The Atlantici recently reported on the findings of new research into the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically engineered foods.

    The authors of the report GMO Myths and Truthsii took a science-based approach to evaluating the available research, and came to the conclusion that most of the scientific evidence regarding safety and increase yield potential do not support the claims made at all. In fact, the evidence demonstrates that the claims for genetically engineered foods are not just wildly overblown; they simply aren't true...

    The featured article summarizes the evidence presented, which shows that genetically engineered (GE) crops:

        Are laboratory-made, using technology that is totally different from natural breeding methods, and pose different risks from non-GE crops
        Can be toxic, allergenic or less nutritious than their natural counterparts
        Are not adequately regulated to ensure safety
        Do not increase yield potential
        Do not reduce pesticide use but increase it
        Create serious problems for farmers, including herbicide-tolerant "superweeds", compromised soil quality, and increased disease susceptibility in crops
        Have mixed economic effects
        Harm soil quality, disrupt ecosystems, and reduce biodiversity
        Do not offer effective solutions to climate change
        Are as energy-hungry as any other chemically-farmed crops
        Cannot solve the problem of world hunger but distract from its real causes - poverty, lack of access to food and, increasingly, lack of access to land to grow it on

    The authors of this critical report include Michael Antoniou, PhD, who heads the Gene Expression and Therapy Group at King's College at London School of Medicine in the UK. He's a 28-year veteran of genetic engineering technology who has himself invented a number of gene expression biotechnologies; as well as John Fagan, PhD, a leading authority on food sustainability, biosafety, and GMO testing.

    If you want to get an in-depth understanding of genetically engineered foods, I highly recommend reading their reportiii, which covers the ins-and-outs of genetic engineering and the disturbing findings of a large number of scientific studies.