Consumer Knowledge and Behavior Re: Agricultural Biotechnology and Biotechnology-Derived Food Products and Animal Feed - Wave III: Focus Groups Exploring Consumer Reactions to Educational Materials

OMB No. 0910-0497
Appendix V

Expiration Date: 10/31/2020

f e e d yo u r m i n d

GMOS and
Your Health
Are GMO foods on the
market safe to eat?
Yes. GMOs are rigorously studied before they are
sold to the public to ensure they are as safe as
the foods we currently eat. These studies show
that GMOs don’t affect you differently than
non-GMO foods.

Am I allergic to GMOs?
Not unless you’re allergic to the non-GMO version
of that food. Most food allergies (90%) are caused
by allergens found in just eight foods: peanuts,
tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, and
fish. For example, soy is a common allergen
available in a GMO version. If you are allergic to
foods made with conventional (non-GMO) soy,
you will be allergic to foods made with GMO soy.
If you’re not allergic to foods made with
conventional soy, you won’t be allergic to foods
made with GMO soy. Scientists developing GMOs
run tests to make sure allergens aren’t transferred
from one food to another.

A review of scientific studies that tested GMOs
for allergenicity concluded that GMO foods are
no more allergenic than non-GMOs. There is no
evidence that someone who isn’t allergic to a
certain food would develop an allergy after eating
the GMO version of that food.
Some people wonder if the cases of celiac
disease are rising because of GMOs. Celiac
disease is a serious condition that affects the
digestive system. It is caused by an abnormal
sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye,
and barley. There is no evidence that GMOs on
the market today cause celiac disease. Plus,
GMO wheat, rye, and barley are not being grown
commercially, so GMOs would not be related to
current cases of celiac disease.

Are GMOs creating
new allergies?
No. The way GMOs are created allows scientists to
know precisely which new proteins are produced
in a plant. Scientists perform tests to make sure
these proteins are not allergens. This type of
testing, called allergenicity testing, is always part
of the process for developing GMOs. Also, FDA
regulations ensure that foods derived from GMOs
must be as safe as the non-GMOs you eat.

Did you know?
Scientists tried to create a
more nutritional GMO
soybean by adding nutrients
from the Brazil nut. Tests
discovered that this change
added an allergen to the
soybean, so that GMO never
made it to market.

Do GMO foods have
more antibiotics or added
steroids than non-GMO
foods?
No. GMO meats do not contain antibiotics
or steroids.

What’s on the horizon for
food production?
Scientists are continuing to look for new ways to
develop GMO foods with increased nutritional
value. Scientists are also using a new technology
for food modification called genome editing.
CRISPR, ZFN, and TALENs are examples of
genome editing tools being used today.

Do GMOs cause cancer?
No. GMO crops are not changed in ways that
would increase the risk of cancer. In addition, an
analysis of data by the National Academies of
Sciences concluded that GMOs did not increase
the rate of cancer in the U.S.

Get more information about GMOs at feedyourmind.gov.