What are genetically modified foods, and what are their harms?

Since genetically modified foods first appeared, their safety has always drawn widespread public attention, and many organizations even attribute problems such as cancer, tumors, infertility, declined immunity and fetal deformities to genetically modified foods. So what are genetically modified foods? What harms do they have?

1. What are genetically modified foods?

Genetically modified foods refer to foods that use genetic engineering technology (GM technology) to insert specific (non-same-species) exogenous genes into a species' genome, including GM plant foods, GM animal foods and GM microbial foods. The purpose of genetic modification is to alter an organism's genetic material so that its traits, nutritional quality, consumption quality and other aspects shift toward the goals people need. There are 27 GM crops approved worldwide, and the four most important are soybean, corn, cotton and rapeseed.

2. What harms do genetically modified foods have?

1. Causing crop yields to decline: some GM wheat or vegetables grow very well when first planted, but as time passes, the crop yields begin to drop sharply, and the crops may even die off over large areas, seriously affecting farmers' income and our country's grain output.

2. Causing infertility or even death in livestock: the gene sequence of GM foods has changed, so after animals eat them, they will gradually cause infertility in the animals, and in severe cases they can also cause animals to experience nausea and vomiting, and even death.

3. Destroying the ecological environment: once GM foods are eaten by wild animals, over time they will cause some animals to become extinct, which in turn destroys the balance of the ecological environment and affects the entire ecosystem.

4. Affecting human bodily functions: GM foods not only harm animals, they can have the same effect on humans. When humans eat too much GM food, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and low spirits will appear, and in severe cases shock can occur.

5. Causing panic: GM foods have certain harms, so people who have eaten GM foods will panic, which then turns into social unrest.

Genetically modified foods do have certain harms, so it is not recommended that everyone buy GM foods to eat. It is best to buy green and safe vegetables.