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Questions and Answers
Q: Hi. How does gmo affect alergens in food?
A: Thank you for your question! Many people ask if GMOs cause allergies. In order to address this question during the early years of GM development, the FDA decided to evaluate using transgenic methods to introduce DNA in plants because some crops (soy) are allergenic. Therefore, regulatory requirements were established for evaluating the allergenicity of GM crops (EFSA, 2006; CODEX, 2009; Hoekenga et al., 2013). Since 1992, over 1300 separate assessments by regulatory agencies around the world have reviewed safety data on various GM crops and concluded that they are as safe as th [...]
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Q: What are the development and widespread use of wheat?
A: There is no GMO wheat commercially available anywhere in the world. Currently, there are just 10 GMO crops commercially available in the U.S. today. Those crops are alfalfa, apples, canola, corn (field and sweet), cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, squash and sugar beets. To learn more about the development of wheat, please visit the National Association of Wheat Growers’ website. You can also find additional information on the complexity of its genome here and here. Below is an infographic from the International Wheat Genome that illustrates wheats’ importance as a staple f [...]
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Q: What does "partially produced with genetic engineering" mean?
A: If the product states it is “produced with genetic engineering” or “partially produced with genetic engineering,” it means that it contains one or more of the 10 genetically modified crops available in the U.S. today, which include: alfalfa, apples, canola, corn (field and sweet), cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, squash and sugar beets. In December 2018, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalized the standards for mandatory “GMO” labeling by releasing the “National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard” (or NBFDS). The NBFDS establishes the rules of the road for disclosin [...]
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A: You may have heard about “pink pineapples” (made by Del Monte Fresh Produce) and this article from last year explains more about them and the details/review process surrounding them. “(Del Monte’s) new pineapple has been genetically engineered to produce lower levels of the enzymes already in conventional pineapple that convert the pink pigment lycopene to the yellow pigment beta carotene. Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red and watermelons pink, so it is commonly and safely consumed. The pineapple will be grown in Costa Rica. The company will label it ‘extra sweet pink flesh pi [...]
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Q: How to reduce water consumption?
A: Clean and available sources of water are critical for farmers and successful agricultural production. Drought and water scarcity, which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been steadily rising since the 1970s, is especially challenging for farmers. Genetically modified crops can allow farmers to use less water, reduce the impact of drought on crops and support cleaner waterways. Studies have shown drought-tolerant genetically modified corn reduced transpiration by 17.5 percent under stress conditions, which allows for better moisture [...]
Questions and Answers
Q: How to reduce water consumption?
A: Clean and available sources of water are critical for farmers and successful agricultural production. Drought and water scarcity, which according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been steadily rising since the 1970s, is especially challenging for farmers. Genetically modified crops can allow farmers to use less water, reduce the impact of drought on crops and support cleaner waterways. Studies have shown drought-tolerant genetically modified corn reduced transpiration by 17.5 percent under stress conditions, which allows for better moisture [...]
Questions and Answers
A: It has been over 20 years since GMO crops first hit the market. GMOs and other advanced biotechnology tools have had an enormous impact on agriculture, including complex issues around environmental sustainability, plant diseases and pests and contributing to innovations with nutrition and breakthrough human medicines. GMOs are created to achieve a desired trait, such as resistance to a pest or tolerance to drought conditions. The 10 genetically modified crops available in the U.S. today include alfalfa, apples, canola, corn (field and sweet), cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, sq [...]
Questions and Answers
A: It has been over 20 years since GMO crops first hit the market. GMOs and other advanced biotechnology tools have had an enormous impact on agriculture, including complex issues around environmental sustainability, plant diseases and pests and contributing to innovations with nutrition and breakthrough human medicines. GMOs are created to achieve a desired trait, such as resistance to a pest or tolerance to drought conditions. The 10 genetically modified crops available in the U.S. today include alfalfa, apples, canola, corn (field and sweet), cotton, papaya, potatoes, soybeans, sq [...]
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the most GMOed food in Vermont
A: Linda Boccuzzo from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets reports, “Of the 10 GMO crops, only 3 are reported grown in Vermont last year: corn (silage), soybean and alfalfa for forage. Corn silage is the highest at approximately 80,000 - 90,000 acres; soybean and alfalfa substantially less/limited.” It is very difficult to quantify the exact amount of bioengineered ingredients in the food supply, especially relative to one state because we have a local to global food marketplace. There are 10 crops commercially available from GMO seeds in the US: apple, potato, corn [...]
Questions and Answers
Q: Are GMOs dangerous to humans in anyway?
A: GMO’s are not dangerous to humans. GMO’s are the most safety-tested food in the world. Prior to being produced, they undergo extensive testing to ensure that there is no risk to humans, animals or the environment. This testing is done by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Some of this testing includes the potential for a GMO to cause new food allergies in addition to testing nutritional quality. There have been no proven cases of disease or illnesses linked to GMO’s anywhere in the world. As a h [...]