Risks & Benefits of Genetic Engineering

The ability to move DNA from one organism to another in order to get novel traits is an incredible technology.  The new traits controlled by the transgene can help fight important problems in food production and nutrition. However, biotechnologists are concerned with unintended consequences of this transgene transfer.  Regulatory agencies are assigned to determine the safety of genetic engineering projects and weigh the risks vs. benefits for each product.  While no technology can be 100% guaranteed, GM crops must be shown to be as safe as their non-genetically modified counterparts before they ever reach consumers.

The goal of this section is to show how food scientists can apply their expertise in assessing the safety of genetically engineered crops.  You will hear from the experts as you weigh the risks and benefits of genetic engineering.