Genetically Modified Food – Is It Harmful to Health?
Alicja Kowalska
2026-03-23
9 min. read
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Genetically engineered food is a subject of much controversy. GMOs impact not just our health, but also politics, economics, ecology, and even religion. It is a relatively new food production technology, and there are many myths surrounding it. Consumers worry that it may harm their health and the environment. Does genetically engineered food pose a health hazard? What is the current state of knowledge on GMOs? And which plants and animals are genetically engineered and available in U.S. stores?
Genetically modified organisms: Definition, modification mechanisms, and applications in food production
Food products derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) may consist entirely or partially of such organisms or be manufactured using GMO-based raw materials, though the final product may not necessarily contain modified biological material—an example being rapeseed oil obtained from genetically enhanced varieties of the plant. Genetic engineering techniques enable the precise introduction of novel, desirable traits into the genomes of plants and animals. This process may involve the insertion of a specific gene (or gene segment) from the same or a different species, as well as the targeted silencing of genes responsible for undesirable characteristics. The resulting organisms exhibit stable, heritable genetic modifications that are transmitted to subsequent generations (cf. Skawińska & Blicharska, 2012).
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