Are GMO materials safe for humans?

1. GMO(Genetically Modified Organism)

Genetically modified foods GMO is a genetic recombination technology that combines useful genes from the genes (genome) of a living organism with other genes.



Agricultural products, livestock products, and marine products that have been cultivated and raised for a specific purpose using modern biotechnology, and food or food additives (including health functional foods) manufactured or processed using these as raw materials are called genetically modified foods, and they began to be mentioned in earnest in the early 1990s.


This GMO is mainly used to secure food resources to solve the food shortage problem, which is why there is a shortage compared to demand, such as soybeans or corn.


2. What are the types of GMOs?

GMOs are classified into genetically modified microorganisms (GM microorganisms), genetically modified animals (GM animals), and genetically modified agricultural products (GM agricultural products), but this time we will only look at GM agricultural products.


Corn, soybeans, cotton, and rapeseed are representative genetically modified agricultural products distributed worldwide, and sugar beets, alfalfa, potatoes, rice, melons, red chicory, tomatoes, pumpkins, papaya, and flax are also being developed and can be imported at any time.


GMO soybeans are used in meju, soybean paste, red pepper paste, and tofu, and GMO corn is used in popcorn, corn oil, and canned corn (corn salad). Potatoes are also GMO-managed items, but currently GMO potatoes cannot be imported for commercial production purposes.


Among the agricultural products that we encounter in our diet, there are 191 items approved for import as genetically modified foods, and there are 6 types (soybeans, corn, cotton, canola-rapeseed, alfalfa, and sugar beets).


3. How are GMO foods classified?


The genetically modified food labeling system aims to provide information to consumers and guarantee their right to know and choose. Foods manufactured or processed using genetically modified soybeans, corn, etc. as main raw materials must display the label “genetically modified food” on the product container or packaging.


However, if genetically modified agricultural products are not in the top 5 of raw materials, or if no DNA or protein remains in the final product, the labeling may be omitted (for example, vegetable oils manufactured by dissolution method), and if no newly inserted genes (genes from other organisms) remain in foods manufactured using GMOs, the labeling is not required.


4. Staying Safe from GMOs


- Avoid processed foods: Processed foods produced in factories use raw materials using GMOs for business purposes, so use natural ingredients as much as possible.


- Avoid imported foods: Vegetable oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and corn oil are mostly products extracted using imported GMO raw materials, so use organic oil, olive oil, and perilla oil, and check for the 'USDA certified organic' mark if imported from the United States.


- Use domestic organic agricultural products: Purchase and use domestic organic agricultural products (not applicable to pesticide-free agricultural products) that are free of chemicals such as pesticides or the risk of GMOs


5. Conclusion


Now, these GMOs can be commonly found around us and are becoming an unavoidable reality.


The safety evaluation of genetically modified foods is conducted by the GMO Safety Evaluation Data Review Committee within the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and GMOs sold on the market are sold after passing examinations such as toxicity and allergy tests, so it is safe to assume that their safety is guaranteed.

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