Have U.S. regulators judged that plant biotechnology is safe for consumers?
Yes. U.S. regulation of biotechnology-based food and crops is as rigorous as those for products made by traditional methods. Before products reach consumers, comprehensive safety and environmental testing is done. While nothing in life is absolutely guaranteed, the U.S. regulatory system has an excellent track record in food safety. At the same time, regulators are constantly updating their regulations – and their judgment of products – as more scientific information becomes known. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration, one of the chief agencies involved, regularly improves its standards and regulations. In food safety testing, genetically improved plants and foods are compared with traditional counterparts in a variety of chemical, genetic, biochemical, compositional, nutritional, and environmental tests. They are also compared to known allergens.
