What are bioengineered foods?
Bioengineered foods are food or drink made from plant varieties that are developed from using recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) technology (which is often referred to as “genetic engineering” or “biotechnology”). Specifically, bioengineered foods are produced from plants whose genetic material has been altered by inserting DNA molecules from another organism for the purpose of reproducing beneficial characteristics, such as added nutrition, better flavor, or greater ability to fight pests or diseases, of the original species in the receiving species. In 1994, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established a consultation process that helps ensure that foods developed using biotechnology methods meet the applicable safety standards.