GMOs: Frankenfood or Fear-mongering?
A man in a lab coat inspecting plants.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are one of those topics that always seem to spark heated debates. From dinner tables to social media, the conversation about GMOs has been ongoing for decades. The conversation first kicked off in the 1970s, and by the 1990s, things were in full swing (remember the Flavr Savr tomato?).
Fast forward to today, and the debate is still going strong. Consumers find themselves in the middle of a tug-of-war, with everyone—from farmers to biotech corporations, scientists to advocacy groups—offering their take on the issue.
This can make it a bit overwhelming for the average person trying to make sense of it all.
In this post, I’ll break down some of the most common points of discussion around GMOs, so by the end, you’ll feel more confident in making the decision that’s right for you and your family. You can click on one of the chapters below if you want to jump to a section that interests you.
Contents:
What Does Non-GMO Mean?
When you see “Non-GMO” on a food label, it means that the product hasn’t been genetically modified. Essentially, it’s a food that was grown or produced without the use of genetic engineering (also called bioengineering) and doesn’t contain any GMOs in its ingredients. For meats and dairy products labeled as non-GMO, it means the animals were fed a diet free of genetically modified foods as well.
What Exactly is Bioengineering?
Bioengineering is the process of modifying an organism’s DNA to create specific traits, like making a plant resistant to pests or able to tolerate drought. This is where the “genetically modified organism” (GMO) label comes from, because these organisms have been altered on a genetic level.
This process typically happens in a lab, where scientists use advanced techniques like gene editing or transgenesis. Basically, they take genetic material from one species and introduce it into another, creating a new organism with the traits they want.
Why bioengineering? It’s often faster and more precise than traditional methods like selective breeding or crossbreeding. Instead of waiting generations for traits to show up, scientists can directly alter DNA to get the results they need much faster.
GMOs in Farming:
Most of the GMO crops we grow, like corn, aren’t directly used for food. While we often think of GMOs as being part of our meals, a lot of GMO crops serve other purposes, such as being used for ethanol (fuel), animal feed, corn oil, corn starch, and corn sugar. In fact, when it comes to human consumption, GMO crops are more commonly used as ingredients, like corn oil, rather than as the main food itself.
GMO crops were originally designed with a few key goals in mind: to make crops more resistant to pests, diseases, and weather changes; to improve the look and taste of food; to reduce food waste; and in some cases, to enhance the nutritional value of certain crops.
That said, the use of GMOs in farming has its supporters and detractors. On one hand, you have those who believe that GMOs can be a big part of solving global agricultural challenges. On the other, critics argue that GMOs aren’t living up to their promises.
Supporters: The Farming Perspective
Many of the strongest GMO supporters are involved in agriculture. For them, GMOs are seen as crucial to addressing global issues like hunger, food waste, and rising food prices. They believe that genetically modified crops can help boost crop yields, reduce farming costs, and even protect the environment.¹
Farmers, for example, benefit from GMO crops because they typically need fewer pesticides and less water. That means lower costs—not just in pesticides, but also in fuel to run the equipment that would usually be used for spraying.
There's also a common misconception that farmers can’t save and replant GMO seeds. In reality, most farmers sign contracts with seed suppliers agreeing not to save seeds and to buy new ones each year. This is partly to protect the genetic variety of the seeds (which is similar to how patents work) and partly because seeds from harvested GMO crops may not contain the full range of genetic traits of the original.²
Critics: Concerns About GMOs
On the other side of the debate, critics of GMOs raise some serious concerns. One of the biggest issues is the rise of herbicide-resistant weeds. As more herbicides are used to control weeds, some have become more tolerant to chemicals like glyphosate, forcing farmers to use even more. Similarly, pests are beginning to develop resistance to the genetic traits in some GMO crops that were designed to keep them at bay. As a result, pesticide use is on the rise alongside herbicides.
Critics also argue that GMOs aren’t the silver bullet to ending hunger. The vast majority of GMO crops are used for ethanol or animal feed, not directly for human consumption. And even though some crops are engineered to withstand pests, they’re not necessarily designed to increase yields, which is a key issue when it comes to feeding the world’s growing population.
Some critics also point out that there’s already enough food being produced, but Western countries, particularly the US, waste a significant portion, around 40%, of it. In developing nations, food insecurity is often more about poverty, lack of infrastructure (like refrigeration and transportation), and limited resources, which GMOs can’t solve on their own.³
Environmental Effects: What’s the Impact?
