Do bio-engineered crops cause allergic reactions?
The potential of food derived from bio-engineered plants to cause allergies in sensitive individuals is an important element in the food safety assessments of bio-engineered crops. The foods derived from bio-engineered crops that are currently on the market and that may be part of U.S. food aid have been evaluated for possible allergenicity using a scientific approach that is consistent with the international approach being proposed in the Codex. New proteins in these crops have not been found to resemble allergens, and tests have shown that the native allergens in crops such as soybean have not been increased. How rigorously are bio-engineered crops regulated in the United States? All of the bio-engineered crops that are currently planted in the United States have been rigorously reviewed for environmental and food safety by all relevant regulatory agencies including USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Department of Health and Hu
