Whats wrong with genetically engineered foods?
Genetic engineering is highly unpredictable. Contrary to industry claims, the techniques used in genetic engineering are random and imprecise. Because scientists still understand very little about how genes work, genetic engineers frequently find unexpected side effects when they move genes across species, or even within the same species. These unexpected effects of genetic engineering, sometimes called ‘pleitropic’ or ‘secondary’ effects, can include the production of new or ‘novel’ proteins. These new proteins can potentially cause allergies or have toxic effects. They can significantly change the plant in ways such as making it weak, or changing its colour. Scientists do not know what unexpected results to look for in their experiments. Further, genetic engineering companies are keen to avoid testing for unexpected effects. Thus these effects only emerge after the crops have been released. For example, Monsanto’s GE soy plants with extra lignin (the woody part of a stem), began to c