While scientists have done a lot of research on how GMOs affect agricultural yields and crop outcomes, the environmental impact of GMOs is still a bit of a mystery. There’s not as much research dedicated to understanding how GMOs influence the environment in the long term.⁴
Environmentalists have raised concerns about the potential side effects of GMOs. Since their widespread use, we've seen a rise in herbicide-resistant weeds, “superpests” that are tolerant to pesticides, and cross-contamination of GMO crops with non-GMO crops (including those grown organically). There’s also the issue of a decline in biodiversity, which could be connected to the use of GMOs.⁵
The Chemical Vicious Cycle
Because GMO crops are engineered to resist pests and herbicides, we’re starting to see weeds and insects adapt, becoming more resistant over time. Here’s how it works: The weeds and pests that survive the pesticides or herbicides (either through direct chemical application or because they’ve inherited the resistance built into GMO crops) pass that resistance onto their offspring. Over time, these bugs and weeds get tougher to control.
As a result, farmers often need to increase the dosage of chemicals to get the same effect as before. This creates a vicious cycle: more chemicals are used, which in turn makes pests and weeds even more resistant, leading to the need for even more chemicals.
This escalation not only harms the environment but also affects human health and biodiversity. Take Bt. Corn, for example, this GMO contains a pesticide in its DNA. While it’s designed to keep certain pests at bay, it can also harm beneficial insects like honeybees and monarch butterflies, which are critical to our ecosystem.
The GMO Cross-Contamination Issue
Another environmental concern is the potential for GMO DNA to spread to neighboring fields. This might happen naturally, like when a bird carries a seed from a GMO plant and drops it in another field. In some cases, this could lead to farmers being held responsible for GMO contamination, even if they didn’t intentionally plant GMOs. Imagine a farmer being sued or fined because GMO seeds from a neighboring field blew into theirs, or worse, an organic farm experiencing contamination and facing violations, despite not being at fault.
A European Perspective
Interestingly, while the European Union (EU) has some of the strictest regulations when it comes to food safety and human health, it does allow the import of GMO foods and products. However, most GMO crops are banned from being cultivated within EU borders. The reason? The EU acknowledges that growing GMO crops could harm the environment, even if the products themselves are deemed safe for consumption.⁶
GMOs and Human Health: What’s the Risk?
One of the biggest concerns for critics of GMOs revolves around human health, particularly when it comes to allergies. Some people worry that genetically modified crops could trigger allergic reactions, especially since new proteins are being introduced into the food chain. Others fear that these crops could alter nutrient levels in food, potentially leading to toxicity.⁷
However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) all reassure the public that GMO foods undergo rigorous testing to make sure they’re safe for humans, animals, and the environment. And it’s not just U.S. agencies—international bodies like the European Food Safety Authority, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the World Health Organization also keep a watchful eye on GMO safety.⁸
How GMOs Are Tested for Safety
Before a genetically modified crop hits the market, it goes through an extensive safety assessment. The testing process looks at seven key areas, including:
Composition (what the food is made of)
Nutritional value
Toxicology (potential harmful effects)
The characteristics of both the donor and host organisms
When it comes to potential allergens, every new GMO plant is tested for allergic reactions. Scientists pay special attention to the new proteins that are introduced through genetic modification. To add an extra layer of safety, GMOs are designed to avoid using genes from the eight major food groups responsible for 90% of food allergies.
To ensure no allergic reactions are triggered, scientists compare the amino acid sequences of the new proteins with those of known allergens. If there’s any chance that a protein could cause a problem, it gets additional testing before it’s allowed to reach consumers.⁹
The Upside: GMOs and Nutritional Benefits
While concerns about allergies and toxicity are understandable, there’s also a lot of potential benefit when it comes to GMOs and human health. Biofortified crops, like golden rice, offer a perfect example. Golden rice has been engineered to contain beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), which can help fight vitamin A deficiency, a major cause of preventable blindness and weakened immune systems in developing countries.
In 2013 alone, vitamin A deficiency led to about 105,700 deaths worldwide. While it’s not a pressing issue in places like the U.S., Canada, or Europe, it’s a real problem in many low-income nations where access to a variety of foods is limited. In these regions, rice is a staple food, and adding nutrients like vitamin A to rice can make a huge impact without adding extra cost for the government or consumers. ¹⁰
Will GMOs Harm Human DNA?
Another worry often brought up is that GMOs could somehow harm human DNA. The concern is that many GMO crops are designed to disrupt the digestive systems of insects. But this fear is based on a misunderstanding.
Insects have very different DNA and biological systems compared to humans. What might kill a bug doesn’t necessarily mean it will have the same effect on us. When we cook food, much of the DNA (whether from GMOs or not) is broken down in the process. What’s left gets digested in our gastrointestinal system. Some DNA fragments from all types of food (not just GMOs) may make it into our bloodstream, but there are no known harmful effects from this. ¹¹
Foods With the Most GMOs:
In the US, some of the most common foods that are GM are:
Alfalfa
Apples (a few varieties)
Canola
Corn
Cotton
Rainbow Papaya
Pink Pineapple
Potatoes
Soybeans
Sugar Beets
Summer Squash (zucchini and yellow squash)
Glyphosate (Roundup) and Monsanto: A Controversial Connection
You can’t talk about GMOs without addressing the elephant in the room: glyphosate. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, a synthetic herbicide that’s been widely used in agriculture for decades. Until 2018, it was manufactured by Monsanto, but the chemical giant was bought by Bayer, the well-known pharmaceutical company. Today, Roundup is the world’s most commonly used weed killer.
