Controversies of
genetically modified foods
Safety
Potential human
health impact: allergens, transfer of antibiotic resistance markers, unknown
effects Potential environmental impact: unintended transfer of transgenes through cross-pollination, unknown effects on
other organisms (e.g., soil microbes), and loss of flora and fauna biodiversity
Access and
Intellectual Property
Domination of world
food production by a few companies
Increasing dependence
on Industralized nations by developing countries
Biopiracy—foreign exploitation of natural resources
Ethics
Violation of natural
organisms' intrinsic values
Tampering with nature
by mixing genes among species
Objections to
consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa
Stress for
animal
Labeling
Not mandatory in some
countries (e.g.,
Mixing GM crops with
non-GM confounds labeling attempts
Society
New advances may be
skewed to interests of rich countries