So the big question most people have is whether or not genetically modified foods are safe. There are disagreements on the subject. The US says that they are while the EU says no they aren't. Scientist have disagreements as well. Tests have shown that the short term effects aren't harmful, but the question of long term effects is a hot topic. Many say that while there could be long term effects, current knowledge of proteins, how they have been introduced, and how they are added into our food supply that they will not be harmful. Meanwhile, other scientist say this is a bad assumption and claim that gm foods have already been shown to have caused allergens. If someone were allergic to a genetically modified plant, it is very easy for cross contamination to occur.
All in all, I choose to believe that genetically modified foods are not bad for you, but I have no authority to make that claim except personal experiance. It is an efficient and cost efficient way to meet food demands.
A question from the rhetorician: why is there a stigma attached to GM foods if people really don't even know what goes into the process? Could it simply be that "genetic modification" sounds like something an evil scientist in a sci-fi movie would do? Or are people fundamentally wary of the limitations of science (the "Frankenstein" argument that we know just enough to get ourselves into trouble)? Both? Something else altogether?
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