A new research review paper
prepared by seven European scientists says genetically-modified crops are safe
to eat and nutritionally equivalent to their non-GMO counterparts.
The study has just been published
in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.
The research team evaluated the
results of 24 long-term food-safety studies of genetically-modified crops.
In the summary, the authors say
"the studies... show that GM plants are nutritionally equivalent to their
non-GM counterparts and can be safely used in food and feed."
Europe banned imports of
genetically-modified corn, soybeans and canola in the 1990s, claiming more
research was required to determine if they are safe.
Some in the research and business
community believe that was a stalling tactic to give European researchers and
companies enough time to catch up with the new technology and improved
varieties of their own.
If that was the tactic, it
backfired because an aroused European public pressured politicians to maintain
bans long after research indicated there were either no risks or they are
insignificant.