The Glyphosate-Resistant Weeds Problem
The rise of herbicide-resistant crops, such as genetically modified (GM) plants, has contributed to the increase in glyphosate use. As more weeds become resistant to glyphosate, farmers spray more of it, leading to higher levels of chemical exposure to humans and the environment. To give you an idea of how much glyphosate use has grown, back in the 1980s, around 11 million pounds of glyphosate were sprayed on American farms. Fast forward to 2023, and that number has ballooned to about 300 million pounds annually.⁷
Roundup was first introduced to the market in 1974 and became a staple in farming by the 1990s. Monsanto marketed it as safe for humans and the environment, even going so far as to claim it was safe enough to drink.¹²
Glyphosate and Cancer Concerns
However, not everyone was convinced about its safety. In 1985, the EPA raised concerns about glyphosate possibly being carcinogenic (cancer-causing). Monsanto pushed back, pressuring the agency to change its stance, and the EPA eventually concluded that glyphosate wasn’t likely to cause cancer.
But the controversy didn’t stop there. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a part of the World Health Organization (WHO), concluded that glyphosate may be linked to cancer, specifically non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This revelation led to a flood of lawsuits against Monsanto.
In 2018, Bayer bought Monsanto for a whopping $63 billion, but the controversies didn’t go away. Since then, Bayer has paid out over $10 billion in lawsuits, but they’ve often tried to settle outside of court to avoid public scrutiny and legal admissions of guilt.¹²
A Shaky Defense
In an odd moment in 2015, Patrick Moore, a self-proclaimed environmentalist, appeared on French television to defend glyphosate after the IARC’s cancer classification. Moore boldly claimed that glyphosate was safe enough to drink. The French journalist, Paul Moreira, took him up on that claim, offering Moore a glass of glyphosate live on air. Moore, visibly flustered, refused and stormed off the set. The incident only fueled further skepticism about the chemical’s safety.¹³
Part of the conversation went like this:
Moore: “I do not believe that glyphosate in Argentina is causing increases in cancer. You can drink a whole quart of it and it won’t hurt you.”
Moreira: “You want to drink some? We have some here.”
Moore: “I’d be happy to, actually. Not… not… really…”
Moreira: “Not really?”
Moore: “… but I know it wouldn’t hurt me.”
Moreira: “If you say so, I have some glyphosate.”
Moore: “I’m not stupid.”
Moreira: “Okay, so you know …”
Moore: “…but I know…”
Moreira: “…It’s dangerous.”
Moore: “…I know…no, people try to commit suicide with it and fail fairly regularly”
Moreira: “Tell the truth, it’s dangerous.”
Moore: “It’s not dangerous to humans, no, it’s not.”
Moreira: “So, you ready to drink one glass of…”
Moore: “No, I’m not an idiot.”
Paul Moreira (right) questioning Patrick Moore (left) on the safety of glyphosate.
New Studies: Glyphosate’s Impact on Human Health
In 2023, a study conducted by UC Berkeley looked into how glyphosate affects human health, particularly in pregnant women and their children. Researchers followed 480 mother-child pairs in California’s Salinas Valley—an area known for its heavy agricultural use of glyphosate. The study analyzed urine samples from the mothers and children at various ages, as well as liver and metabolic health in the children when they reached 18.
The results were concerning: children who had higher exposure to glyphosate during childhood and adolescence were more likely to experience liver inflammation and metabolic disorders later in life. What’s particularly troubling is that these children weren’t just at risk because of living near farms; they also consumed foods like cereal, fruits, vegetables, and bread that had traces of glyphosate.
This marks the first time a study has explored the connection between early life exposure to glyphosate and health problems. Given the rise in glyphosate use over the past two decades, there’s concern that it may be contributing to the increase in metabolic and liver diseases among children and young adults.
Dr. Ana Maria Mora, one of the lead investigators of the study, stated, “...the levels of the chemicals found in our study participants are within the range reported for the general U.S. population.” This suggests that glyphosate exposure is widespread, and these health issues could be linked to its increasing use, not necessarily the GMOs themselves. ¹⁴
GMO and Non-GMO Food Labeling: What You Need to Know
In the U.S., most foods with detectable GMO ingredients are required to be labeled as such. However, these foods are often ultra-processed items like chips, cookies, crackers, and cheese puffs.
