3 Health Dangers of Genetically Modified Foods

Genetically modified foods are absolutely everywhere. Unless you eat an all-organic diet, you've probably already consumed a handful of GMOs today alone. Although most expert organizations, including the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, regard GMO foods as safe, their nutritional properties do differ considerably from their natural counterparts. Although genetic modification has never been proved to render foods unsafe or inedible, several possible nutritional effects of GMO foods warrant concern and caution.

Here are a few of the health dangers associated with genetically modified foods, according to a systematic review published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.

1. Allergic Reactions

Genetically modified plants often contain allergenic proteins from one or all of its DNA sources. Soybeans containing genetic material from Brazil nuts produce the same allergenic material found in the nut, so people with Brazil nut allergies can develop life-threatening reactions to genetically modified soy. Soy allergies diagnosed in the UK increased dramatically after the introduction of GMO soy to the nation's food supply. Similarly, some forms of genetically modified corn, engineered to produce their own pesticides, can cause allergic reactions in people who are not allergic to ordinary corn. GMO soy, corn and papaya are increasingly prevalent causes of food allergies.

2. Poisoning

Many genetically modified plants contain weak toxins which, over time, can cause all the same effects as ingestion of poisons. Rats fed genetically modified potatoes and tomatoes have shorter life expectancies and develop toxicity symptoms, including stomach bleeding, liver failure, kidney damage and problems with the pancreas.

GMO plants such as "Roundup Ready" soybeans are also sprayed with massive, and debatably dangerous, levels of agricultural herbicides. Several individual studies report drastic increases in unexplained deaths among apparently healthy animals introduced to GMOs. While no human studies exist to confirm these findings, the concerns are serious enough to warrant further investigations about the plants' effects on human health.

3. Gene Transfer

One of the scariest health dangers of genetically modified foods involves the phenomenon of gene transfer. DNA and RNA in genetically modified plants can transfer to the viruses, bacteria, and even our own cells. So-called transgenes have been found to insert themselves into the bacteria living naturally in the human colon. They could also cross with viruses or bacteria, leading to toxins within the body and treatment-resistant infections. If certain types of transgenes were to to interact with our own colon bacteria, they could turn our guts into constant pesticide-factories-- an incredibly dangerous situation.

To date, no genetically modified mass-market food has been found to be unacceptably dangerous. Nevertheless, several potential health risks exist that beg further investigation. Although it is nearly impossible to entirely avoid genetically modified foods in the modern world, health-conscious consumers should be wary of the potential health dangers associated with GMO crops.