Please select a question from the list below to jump to the answer.
Are meat, milk and egg products from animals fed biotech crops safe for consumers?
Yes. Biotechnology grains have been evaluated by regulatory agencies and are considered to be substantially equivalent, or the same as, conventional crops and safe for consumption. Therefore, food products such as meat, milk and eggs from animals fed with biotechnology feeds are as safe as those from animals fed from other sources.
Are biotech crops as nutritious and safe as their counterparts produced through conventional means?
Yes. Regulatory agencies require companies to assess each biotech crop for substantial equivalence to its conventional counterpart before the products are marketed. Equivalency in crop nutrition and safety is assessed biochemically by evaluating key groups of components such as essential vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, carbohydrates and amino acids. In addition, anti-nutrients, endogenous toxicants and known and potential allergens and other physiologically active substances are evaluated. These tests are widely accepted and have demonstrated that the components of a product developed through biotechnology are similar, or equivalent to, its conventional counterpart.
Do biotech crops, which offer insect resistance and herbicide tolerance, negatively affect the health, growth and performance of livestock?
No. Food/feed regulatory agency reviews have all concluded that crops developed via biotechnology are the same as conventional crops in nutrition, composition, safety and functionality in food and feed products. In addition, DuPont voluntarily conducts animal studies of feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency to provide still more data before biotechnology products are marketed.
Back to Top
Can improved grains produced from biotech crops affect the quality and consumption of meat, milk and eggs?
Products on the market today are improving farmers’ productivity, which in turn provides a reliable food supply. Biotechnology tools allow researchers to also develop products that more directly benefit consumers such as products with improved shelf life, enhanced flavor and improved nutritional profiles.
Do animals that consume biotech grains absorb the new protein?
All proteins ingested by animals, whether from biotech or conventional crops, are either excreted as waste or broken down into single amino acids or small fragments before they are absorbed. The amino acids are used as nutrients. If the proteins are not digested, they are excreted as feces. Keep in mind that biotech products on the market have passed rigorous mandatory and voluntary tests.
Is DNA from biotech crops as safe as the DNA we consume daily?
The FDA and the World Health Organization have concluded that the consumption of DNA from all sources - including plants improved through biotechnology - is safe. All DNA - including that used to improve plants through biotechnology - is made up of the same molecules. DNA is consumed by humans and animals every day, so the body is well adapted to these molecules and digests all DNA in the same manner regardless of the sequence of the molecules.
Back to Top
![Global [change]](/globalassets/v3/images/en_US/topNav_Mn_count.gif)
