What Do You Know About Foods Made From GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS?

• Position: International Food Information Council survey - Brief Article

Some food companies have stopped using genetically modified crops as sources for their foods. Like many Americans, though, you may think you don't know enough about the issue to decide whether you agree with those who pressed for these changes. A survey by the International Food Information Council found that just one in five Americans consider themselves informed about foods produced with genetically modified organisms. Peter Goldsbrough, a plant scientist and expert in genetically modified crops at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., has developed nine questions to test your knowledge of genetically modified foods and agricultural biotechnology:

1. Have you eaten foods made from genetically modified crops? A. Yes B. No 2. Which foods use genetically modified organisms in their production to the largest extent? A. Cheese B. Vegetables C. Meat 3. What are the current benefits of having foods made from genetically modified crops? A. They improve farm profitability and make some farmers' jobs easier. B. They allow farmers to increase greatly the amount of crops produced. C. They improve convenience for consumers --e.g., by creating foods with longer shelf lives. D. They improve the nutritional quality of foods. E. They cause less damage to the environment than conventional chemical-intensive agriculture. 4. Of the food we eat, how much contains the genetic material DNA? A. Less than five percent B. 20% C. 50% D. 80% E. Nearly 100% 5. Most foods derived from genetically modified crops contain: A. The same number of genes as food produced from conventional crops B. The same number of genes as foods produced from hybrid crops C. One or two additional genes D. Hundreds of additional genes E. No genes at all 6. What effect does eating genetically modified foods have on your genes? A. It could cause your own genes to mutate. B. It could cause your own genes to absorb the excess genes. C. It has no effect on your genes. D. The effects on human genetics aren't known. 7. Are foods made from genetically modified crops required to pass human testing? A. Yes B. No 8. Are foods derived from genetically modified crops required to be tested for possible allergic reactions in people? A. Yes B. No 9. Are foods derived from genetically modified crops nutritionally superior? A. They offer substantial health advantages over foods that are produced from conventional crops. B. They offer some health advantages over foods produced from conventional crops. C...