CSU expert explains GMOs

Pat Byrne, a professor of Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University, answers common questions about GMOs.

What does it mean if a product has GMO ingredients?
The term GMO stands for "genetically modified organism" and implies organisms that contain genes transferred through recombinant DNA technology. This includes a series of laboratory techniques for cloning genes, splicing DNA segments together and inserting genes into cells. Contrary to what many people believe, the number of GMO crop species currently in commerce in the U.S. is small — just corn, soybean, cotton, canola, alfalfa, sugar beet, papaya and summer squash. Ingredients from some of these crops, like corn starch and soybean oil, show up in many products, often in very small amounts. In addition, genetically modified non-browning apples and potatoes were recently approved by federal regulatory agencies.

Why do producers use GMOs?
Most current GMO crops have been engineered for herbicide tolerance or insect resistance. Many producers value these crops because they provide effective and economical control of weeds and insects. They may also bring environmental benefits. A U.S. National Research Council report found that herbicide-tolerant crops facilitate reduced tillage, leading to soil and water conservation and improved surface water quality. The same report concluded that the use of more toxic and more persistent pesticides has generally been lower in GMO crops than in conventional, non-GMO crops.

Are there valid concerns with GMO crops?
Yes. Several weed species have developed resistance to the herbicide glyphosate due to repeated applications in GMO glyphosate-resistant varieties, and the western corn rootworm has developed resistance to the insecticidal protein in insect-resistant corn in several Midwestern states. In both cases, crop rotations and alternative methods of pest control are recommended to mitigate the problem.

What research has been conducted on the safety of GMO products?
Developers of GMO food or feed crops consult with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to determine whether the crops are as safe as their conventional counterparts. The FDA staff reviews extensive information submitted by the crop developer, for example, on the nature and stability of the inserted gene and its protein product, composition of the food product, potential for allergenicity, and results of feeding studies on experimental animals. If the FDA is satisfied that the proposed crop does not increase risks for food or feed safety, the crop is approved for commercialization, pending the results of parallel evaluations by the USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency. According to a report by the U.S. National Research Council, there is no credible evidence that GMO foods are poorer nutritionally or have more toxic effects than non-GMO versions of the same crops.

How would a consumer know if a product is non-GMO?
There are currently two voluntary labeling procedures that identify products as non-GMO. One is the "USDA Organic" label, because by definition organic production does not allow the use of GMO inputs. The other is the "Non-GMO Project Verified" label, which indicates that a product has complied with a number of standards for GMO avoidance. There may be a third option in the future, as the USDA has recently announced that it will establish a voluntary certification process for non-GMO products.

Additional information is available in a CSU Extension Fact Sheet at www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/00710.html.