced by comparing them to UK data where GE crops are tightly regulated.
