Is GM food safe to eat and safe for the environment?
There are reasons to be very cautious about the safety of GM food. New genes and gene products, mostly from bacteria, viruses and other non-food species are being introduced that we have never eaten before, at least not in such quantities. They may be toxic or may cause allergic reactions. These new genes and gene products may also harm other organisms that interact with the GM crops. The vast majority of GM crops are engineered to be tolerant to broad-spectrum herbicides that not only kill all other plants, but also known to be toxic for wild animals and human beings. The transgenes and antibiotic resistance marker genes may spread out of control, not just through crossing with unrelated species, but through the transgenic DNA being taken up by unrelated species, including domestic animals and human beings eating the food. This is referred to as horizontal gene transfer (see below). For more on this topic, read “Special safety concerns of GMOs” in Hazards of GM Crops, ISIS Reprints, I