The labeling laws are meant to keep consumers informed, but they don’t always make things easy. The label could appear in several formats: a “bioengineered food” symbol, a small statement under the ingredients list, or sometimes even hidden in fine print. Unfortunately, the term "GMO" isn’t always used, and many companies prefer the term "contains bioengineered food ingredients." To make matters more complicated, manufacturers don’t always have to place a statement directly on the packaging. Instead, they can opt for a QR code that links to more detailed information.
This creates a challenge for consumers, especially since not everyone has a smartphone or knows how to use QR codes. For example, senior citizens and people with certain disabilities may find it hard to access the information they need.
There are also a few exceptions to the labeling rule. For instance, oils, sugars, and meat or dairy products don’t need a GMO label, as long as the animal itself wasn’t genetically modified.
Non-GMO Seals and How to Spot Them:
The Non-GMO Project Seal
If you want to avoid GMOs, look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. This seal, featuring an orange butterfly on a blade of grass, is one of the most widely recognized symbols for non-GMO products. If you can’t find a product with this seal, USDA Organic is another option. USDA organic products are non-GMO by default and also avoid the use of harmful chemicals like glyphosate.
But what if non-GMO or organic options aren’t available? In that case, reducing your consumption of ultra-processed foods is a good step. Common processed foods that often contain GMOs include items like chicken nuggets, frozen meals, hot dogs, canned soups, sweetened cereals, chips, crackers, and packaged cookies.
It’s also important to note that non-GMO seals are voluntary and not required by law. This means that some products may be GMO-free but still lack the non-GMO label. However, just because a product is labeled "non-GMO" doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free from pesticides or herbicides like glyphosate (Roundup). These chemicals could still be used in the growing process.
The Non-GMO Project: What You Should Know
The Non-GMO Project is a nonprofit organization that has been around since 2007, and in 2010, its label started showing up on store shelves. The mission of the organization is to raise awareness about GMOs, provide consumers with an alternative to GMO foods, and ultimately work toward creating a non-GMO food supply.¹⁵
Products with the Non-GMO Project label must undergo third-party testing to ensure they meet the strict requirements set by the organization. The project not only ensures that foods with their seal are GMO-free but also works directly with growers and seed suppliers to reduce the risk of GMO contamination in the non-GMO supply chain.
However, not everyone agrees with the Non-GMO Project’s approach. Some critics argue that the organization may be using fear-based tactics, capitalizing on the public’s uncertainty about GMOs. They point out that the current body of scientific research indicates that genetically modified foods are safe and that GMOs are rigorously tested before they hit the market.¹⁶
What to Do: Your Next Steps:
In the grand scheme of things, GMOs are relatively new, and we're still learning about their long-term impacts. According to current scientific consensus, GMOs themselves aren’t harmful to humans. That said, many people still feel uneasy about consuming genetically modified foods. Choosing whether to buy non-GMO is a personal decision, and for some, cost and access to non-GMO or organic options may present barriers.
If buying organic or non-GMO products isn’t within your budget or accessible to you, there are still steps you can take to reduce exposure. One of the easiest changes is to cut back on ultra-processed foods, which are often GMO-laden. When shopping, look for foods that don’t fall into the typical GMO categories, but be mindful that these may still be treated with synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, which can pose their own health concerns.
A simple yet effective way to minimize your exposure is by thoroughly washing fresh produce under running water for about a minute. While washing won’t remove chemicals absorbed into the flesh, it can help reduce residues on the surface.
For Further Reading, Check Out These Sources:
1 - Nebraska Corn Board (Five Surprising Benefits of GMOs)
2 - American Farm Bureau Foundation For Agriculture
3 - Green America (GMOs Don’t Feed the World)
4 - Science (Environmental Impacts of Genetically Modified Crops)
5 - Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (Environmental Impacts)
7 - Pure Greens Container Farms (GMOs: What You Need to Know)
8 - U.S. Food & Drug Administration (How GMOs Are Regulated in the US)
9 - PubMed Central (Genetically Modified Foods and Food Allergy)
10 - PubMed Central (Allow Golden Rice to Save Lives)
11 - The Royal Society (Could Eating GM Food Have an Effect On My Genes?)
12 - YouTube (Does Roundup Cause Cancer? They Don’t Want You To Know)
13 - YouTube (GMO Advocate Says Monsanto’s Roundup Safe to Drink, Then Refuses Glass)
14 - Berkeley Public Health (Childhood Exposure to Common Herbicide)
15 - The Non-GMO Project
16 - Wikipedia (The Non-GMO Project)
Additional Sources (not cited):
GMO Answers (GMO Tomatoes: A Common Misconception)
Rebel Pastures (Is Glyphosate Killing Us? Let Us Count the Ways)
USDA (Genetically Modified Corn Does Not Damage Non-Target Organisms)
YouTube (Talk About GMOs: Experts Who Know Them and Grow Them)
YouTube (The Impact of GMOs on Human and Environmental Health)
Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.