No evidence has validated that eating food with GMO ingredients is harmful.

A genetically modified organism (GMO) or a genetically engineered organism is an organism whose genes have been changed with biotechnology rather than selective breeding. In selective breeding, two plants with desirable traits are deliberately mated so the next generation of plants will have these characteristics. With biotechnology, scientists can make changes directly to a plant’s genes to introduce the desired characteristics.

Currently, more than a dozen genetically engineered crops are grown for food somewhere in the world. Other such crops are being made and tested in laboratories and fields. These types of crops may also be referred to as transgenic or bioengineered or as having recombinant DNA.

People have been eating foods made from genetically engineered crops for decades. Many studies have examined their health effects.

• Scientists compared health trends in North America, where foods made from genetically engineered crops are common, with trends in Europe, where such foods are rare. While not perfect, this is much like a large-scale, long-term study on whether eating foods made from genetically engineered crops is associated with health problems. They found no differences in patterns of cancer, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, gastrointestinal problems, celiac disease, autism, or food allergies.
• Laboratory studies have looked at the components of genetically engineered crops and their effects in laboratory and farm animals. Based on the data, scientists generally agree that eating these crops does not affect the health of these animals.

Scientists continue to study foods made from genetically engineered crops.

Ensuring the safety of foods made from genetically engineered crops requires many studies.

• Scientists and safety experts almost never rely on just one study. The results of one single research study can be misleading and therefore require validation. For example, one study with rats raised concerns that genetically engineered corn could cause cancer. A more detailed, rigorous, follow up study with that corn found no relationship between the corn and tumor growth.
• It is very difficult with any research to prove that there is no risk, but scientists and governments look at many studies—not just one—to decide if there’s cause for concern.
• Some of the studies on food safety used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, and Environmental Protection Agency are conducted by industry researchers, but others are conducted by government and university scientists.