Some people regard this technology as potentially harmful to human health because we do not know enough about the ways genes operate and interact to be sure of what the outcome of any modification will be. They worry that alterations could accidentally lead to substances that are poisonous or trigger allergies.
So can we trust the food we eat?
All food products, novel or otherwise, are subject to a system of regulation which should ensure safety and consumer confidence.
These regulations set standards that must be met. Testing procedures are designed to pick up problems before products get to the market. When we get ill as a result of eating food, it is usually because of poor practice somewhere along the line.
BSE/CJD is a very good example of this: the rendering and abattoir industries adopted ineffective procedures and failed to remove specified meat products from the human food chain.
Remember that we the consumers also have responsibilities. One of the reasons food poisoning cases have risen dramatically I recent years is because we have failed to store and prepare food correctly in our own kitchens.
How do I know what I am eating?
The UK Government, together with industry, is attempting to produce better labelling of food- so that consumers know precisely what they are buying, be it in a supermarket or restaurant.
The current rules state that GM food has to be labelled unless “ neither protein or DNA resulting from genetic modification is present.”
In plain terms, this means the following: if a crop was modified to alter the composition of a food ingredient, for example starch or oil, then the food will have to be labelled GM DNA.
The GM labelling rules should satisfy those who wish to exercise a choice based on any perceived health threat, however the rules will not satisfy those who object to GM foods on ethical or religious grounds.
The Government has also promised a Food Standards Agency.
The link between food additives and GM foods ate the safety concerns for human beings; there is a lack of evidence with regards to toxicities and possible allergies. There are also valid concerns for correct labelling both for GM food and food additives, people need to be able to make a choice based on what information is available via labels, food agencies and advertising.
Food additives and ingredients association
Www.brightsurf.com/directory.topic-genetic_modified_food
