University of California, Davis animal scientist Alison Van Eenennaam examined almost 30 years of livestock-feeding studies that represent over 100 billion animals and found that the health and performance of food-producing animals eating genetically engineered feed has been comparable to that of animals that are non-GE fed.

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The study also found that no differences were found in the nutritional makeup of the milk, meat and other food obtained from the animals that consumed the genetically engineered feed.

Back in 1996, genetically engineered crops were introduced to the world. To date, there are 19 genetically engineered plant species that are authorized in the United States, including vital crops substantially used in animal feed, such as sugar beet, soybean, corn, canola and alfalfa.

Animals that produce food such as cattle, goats, pigs, chickens and other species of poultry as of the moment consume about 70 percent to 90 percent of all genetically modified crops, according to the UC Davis review. In the U.S. alone, nine billion food animals are bred yearly, 95 percent of which are eating feed that has the genetically-altered ingredients.

"Studies have continually shown that the milk, meat and eggs derived from animals that have consumed GE feed are indistinguishable from the products derived from animals fed a non-GE diet," Van Eenennaam said. "Therefore, proposed labeling of animal products from livestock and poultry that have eaten GE feed would require supply-chain segregation and traceability, as the products themselves would not differ in any way that could be detected."

She also said that the second generation of the genetically modified crops optimized to be used as feed for livestock is on the horizon, and there is an urgent need to internationally assess the regulatory framework for the commodities.

TagsGMO, Genetic Engineering, Genetics, Genetically modified organisms, Genetically modified organism, Genetically modified crops, crops, feed, livestock, Nutrition, health problems